Characterization of pure cheese snacks and expanded granule powders textured by the instant controlled pressure drop (DIC) process

Abstract

In this study, a new concept of pure cheese crispy snacks has been defined. The process used is the Détente Instantanée Contrôlée (DIC), for instant controlled pressure drop treatment, inserted between two air drying stages. Such cheese snacks can reach low water content (W<3 g H 2 O/100 g dry basis) and achieve high crispness level. A final simple grinding allows expanded granule cheese powders to be obtained. This paper investigates the impact of this process in terms of physical and structural properties such as specific density, expansion ratio, compressibility, etc. Cheese pieces can be expanded to a volume ca. 3,500% of original size, with a sharp decrease in the specific density of pieces from an initial value of 1,118±5 kg.m −3 , for untreated samples, which is close to the intrinsic density value, toward 33±5 kg.m −3 for the most expanded samples. The values of specific density strictly depend on the DIC processing parameters; the higher the DIC steam pressure, the higher the expansion ratio, and the higher the porosity (results not shown), the lower the specific density of the cheese snacks. The final powder granules can have small size (around 250 μm), an expanded structure, and thus a low bulk density and a high specific surface area. The results revealed the high capability of the DIC process to produce expanded perfectly dried cheese snacks and powders.

Texture and color characteristics of swell‐dried ready‐to‐eat Zaghloul date snacks: Effect of operative parameters of instant controlled pressure drop process

“…Our results are also in agreement with those recorded by Mounir et al () who reported similar tendency with a relative expansion ratio of 220–450% for various SD fruits and vegetables compared with AFD samples. Moreover, Mounir, Halle, and Allaf () found that the expansion ratio of SD snacks of pure cheese was up to 3,500% and Mounir, Besombes, et al () also proved an increase in specific surface area of SD apple by twice compared with AFD apple. Prachayawarakorn, Soponronnarit, Wetchacama, and Jaisut () found that the shrinkage of AFD shrimp was more visible than the superheated‐steam dried shrimp.…”

“…Swell drying is an alternative drying technique and discussed in many studies (Louka & Allaf, ; Mounir, ; Mounir, Allaf, Mujumdar, & Allaf, ; Mounir, Halle, & Allaf, ; Mounir, Téllez‐Pérez, Alonzo‐Macιas, & Allaf, ).The principle of swell drying is to perform instant controlled pressure drop technique (DIC) as a texturing step after a partial hot drying of the product. DIC is a high‐temperature short‐time treatment; T :up to 160°C and t : between some seconds and some dozens of seconds, followed by an instant dropping of pressure toward a vacuum ( ∼5 KPa) with a rate of Δ P /Δ t > 0.5 MPa s −1 .…”

The effect of microparticulated whey protein on the characteristics of reduced‐fat cheese and of the corresponding microwave vacuum‐dried cheese puffs and finely ground puffs

“…2009; Mounir et al . 2011; Chudy et al . 2019), but usually, full‐fat cheese was used for this purpose.…”

Application of microwave vacuum drying for snack production: Characteristics of pure cheese puffs

“…Expanded full-fat Cheddar was analysed by Rakcejeva et al (2009) using microwave vacuum drying. Instant controlled pressure drop processes were used by Mounir et al (2011) with Leerdammer cheese.…”