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Technology Brief Supercritical Fluid Extrusion CCTEC D-1096

INVENTION SUMMARY: A process and an apparatus which combines supercritical fluids with extrusion cooking to develop innovative extruded-cooked food products such as confectionaries, pastas, snacks, breakfast cereals, instant beverages and, etc. POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS: This technology has applications in the food industry. ADVANTAGE: A method and apparatus to produce new and innovative extruded food as well as nonfood products. Characteristics of the supercritical fluid extrusion process include: simultaneous low-temperature mixing of nutrients, flavors, colors, etc. extraction of undesirable components within the extruder lower mechanical energy input, less damaging to heat sensitive proteins, flavors and nutrients viscosity lowering effect at the die less loss of volatiles in water vapor controlled expansion (density) and texture via mass pressure and CO2 injection rate smooth surface structures for coating TECHNICAL MERITS: Supercritical fluid extrusion (SCFX) is a novel process and apparatus for improved control of color, flavor, rheology, structure, texture and other properties of extruded-cooked foods. o The apparatus is a unique hybrid of supercritical fluid (CO2) processing and extrusioncooking in which the extruder is modified to permit injection of the supercritical CO2 into the extrudate as it travels down the extruder barrel. The integration allows simultaneous expansion, cooking, flavoring, coloring, and reduction of extrudate viscosity. The technology makes possible the incorporation of heat labile constituents into the extrudate in the extruder eliminating certain post-extrusion operations such as addition of flavor and color powders to the surface. The process can be used to remove certain constituents, such as bitter flavor fractions, from the extrudate. SCFX also opens up opportunities to produce extruded products with novel characteristics such as smooth surfaces and uniform internal pores. The use of supercritical CO2 as the expansion gas rather than water vapor allows the production of products with characteristics unattainable by existing methods. Products with the characteristics of acid-modified starches can also be produced. In addition to new product development opportunities, SCFX enhances efficiency by increasing throughput of lower moisture content doughs and by decreasing extrusion energy requirements.

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Figure 1: SCFX process schematic

INVENTORS: Syed S. H. Rizvi (http://www.riboprinter.cornell.edu/cals/foodsci/research/labs/Rizvi/) and Steven Mulvaney PATENT STATUS: US Patent Number 5,120,559 LICENSE STATUS: Exclusive or non-exclusive licenses will be considered. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Jeff Fearn, Ph.D. Senior Technology Commercialization and Liaison Officer Phone: (607) 254-4502 Email: jcf55@cornell.edu