Abstract: Quick cooking pasta products are extruded in a low temperature process by advancing a partially pre-cooked mixture of pasta flour and water prepared in a preconditioner along the length of a screw extruder through a cooking zone, then through a venting zone and a forming zone, and finally through an extrusion die to yield an extruded product. The mixture has a maximum temperature of 215.degree. F. in the cooking zone in order to substantially eliminate the formation of darkened specks in the final extruded product which would otherwise represent portions of the mixture that are burned during cooking. Limiting the mixaimum temperature of the mixture in the extruder also greatly enhances the extruded pasta quality by increasing product resistance to overcooking and improving the retention characteristics of the original product integrity.

Abstract: Quick cooking rice products are manufactured in a low mechanical shear extrusion process by first pre-cooking a rice and water mixture in a preconditioner and then advancing the mixture along the length of an extruder sequentially presenting a cooking zone, a venting zone, a forming zone, and finally an extrusion die to yield an extruded product. Venting of gaseous products removes a significant amount of moisture from the mixture during the time that the latter passes between the cooking zone and the forming zone, and consequently the moisture content of the mixture within the cooking zone can be increased in order to reduce the total mechanical shear imposed on the mixture during the cooking process. The extruded product, once dried, closely resembles rice grain and readily rehydrates without exhibiting slimy or sticky characteristics, and has an increased tolerance to overcooking.

Abstract: Quick cooking pasta products are extruded in a low temperature process by advancing a partially pre-cooked mixture of pasta flour and water prepared in a preconditioner along the length of a screw extruder through a cooking zone, then through a venting zone and a forming zone, and finally through an extrusion die to yield an extruded product. The mixture has a maximum temperature of 215.degree. F. in the cooking zone in order to substantially eliminate the formation of darkened specks in the final extruded product which would otherwise represent portions of the mixture that are burned during cooking. Limiting the maximum temperature of the mixture in the extruder also greatly enhances the extruded pasta quality by increasing product resistance to overcooking and improving the retention characteristics of the original product integrity.