Innovative Approach in Snack Development: Preparation of Rice -Potato Based Rizo Crisp

The global snack food market is continually evolving, driven by rising demand for novel, convenient, and healthier products. Extruded puffed snacks, such as corn puffs and rice crisps, remain highly popular due to their light texture, crispiness, and convenience. Starch-based materials, particularly from cereals and tubers, are the primary ingredients for such products, with their functional properties dictating the final product quality. Rice is a standard base for extruded snacks due to its excellent expansion properties, while potato contributes to binding and can enhance crispness. The physicochemical transformations of starch during extrusion, such as gelatinization and degradation, are well documented and critically influence texture and structure. Recent research has also explored the impact of specific process parameters, such as screw speed and barrel temperature, on the attributes of extruded snacks. The originality of this work lies in the development of a hybrid starch system combining rice and potato flours in a "Kurkure"-type geometry. Honestly, while both ingredients have been studied individually, their combination in an extruded, spiral-shaped snack infused with spices like cumin and chilli  before frying is not widely reported. This study systematically investigates the effect of blend ratio and processing conditions on the expansion, oil uptake, texture, and sensory properties of the novel Rizo Crisp, thereby contributing to the field of composite starch snack development.

Raw Materials

Commercial-grade rice flour, fresh potatoes (boiled, mashed, and dried), powdered cumin seeds, red chilli powder, salt, and sunflower oil were procured for the study.

Experimental Design and Formulation

We developed three initial formulations (T1, T2, T3) with varying ingredient proportions, as detailed in Table 1. Based on preliminary trials, formulation T2 was selected as the optimized final product for detailed analysis (Table 2).

Table 1: Initial  formulations for Rizo Crisp (g/100g batch)

Table 2: Optimized final formulation (T2) for Rizo Crisp (g/100g batch).

Production Process

The production process involved the following steps:

1) Weighing and pre-treatment of raw materials;

2) Blending of rice flour, potato mash, and spices (cumin, chilli, salt);

3) Hydration and mixing to achieve a  uniform dough;

4) Shaping using a screw extruder fitted with a die to form the characteristic curly shapes;

5) Deep-frying in a controlled fryer at 165°C until the moisture content is reduced to approximately 1.5-2%;

6) De-oiling and cooling to ambient temperature; and

7) Packaging in food-grade LDPE pouches.

 Figure 1: Flow process chart for the preparation of Rizo Crisp.

Physicochemical and Nutritional Analysis

We analyzed the optimized product (T2) for its proximate composition. Moisture, ash, fat, protein, and carbohydrate content were determined using standard laboratory methods. The energy values are calculated. Furthermore, physicochemical  properties , including expansion ratio and oil uptake, were measured.

Sensory Evaluation

The three formulations (T1, T2, T3 ) were evaluated sensory by a panel of untrained judges. Attributes including colour & appearance, texture, taste, flavour, and overall acceptability were scored using a 9-point hedonic scale (1 = dislike  , 9 = like).

Statistical Analysis

Sensory data were analyzed using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Post-hoc tests were conducted to identify significant differences between treatment means where applicable (p<0.05).

Table 3  : Statistical analysis (ANOVA) of sensory data.

Proximate Composition

The proximate composition of the optimized Rizo Crisp (T2) is presented in Table 3. The product provided 517 kcal per 100g, with 5.4g protein, 29.2g fat, and 56.1g carbohydrates. The dietary fibre content was 2g, and the ash content was 4.3g. The fat content is attributed to the deep-frying process, which is characteristic of this snack category. The formulation successfully produced a palatable snack with a balanced macronutrient profile.

Table 4  : Proximate  composition  of  Rizo  Crisp (T2)  per 100g.

Sensory Evaluation

The mean sensory scores for all treatments are summarized in Table 5. Statistical analysis (Table 3) revealed significant differences (p<0.05) among the treatments for all attributes.

Treatment T2 consistently received the highest scores for texture (8), taste (7.5), flavour (7.5), and overall acceptability (7). The balanced rice-to-potato ratio (60:30) in T2 likely contributed to its superior texture, providing optimal expansion and crispness without excessive hardness or oiliness. In contrast, T3, with a  higher  potato content, received the lowest scores for texture and overall acceptability, suggesting that excessive potato can lead to a denser, less appealing product. T1, while acceptable, scored lower on flavour, indicating that the seasoning level in T2 was more optimal.

These findings are consistent with the literature on composite snacks, where ingredient ratios significantly affect sensory perception and texture. The high overall acceptability of T2 demonstrates that the optimized formulation successfully balances the functional properties of both starches with the sensory appeal of the spice blend.

Table 5: Mean sensory scores of different Rizo Crisp formulations.

Process Optimization

Observations during processing indicated that a moisture content of 14% and a frying temperature of 165°C were optimal for the T2 formulation. At this combination, expansion was highest, and oil uptake was moderate. This aligns with studies on extruded snacks, where moisture content and thermal energy input are critical determinants of expansion and final product quality.

Our study successfully developed a novel extruded snack, Rizo Crisp, from a blend of rice and potato flour. The optimized formulation (T2) demonstrated a desirable nutritional profile and was the most sensorial accepted variant. The hybrid starch system proved effective in creating a product with excellent crispness and expansion. The integration of spices directly into the dough ensured uniform flavour distribution. This product showcases significant potential as a commercial snack, offering a new option in the competitive extruded snack market. Future work could focus on shelf-life stability, alternative cooking methods like baking to reduce fat content, and detailed microstructural analysis.

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