Food Extrusion Machine

Food extrusion machines transport, mix, knead, shear, shape, and/or cook multiple ingredients into a uniform food product by forcing the ingredient mix through shaped dies to produce specific shapes and sizes. Extrusion provides the foundation for continuous production. Food extruders come in single and twin screw configurations and are used to produce pasta and other cold formed products, cereals, snacks, pet food, feed, confectionery products, chewing gum, modified starches for soup, baby food, instant foods and beverage bases. Visually, a food extrusion machine could be compared to a meat grinder, as the end product is forced through the die. Extrusion is a very efficient process, as all processes can be done in-line: mixing, cooking, kneading, forming, heating, cooling and cutting. Both single screw extruders and twin-screw extruders are used in food production.