Effect of extrusion conditions and honey on functionality and bioactive composition of whole wheat flour-based expanded snacks

This investigation aimed to evaluate extrusion conditions and honey on whole wheat flour-based functionally expanded snacks using response surface methodology with feed moisture (FM), temperature (ET), and honey level as independent processing variables. Mathematical models with high statistical significance were obtained by fitting data in second-order polynomial equations. Honey addition reduced sectional expansion ratio (SER), increased bulk density (BD), and hardness of snacks. FM and ET had a curvilinear effect on SER, BD, and hardness. Lightness value decreased while redness and yellowness increased with increasing honey level and ET. Honey addition beyond the threshold level suppressed the snack's overall acceptability. The optimized conditions obtained by numerical optimization were 16.50% FM, 151.33 degrees C ET, and 12.83% honey level. Honey addition increased the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity (AOA) of extruded snacks, whereas ET had a detrimental effect. Extrusion processing enhanced the AOA and augmented the formation of hydroxymethyl furfurals with honey addition. Practical applications Ready-to-eat extruded snacks of various kinds are available in the market. Most of the sweetened extruded snacks in the market are, however, being prepared using refined cereal flours with the addition of table sugar (sucrose). These snacks, thus, are energy dense and lack nutritional quality. The use of whole wheat flour and honey, being a rich source of phytonutrients, could improve the nutritional and functional characteristics of extruded snacks. Consumers would be highly benefited by the consumption of such snacks. Considering the recent trend of sweetened snacks in the market, this study provides scientific knowledge and prediction about the effect of extrusion processing conditions on whole wheat flour and honey. Moreover, this study presents a novel approach for value addition and consumption of honey which, otherwise, is generally consumed in unprocessed form.