Textural attributes of a model snack food at different moisture contents

Good indices to judge the texture of a snack are firmness, Young's modulus and number of peaks; the latter has been defined as a drop in force of magnitude ⩾1 N. Critical moisture content for corn ball is 4% above which these three indices is markedly affected and product approaches unacceptable domain. The microstructure of corn balls shows the presence of air cells with thin walls and vacuoles. Deformed/damaged cells, fracture(s) in the cell walls and line of fracture for compressed samples have been observed.