Correlation of Extrudate Infusibility with Bulk Properties using Image Analysis

Corn meal extrudates were produced using process conditions designed to obtain various product structures. Extrudates were infused with a particle‐containing, high melting point lipid suspension, a process used to produce calorically dense components for military rations. Image analysis was used to estimate the degree of particle penetration into the extruded matrices and determine cell size distributions. Infusion uniformity was correlated with structural attributes, such as density, expansion, and average cell size.