More protein in snacks

Agricultural Research, June, 2004 by Charles I. Onwulata

Snack foods are a major dietary component for many U.S. consumers. Often these crunchy favorites are made from high-starch products such as corn flour. On average, these between-meal items consist of 3 to 5 percent protein, with the rest mostly carbohydrates, fats, and sweeteners.

Now a way has been found to increase the protein in foods such as breakfast cereals, corn puffs, cheese curls, and energy bars by up to 35 percent by adding whey proteins left over from cheese-making. It wasn't easy for food technologists to figure out how to add more whey without reducing the crunchiness of the end product. But through trial and error, they found the right temperature and moisture at which to blend corn flour with whey protein isolate so that it would run through a twin-screw extruder and achieve the desired shape and consistency. This technology is available for licensing. Charles I. Onwulata, USDA-ARS Dairy Processing and Products Research Unit, Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania; phone (215) 233-6497, e-mail conwulata@arserrc.gov.