Investigation of the Influence of Extrusion Conditions on Cambodian Extruded Rice Vermicelli
    1. Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering, Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Russian Federation Blvd., P.O. Box 86, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

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Received: October 05,2023 / Revised: Accepted: January 11,2024 / Published: June 30,2024

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 Rice is one of the most important crops used in the production of ready-to-cook (RTC) products such as noodles, rice vermicelli, ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereals, and snacks due to its color, bland taste, and good processing properties. Extrusion is one of the most creative food processing methods that have been used for product development. This technique helps to improve the nutritional, functional, and sensory properties of the products. The extrusion authorizes process control such as mixing, cooking, and product shaping simultaneously. In this study, the extrusion process parameters, including feed moisture rate (24 and 25%), barrel temperature (100 and 110°C), and screw speed (50–80 rpm), were conducted, and the physico-chemical properties and cooking qualities of extruded rice vermicelli were investigated. The results showed that the three parameters had a significant impact on product quality and consumer satisfaction. The pH of the final extruded rice vermicelli ranged from 6.62 to 6.68, while the moisture content ranged from 10.02% to 10.84%, and the water activity (aw) ranged from 0.522 to 0.573. The water absorption index (WAI) and water solubility index (WSI) were in the range of 397.46%–485.85% and 4.83%–6.15%, respectively. Cooking weights varied from 173%–180%, and cooking losses were reported between 12.10% and 17.93%. The extrusion parameter has no impact on pH while affecting aw and moisture levels, which are significantly different from one to another. At any temperature, rice vermicelli extruded at a lower screw speed (50 rpm) showed a relatively higher WAI value than at higher screw speeds (70 and 80 rpm). In contrast, the effect of barrel temperature and screw speed was the opposite of what was seen with WAI. Cooking time had an impact on how much cooking loss is reported in dry rice vermicelli, with longer cooking times leading to greater cooking loss. However, an increase in cooking losses results in a decrease in cooking weight.