journal article·2025-11-21Open access

Extruded Food Pellets with the Addition of Lucerne Sprouts: Selected Physical and Chemical Properties

Beata Biernacka, Jakub Soja, Karolina Wojtunik-Kulesza, Marek Gancarz, Mateusz Stasiak, Magdalena Kręcisz, Maciej Combrzyński

Applied Sciences· Volume 15· Issue 23

Abstract

The study aimed to develop extruded snack pellets enriched with fresh lucerne sprouts and to evaluate the effects of this type of additive and processing parameters on extrusion-cooking efficiency, specific energy consumption, and selected physical and antioxidant properties. The results showed that screw speed, feed moisture, and lucerne content were the main factors influencing process efficiency and product quality. Higher lucerne content and feed moisture reduced extrusion-cooking efficiency and increased energy consumption, while a moderate addition (10%) ensured positive physical characteristics and stable processing conditions. Enriching the extrudates with lucerne sprouts significantly increased total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, confirming functional potential. The incorporation of up to 30% fresh lucerne sprouts offers a promising approach to producing functional extruded snacks with improved nutritional value and more sustainable processing.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Food composition and properties · Food Drying and Modeling · Microencapsulation and Drying Processes

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Thermal Technology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Głęboka Street 31, 20-612 Lublin, Poland

Department of Food Process Engineering, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Głęboka Street 31, 20-612 Lublin, Poland

Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Chodzki Street 4a, 20-093 Lublin, Poland

Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Balicka 116b, 30-149 Krakow, Poland

Centre for Innovation and Research on Pro-Healthy and Safe Food, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Balicka 104, 30-149 Krakow, Poland

Institute of Agrophysics Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland

Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Chełmońskiego Street 37a, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland

Funding

The National Centre for Research and Development

References (48)

Show source-provided references
1. Baker, M.T., Lu, P., Parrella, J.A., and Leggette, H.R. (2022). Consumer Acceptance toward Functional Foods: A Scoping Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19.10.3390/ijerph19031217 ↗
2. Innovation trends in the food industry: The case of functional foods10.1016/j.tifs.2013.03.006 ↗
3. The road ahead for functional foods: Promising opportunities amidst industry challenges10.1002/fpf2.12022 ↗
4. Alalwan, T.A. (2025). Consumer Psychology in Functional Beverages: From Nutritional Awareness to Habit Formation. Beverages, 11.10.3390/beverages11050126 ↗
5. Kurek, M., Benaida-Debbache, N., Elez Garofulić, I., Galić, K., Avallone, S., Voilley, A., and Waché, Y. (2022). Antioxidants and Bioactive Compounds in Food: Critical Review of Issues and Prospects. Antioxidant, 11.10.3390/antiox11040742 ↗
6. Fekete, M., Lehoczki, A., Kryczyk-Poprawa, A., Zábó, V., Varga, J.T., Bálint, M., Fazekas-Pongor, V., Csípő, T., Rząsa-Duran, E., and Varga, P. (2025). Functional Foods in Modern Nutrition Science: Mechanisms, Evidence, and Public Health Implications. Nutrients, 17.10.3390/nu17132153 ↗
7. Puri, S., Shaheen, M., and Grover, B. (2023). Nutrition and cognitive health: A life course approach. Front. Public Health, 11.10.3389/fpubh.2023.1023907 ↗
8. Nazzaro, C., Uliano, A., Lerro, M., and Stanco, M. (2025). From Claims to Choices: How Health Information Shapes Consumer Decisions in the Functional Food Market. Foods, 14.10.3390/foods14040699 ↗
9. Healthy eating as a trend: Consumers’ perceptions towards products with nutrition and health claims
10. Yuan, X., Zhong, M., Huang, X., Hussain, Z., Ren, M., and Xie, X. (2024). Industrial Production of Functional Foods for Human Health and Sustainability. Foods, 13.10.3390/foods13223546 ↗
11. Xu, Y., Jia, F., Wu, Y., Jiang, J., Zheng, T., Zheng, H., and Yang, Y. (2025). The Impact of Extrusion Cooking on the Physical Properties, Functional Components, and Pharmacological Activities of Natural Medicinal and Edible Plants: A Review. Foods, 14.10.3390/foods14111869 ↗
12. Mironeasa, S., Coţovanu, I., Mironeasa, C., and Ungureanu-Iuga, M. (2023). A Review of the Changes Produced by Extrusion Cooking on the Bioactive Compounds from Vegetal Sources. Antioxidant, 12.10.3390/antiox12071453 ↗
13. Applications of food extrusion technology10.15406/mojfpt.2024.12.00301 ↗
14. Effect of extrusion cooking on the chemical and nutritional properties of instant flours: A review10.12688/f1000research.140748.2 ↗
15. Extrusion technology in food processing: Principles, innovations and applications in sustainable product development10.1016/j.foohum.2025.100672 ↗
16. Nutritional aspects of food extrusion: A review10.1111/j.1365-2621.2006.01309.x ↗
17. Lisiecka, K., and Wójtowicz, A. (2020). Possibility to Save Water and Energy by Application of Fresh Vegetables to Produce Supplemented Potato-Based Snack Pellets. Processes, 8.10.3390/pr8020153 ↗
18. Development of Gluten-Free Extruded Snack Containing Lentil Flour and Evaluation of Extrusion Process Conditions on Quality Properties10.1002/fsn3.70663 ↗
19. The replacement of cereals by legumes in extruded snack foods: Science, technology and challenges10.1016/j.tifs.2021.08.016 ↗
20. Pasqualone, A., Costantini, M., Coldea, T.E., and Summo, C. (2020). Use of Legumes in Extrusion Cooking: A Review. Foods, 9.10.3390/foods9070958 ↗
21. Value-Added Processing of Food Legumes Using Extrusion Technology: A Review10.1002/leg3.231 ↗
22. A review on bioactive compounds in sprouts: Extraction techniques, food application and health functionality10.1080/10942912.2023.2176001 ↗
23. Aloo, S.O., Ofosu, F.K., Kilonzi, S.M., Shabbir, U., and Oh, D.H. (2021). Edible Plant Sprouts: Health Benefits, Trends, and Opportunities for Novel Exploration. Nutrients, 13.10.3390/nu13082882 ↗
24. Motrescu, I., Lungoci, C., Calistru, A.E., Luchian, C.E., Gocan, T.M., Rimbu, C.M., Bulgariu, E., Ciolan, M.A., and Jitareanu, G. (2024). Non-Thermal Plasma (NTP) Treatment of Alfalfa Seeds in Different Voltage Conditions Leads to Both Positive and Inhibitory Outcomes Related to Sprout Growth and Nutraceutical Properties. Plants, 13.10.3390/plants13081140 ↗
25. Sun, K., Peng, Y., Wang, M., Li, W., Li, Y., and Chen, J. (2024). Effect of Red and Blue Light on the Growth and Antioxidant Activity of Alfalfa Sprouts. Horticulturae, 10.10.3390/horticulturae10010076 ↗
26. Igual, M., Chiş, M.S., Socaci, S.A., Vodnar, D.C., Ranga, F., Martínez-Monzó, J., and García-Segovia, P. (2021). Effect of Medicago sativa Addition on Physicochemical, Nutritional and Functional Characteristics of Corn Extrudates. Foods, 10.10.3390/foods10050928 ↗
27. Soja, J., Combrzyński, M., Oniszczuk, T., Gancarz, M., and Oniszczuk, A. (2024). Extrusion-Cooking Aspects and Physical Characteristics of Snack Pellets with Addition of Selected Plant Pomace. Appl. Sci., 14.10.3390/app14198754 ↗
28. Mitrus, M., Combrzyński, M., Biernacka, B., Wójtowicz, A., Milanowski, M., Kupryaniuk, K., Gancarz, M., Soja, J., and Różyło, R. (2023). Fresh Broccoli in Fortified Snack Pellets: Extrusion-Cooking Aspects and Physical Characteristics. Appl. Sci., 13.10.3390/app13148138 ↗
29. Wójtowicz, A., Combrzyński, M., Biernacka, B., Oniszczuk, T., Mitrus, M., Różyło, R., Gancarz, M., and Oniszczuk, A. (2023). Application of Edible Insect Flour as a Novel Ingredient in Fortified Snack Pellets: Processing Aspects and Physical Characteristics. Processes, 11.10.3390/pr11092561 ↗
30. New type of potato-based snack-pellets supplemented with fresh vegetables from the Allium genus and its selected properties10.1016/j.lwt.2021.111233 ↗
31. Antioxidant and antiradical activities of flavonoids10.1021/jf001413m ↗
32. Combrzyński, M., Soja, J., Oniszczuk, T., Wojtunik-Kulesza, K., Kręcisz, M., Mołdoch, J., and Biernacka, B. (2025). The Impact of Fresh Blueberry Addition on the Extrusion-Cooking Process, Physical Properties and Antioxidant Potential of Potato-Based Snack Pellets. Appl. Sci., 15.10.3390/app15095112 ↗
33. Influence of process parameters on physical properties and specific mechanical energy of healthy mushroom-rice snacks and optimization of extrusion process parameters using response surface methodology10.1007/s13197-018-3271-2 ↗
34. Effects of extrusion screw speed, feed moisture content, and barrel temperature on the physical, techno-functional, and microstructural quality of texturized lentil protein10.1111/1750-3841.16991 ↗
35. Effect of fresh beetroot application and processing conditions on some quality features of a new type of potato-based snacks10.1016/j.lwt.2021.110919 ↗
36. Dushkova, M., Simitchiev, A., Petrova, T., Menkov, N., Desseva, I., and Mihaylova, D. (2023). Physical and Functional Characteristics of Extrudates Prepared from Quinoa Enriched with Goji Berry. Appl. Sci., 13.10.3390/app13063503 ↗
37. Use of blackcurrant and chokeberry press residue in snack products10.2478/pjct-2019-0003 ↗
38. Influence of Alfalfa Powder Concentration and Granularity on Rheological Properties of Alfalfa–Wheat Dough
39. Structure, Conformational and Rheological Characterisation of Alfalfa Seed (Medicago sativa L.) Galactomannan10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117394 ↗
40. Impact of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Galactomannan on the Microstructural and Physicochemical Changes of Milk Proteins under Static In-Vitro Digestion Conditions10.1016/j.fochx.2022.100330 ↗
41. Tumilaar, S.G., Hardianto, A., Dohi, H., and Kurnia, D. (2024). A Comprehensive Review of Free Radicals, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidants: Overview, Clinical Applications, Global Perspectives, Future Directions, and Mechanisms of Antioxidant Activity of Flavonoid Compounds. J. Chem., 5594386.10.1155/2024/5594386 ↗
42. Effects of alfalfa saponin extract on growth performance and some antioxidant indices of weaned piglets10.1016/j.livsci.2014.05.032 ↗
43. Changes in growth and antioxidant status of alfalfa sprouts during sprouting as affected by gamma irradiation of seeds10.4315/0362-028X-67.3.561 ↗
44. Sprouts as potential sources of dietary antioxidants in human nutrition10.5604/01.3001.0009.5052 ↗
45. Glycine max (L.) Merr., Vigna radiata L. and Medicago sativa L. sprouts: A natural source of bioactive compounds10.1016/j.foodres.2012.10.025 ↗
46. Alfalfa Seeds and Sprouts–Review of the Health Benefits and Their Influence on Bakery Products10.15835/hpm.v30i1-2.14445 ↗
47. Aloo, S.O., Kaliyan Barathikannan, K., Ofosu, F.K., and Oh, D.-H. (2023). Fermentation of ascorbic acid-elicited alfalfa sprouts further enhances their metabolite profile, antioxidant, and anti-obesity effects. Food Biosci., 54.10.1016/j.fbio.2023.102871 ↗
48. The content of biologically active substances in seeds and sprouts of beans of the papilionoideae subfamily