Food extrusion is a form of
extrusion used in
food processing. It is a process by which a set of mixed ingredients are forced through an opening in a perforated plate or
die with a design specific to the food, and is then cut to a specified size by blades. The machine which forces the mix through the die is an
extruder, and the mix is known as the
extrudate. The extruder consists of a large, rotating screw tightly fitting within a stationary barrel, at the end of which is the die.