Method and apparatus for the production of high viscosity paste products with added components

A method of incorporating a component into an extrudate, comprising the steps of:

• passing a starting ingredient mixture through an extruder, said extruder having an elongated barrel presenting an inlet and a restricted outlet, and a helically flighted, axially rotatable screw within the barrel, said mixture comprising an ingredient selected from the group consisting of grain, starch, collagen and glycerin, and water;
• adding a component to said ingredient mixture to form a composite, and passing the composite through said outlet to produce said extrudate, said component selected from the group consisting of a lipid, oil, lipid-based and oil-based materials;
• and
• after said composite has passed through said outlet to produce said extrudate, treating said extrudate by subjecting the extrudate to acoustic vibrations in a sonolation device,
• said treating step comprising the steps of passing said extrudate into said device at a pressure of at least 200 psi, and subjecting the extrudate to cavitation, turbulence and shear within the device in order to create a uniform final product.