食品膨化機由供料系統、擠壓系統、加熱系統、傳動系統、旋切系統和控制系統等幾部分組成。將物料由喂料機喂入，機筒經過高溫、高壓、高剪切，使物料膨化以達到所需的組織狀態等品質要求。

食品膨化(hua)(hua)機(ji)是通(tong)過(guo)水(shui)分、熱能、機(ji)械剪(jian)切(qie)和壓(ya)(ya)(ya)力等綜(zong)合(he)作(zuo)(zuo)用(yong)(yong)對食品進行膨化(hua)(hua)的(de)(de)(de)一(yi)種技術，是高(gao)溫(wen)(wen)、高(gao)壓(ya)(ya)(ya)的(de)(de)(de)短時加工過(guo)程。當含有一(yi)定水(shui)分的(de)(de)(de)原料(liao)(liao)通(tong)過(guo)供料(liao)(liao)器進入套筒(tong)(tong)(tong)后，隨著螺桿的(de)(de)(de)轉(zhuan)動而向前輸送，當物料(liao)(liao)逐漸受到機(ji)頭的(de)(de)(de)阻(zu)力作(zuo)(zuo)用(yong)(yong)時而被壓(ya)(ya)(ya)縮，通(tong)過(guo)壓(ya)(ya)(ya)延效應和吸收機(ji)筒(tong)(tong)(tong)外部所加熱量，以及物料(liao)(liao)在(zai)螺桿與套筒(tong)(tong)(tong)間的(de)(de)(de)強(qiang)烈攪拌、混合(he)、剪(jian)切(qie)等作(zuo)(zuo)用(yong)(yong)而產(chan)生的(de)(de)(de)高(gao)溫(wen)(wen)、高(gao)壓(ya)(ya)(ya)，使(shi)物料(liao)(liao)在(zai)擠(ji)壓(ya)(ya)(ya)腔內成(cheng)熔融狀(zhuang)態(tai)(tai)，淀(dian)(dian)(dian)粉(fen)(fen)組(zu)織(zhi)中排列緊密的(de)(de)(de)膠束被破壞，淀(dian)(dian)(dian)粉(fen)(fen)由生淀(dian)(dian)(dian)粉(fen)(fen)(β一(yi)淀(dian)(dian)(dian)粉(fen)(fen))轉(zhuan)化(hua)(hua)為熟淀(dian)(dian)(dian)粉(fen)(fen)(α一(yi)淀(dian)(dian)(dian)粉(fen)(fen))，即形(xing)成(cheng)了(le)淀(dian)(dian)(dian)粉(fen)(fen)糊化(hua)(hua)，此時物料(liao)(liao)中的(de)(de)(de)水(shui)分仍處于液體狀(zhuang)態(tai)(tai)。當熔融態(tai)(tai)物料(liao)(liao)進入成(cheng)型模(mo)頭前的(de)(de)(de)高(gao)溫(wen)(wen)高(gao)壓(ya)(ya)(ya)區時，呈完全的(de)(de)(de)流體狀(zhuang)態(tai)(tai)，隨模(mo)孔被擠(ji)出(chu)到達常(chang)溫(wen)(wen)常(chang)壓(ya)(ya)(ya)狀(zhuang)態(tai)(tai)，物料(liao)(liao)中的(de)(de)(de)溶膠淀(dian)(dian)(dian)粉(fen)(fen)體積也瞬間膨化(hua)(hua)，致使(shi)食品內部爆裂出(chu)許多微孔，體積迅速(su)膨脹，從而形(xing)成(cheng)質構疏松(song)的(de)(de)(de)膨化(hua)(hua)食品。