High Nutritional Value Food Extrusion

Pet food, animal feed, and plant proteins

Food Extrusion Process

Extrusion Technology for Processing Protein-Rich Foods and Organic Materials Food extrusion is a continuous thermomechanical process that cooks, structures, and shapes solid and pasty ingredients rich in proteins or fibers. The material is conveyed through a heated barrel, where a single-screw or counter-rotating twin-screw — depending on the configuration — generates friction and pressure. The mix is plasticized, blended, and homogenized, then pushed through a die that defines its shape and density. Bausano lines for food extrusion are designed to process complex ingredients, such as organic waste, animal-derived protein meals, microalgae, or agro-industrial by-products. The application is particularly suited to the production of pet food, high-density technical animal feed, functional foods, and textured vegetable protein (TVP). For every new formulation, a laboratory testing phase is carried out at the Bausano technical center. Here, rheological parameters, moisture content, and mix stability are analyzed to confirm processability on the actual plant and optimize operating conditions.

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Modular Process Structure and Technical Plant Configuration

Bausano extrusion lines follow an integrated sequence that includes: automatic dosing, feeding, melting and cooking, die forming, cutting, cooling, and, when required, post-treatment. The system is designed to ensure stability, continuity, and repeatability, even with raw materials that are difficult to process. The plants can be configured with screws featuring a specific profile, designed to handle variable viscosities, high fill levels, and different moisture levels. The barrel is segmented into independent thermal zones, with precise temperature control. The dies are customizable to produce specific shapes depending on the intended use (granules, sticks, pellets). Front or side cutting systems are optimized to ensure dimensional uniformity and reduce waste. Process control is managed through a centralized digital interface, featuring remote diagnostics and production parameter reporting. The entire cycle can be validated in advance through pilot testing, which makes it possible to identify the most efficient configuration for each recipe.

Plant Performance and Engineering Advantages of the Process

Bausano's food extrusion technology transforms heterogeneous ingredients into standardized finished products, even starting from complex raw materials such as protein meals, organic by-products, or non-conventional ingredients. The process is highly controllable, scalable, and adaptable, enabling efficient resource management and a significant reduction in waste.
Key technical benefits:

Adaptability to recipes with variable rheological profiles
Modular control of thermal zones for maximum precision
High efficiency in dispersion and homogenization of the mix
Shape of the mold
Preliminary recipe validation through laboratory pilot testing

From an operational standpoint, Bausano food lines operate at temperatures between 80 and 180 °C, with process pressures from 30 to 60 bar. The most common formulations have an inlet moisture content between 20% and 30%, while productivity can range from 50 to 500 kg/h, depending on the configuration. Installed power per line typically ranges between 20 and 90 kW, with energy optimization available on request.

A starting point to define the right solution together

By filling in the form below, it is possible to describe specific technical or production requirements. The technical team will carefully evaluate the request in order to propose the most suitable extrusion line or extruder.