Amino Acid Improving and Physical Qualities of Extruded Corn Snacks Using Flours Made from Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.) and Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima L.)

The effectiveness of supplementation with 5, 10 and 15% of flours made from Jerusalem artichoke roots (JAF), amaranth seeds (AF) and pumpkin tissue (PF) on the physical properties of corn‐based snacks and the improvement of their amino acids (aa) composition was studied. No higher than 10% enrichment of corn grits particularly improved texture, porosity and specific density of snacks and revealed suitable expansion, a delicate crunchy texture. The lightness of the extrudates decreased after PF and JAF had been used. PF or JAF at the higher level (10 or 15%) increased the redness of snacks. AF affected the reduction of their yellowness and the use of PF its increase. Particularly beneficial as the source of amino acids was JAF with 15% addition increasing the amount of essential aa (eaa) by 21%, particularly the content of lysine, methionine + cystine, leucine and isoleucine. AF did not cause much change in the content of eaa. Practical Applications From the study appears that such novel raw material in snacks production, like flours from amaranth seeds, Jerusalem artichoke roots and pumpkin tissue are desirable components of corn‐based snacks, particularly used as 10% additives. They do not alter significantly the expansion and porosity of extrudates, and decrease their specific density. Jerusalem artichoke and pumpkin flour are promising additives as decreasing the hardness of corn snacks, amaranth as lightening their color and Jerusalem artichoke flour additionally as the compound increasing the content of essential amino acids in the final product.