Abstract: A cooking-extruding apparatus and method for the cooking-extrusion of biopolymers for the production of thermally treated food granulates, snack products, cereals or similar products. The cooker-extruder having a feeding hopper, a conveying screw, an exit nozzle, and at least one spatula-pump disposed between the conveying screw and the exit nozzle. Each spatula-pump includes a spatula element and plate having a matrix of holes. In operation, the spatula element assists the material being processed through the plate having a matrix of holes. An embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention includes the use of two conveying screws. The spatula-pumps are arranged serially such that the material being processed passes through one spatula-pump to the next until it is passed through the exit nozzle of the apparatus.