Physicochemical properties of ready‐to‐eat extruded nixtamalized maize‐based snacks enriched with grasshopper

Abstract

Summary The aim of this research was to prepare an extruded snack based on nixtamalized maize flour ( Zea mays L.) ( NMF ) enriched with grasshopper meal ( Sphenarium purpurascens Ch.) ( GM ) using a single screw extruder with a compression screw ratio of 3:1. A central experimental design comprising three independent variables, namely, extrusion temperature ( T = 120–180 °C), feed moisture content ( FMC = 18–22 g/100 g) and the grasshopper meal proportion ( GMP = 0–40 g/100 g), was used. Increasing T decreased ( P < 0.05) the expansion index ( EI ), bulk density ( BD ) and hardness (H). Increasing the FMC increased ( P < 0.05) the EI . Increasing the GMP decreased ( P < 0.05) the EI , H and water absorption index ( WAI ) and increased ( P < 0.05) the BD and total colour difference (Δ E ). The treatments that resulted in better general acceptability were those that contained a lower GMP . An extruded snack acceptable to the consumer can be obtained from a blend of NMF and GM , and up to 8.11 g/100 g of GM can be incorporated without affecting the physicochemical properties and acceptance of the snack.