A Puffed Snack Extruder

Raw materials such as degermed corn grits and/or rice flour are mixed with water to a moisture content of about 17%. The moistened grain grits are then manually fed into the hopper of the extruder. The machine converts the natural starch in the grains into cold soluble starch in the machine through a thermoplastic process. The grains are cooked and leave the extruder as an extruded product.

The product leaving the extruder is cut into the desired shape and size with the help of a cutter mounted on the die assembly. Its moisture content is 6% and it is immediately dried in a dryer to a moisture content of less than 2%. The dried semi-product is then fed into a coating pan where it is coated with oil and spices. The oil is sprayed through a spray gun, which is driven by dry filtered air produced by a compressor. In order to extend the shelf life of the product, the oil used must be a saturated fat. The oil must be preserved by adding antioxidants. The coated snacks are fed directly into the hopper of an automatic forming and sealing machine. The product is automatically weighed and packed into bags by the machine's hot rod sealing jaws. The bags are then packed in cartons for easy handling and distribution.