Process for forming dough ribbon

Abstract

There is disclosed a process for forming farinaceous dough ribbon of good quality and at a substantially constant rate. The ribbon is especially employed in processes involving further handling or treating of the dough as a ribbon of substantial length. Compositions comprising farinaceous solids and water are worked to the desired dough consistency in the barrel of an extruder. A positive displacement device is located between the barrel of the extruder and a die to discharge the dough ribbon from the die at a substantially constant rate. The production of ribbon of acceptable quality can be readily maintained. When an undesirable variation in ribbon quality appears, it can be counteracted by controlling only one process variable in the extruder barrel. The dough ribbons are particularly useful in the preparation of cooked snack food products, e.g., fried corn chips.