Impacts of Scarification and Degermination on the Expansion Characteristics of Select Quinoa Varieties during Extrusion Processing

Extrusion of 2 quinoa varieties, Cherry Vanilla and Black (scarified and unscarified) and a mixed quinoa variety, Bolivian Royal (scarified and degermed) were studied for their extrusion characteristics. A corotating twin-screw extruder with a 3 mm round die was used. Feed moisture contents of 15%, 20%, and 25% (wet basis) were studied. The extruder barrel temperature was kept constant at 140 °C and screw speeds were varied from 100, 150, and 200 revolutions per minutes. Process responses (specific mechanical energy, back pressure, and torque) and product responses (expansion ratio, unit density, and water absorption index/water solubility index) were evaluated. The degermed Bolivian Royal showed the highest expansion in comparison to all other varieties, attributed to its significantly low levels of fat, fiber, and protein. The scarified Cherry Vanilla resulted in the lowest expansion ratio. This was attributed to the increase in the protein content from the removal of the outer layer. The results indicate that all the varieties performed differently in the extrusion process due to their modification processes as well as the individual variety characteristics.