Extrusion Processing for Value-Added Production of Food and Feed

This equipment grant addresses USDA-NIFA’s strategic goal # 4 (USDA Strategic Plan FY2014-2018), “Ensure that all of America’s children have access to safe, nutritious, and balanced meals”, through Improving Food Quality (A1361) and Animal Nutrition, Growth and Lactation (A1231) priority areas. We propose to use extrusion processing for the development of value-added food and feed. We plan to study how biopolymer conversion (gelatinization, dextrinization and denaturation) influence bioavailability of nutrients and destruction of antinutritional factors in ingredients like cereals. Extrusion is a very versatile process that combines several unit operations (mixing, cooking, sterilization and shaping) in one and it has wide application in the food and feed industries. The objectives of this proposal are to: 1. Procure a lab-scale extruder. 2. Develop preliminary data on influence of extrusion variables on physicochemical characteristics, bioavailability of nutrients and destruction of antinutritional factors in foods made from gluten-free cereals. 3. Develop preliminary data on the effects of extrusion conditions on feeds, their nutrients utilization in non-ruminant animals. 4. Demonstrate use of extruder in the production of various food and feed products for student lab classes, 4H workshops and student recruitment drive. Access to a lab-scale extruder will contribute significantly to teaching, research and extension activities here at University of Kentucky. The equipment will serve faculty across two colleges (College of Food, Agriculture and Environment and College of Engineering) and it will help kick-start research and extension programs of three junior faculty that will allow them to be competitive in future USDA-NIFA grants.