Effect of temperature on the physical, functional, and mechanical characteristics of hot-air-puffed amaranth seeds

Amaranth seeds were puffed with hot air at 290, 330 and 370 °C. Selected temperature-dependent properties of raw and puffed amaranth seeds, namely seed size, shape, color, water and fat absorption, resistance to compression and back extrusion energy, were determined. These properties are required for designing apparatus for puffing cereals with hot air. It was postulated that 290 °C is the optimum temperature for hot-air-puffing of amaranth seeds. A temperature of 330 °C may bring the expected results only when high water-holding capacity of seeds is desirable.