Lab technologiesExtrusion
Extrusion is one unit operation that mixes, cooks, shapes and puffs at once, which is exactly why it is hard to tune. Our laboratory extruder lets you test formulations and parameters for puffed snacks, cereals and bars, and measure the result instead of guessing it.
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What we develop on the extruder
- Puffed snacks and breakfast cereals based on corn, rice, wheat, pulses and proteins.
- Protein enrichment: how far protein can go before expansion and texture break down, and how to compensate in the formulation.
- Cold extrusion and shaping of bars.
- Gluten-free, low-carb or pulse-based snack development.
- Texture and crispness measured on a texture analyser, plus water activity and bulk density, to compare versions objectively.
What we check before scale-up
Feed moisture, barrel temperature, screw speed and die opening together set the expansion ratio, product density and crispness. Benchtop trials map the operating window and the sensitivity of each parameter, so the move to an industrial (usually twin-screw) extruder starts from a known point. A puffed snack is also a product that goes soft quickly: its shelf life depends on moisture uptake and glass transition, so packaging is tested in the same project.
What you get at the end of the trial
Samples of every version, a parameter table (feed moisture, temperatures, screw speed, die) next to the expansion, density, crispness and water-activity measurements, and a recommendation on the formulation and parameters to take to the pilot. A snack that also needs coating, seasoning or baking after extrusion goes through those steps in the same lab.
Frequently asked questions
Can you develop an extruded protein snack here?
Yes. We test up to what protein level expansion and texture hold, which proteins (pea, soy, milk, chickpea) behave better in your product, and how to compensate in the formulation. The result is measured on the texture analyser and by water activity, not only by tasting.
Is a single-screw extruder enough to simulate a twin-screw production line?
Not entirely, and we say so up front. A single-screw extruder is right for proving feasibility, mapping the operating window of a formulation and comparing versions. Transfer to a twin-screw line needs tuning, so we record the critical parameters and plan the pilot trial around them.
Let's put your idea on the bench
A short first conversation: the product or challenge, the market, where you are, and what's already known. Then we ask for a short brief and come back with a proposal.
Talk to usQuestions about cost, timelines or who owns the formula? Read the FAQ