Effect of xanthan gum on processing and cooking quality of nontraditional pasta

The physicochemical properties of three different commercial sources of xanthan gum (XG) were determined, and its subsequent effect on the processing and cooking quality of pasta containing nontraditional ingredients was characterised. Commercial durum flour was fortified with nontraditional ingredients (soya flour or oat flour, 10% w/w) and XG (2% w/w). Protein content, ash content, bulk density, water‐holding capacity and total glucose content significantly varied among XG samples from different vendors. Xanthan gum increased dough strength of durum flour and the extent of strengthening varied with vendor of XG. For example, time‐to‐peak ranged from 2.75 to 4.25 min; peak width from 2.5 to 3.75 BU; and end width from 2 to 3 BU depending on the vendor of XG. Processing properties differed depending on commercial source. Commercial XG that had the finest particle size required the lowest mechanical energy (range 253–270 J s^?1) and had the greatest extrusion rate (range 3.38–3.65 g s^?1), both of which resulted in the lowest specific mechanical energy (range 69–79 J g^?1) required to extrude spaghetti samples.     

Role of gluten and its components in influencing durum wheat dough properties and spaghetti cooking quality

Protein is an important component of grain which affects the technological properties of durum wheat. It is known that the amount and composition of protein can influence dough rheology and pasta quality but the influence of the major classes of protein is not well documented. The influence of the various gluten components on dough and pasta properties was investigated. The protein composition of durum semolina was altered by either adding gluten fractions to a base semolina or preparing reconstituted flours with varying protein composition. The effects on semolina dough rheology and spaghetti texture were measured. Published methods to isolate relatively pure quantities (gram amounts) of glutenin, gliadin, high molecular and low molecular weight glutenin subunits were evaluated and modified procedures were adopted. Reconstituted flours with additional glutenin increased dough strength while additional gliadin and LMW‐GS decreased strength. These changes did not impact on spaghetti texture. Results from using the addition of protein fractions to a base semolina showed that gluten and glutenin addition increased the dough strength of a weak base semolina while gliadin addition weakened the base dough further. Addition of HMW‐GS greatly increased dough strength of the base while addition of LMW‐GS greatly reduced dough strength. Again, these affects were not translated into firmer pasta. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

A survey of water‐extractable arabinopolymers in bread and durum wheat and the effect of water‐extractable arabinoxylan on durum dough rheology and spaghetti cooking quality

BACKGROUND: Information on the variation in water‐extractable arabinopolymers (WEAP) in durum wheat and their impact on pasta quality is limited. A survey of the content of WEAP in selected bread wheat varieties and durum wheat was conducted and the influence of water‐extractable arabinoxylans (WEAX) on dough and spaghetti quality was examined by fortifying low‐WEAP durum semolina with purified WEAX. RESULTS: Bread wheat typically possessed higher levels of WEAP than durum wheat, but the latter had a greater range. Purified WEAX was extracted from bread wheat cultivar Sunlin which possessed a high level of WEAP. The extract was used to fortify semolina (0.125–2% w/w) derived from durum wheat variety Tamaroi (low WEAP). Fortification caused a near linear increase in farinograph water absorption of approximately 12% over the range of addition, leading to dough weakening. Reduced cooked pasta stickiness was observed at all levels of WEAX addition. CONCLUSION: Increased WEAX content may be a means to improve pasta quality by reducing pasta stickiness. Durum wheat showed a wide range of WEAP contents, and this may well be exploited by developing cultivars with elevated WEAP levels. © 2008 Crown in the Right of the State of New South Wales and Society of Chemical Industry.     

Application of common wheat bran for the industrial production of high‐fibre pasta

The study was conducted on the effect of the addition of common wheat bran on the chemical composition, physical properties, cooking quality and sensory traits of durum wheat pasta. The pasta was produced on an industrial scale, applying an addition of common wheat bran at doses ranging from 20 to 40%. The products obtained were compared to the pasta from whole‐grain durum wheat flour, produced under identical conditions and with commercially available whole‐grain durum wheat pasta. The increase in the content of wheat bran in the pasta caused a significant increase (Duncan test, P ≤ 0.05) of the content of protein, lipids, ash and total dietary fibre (TDF). The application of 25–30% addition of common wheat bran allowed obtaining the products which are as rich in dietary fibre as the pasta prepared at the same technological parameters from whole‐grain durum flour. The pasta containing up to 30% of bran was characterised with lower losses of dry mass and higher resistance to overcooking, in comparison with the pasta made of whole‐grain durum. Simultaneously, the products had very good sensory quality.     

Spaghetti cooking quality of waxy and non‐waxy durum wheats and blends

Quality attributes of waxy durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L), milled semolina and cooked spaghetti were examined and compared with those of two non‐waxy durum cultivars. With the exception of kernel hardness, wheat quality characteristics were similar for both waxy and non‐waxy durum. Compared with average values obtained for durum wheat grown in North Dakota (USA) during the crop year 2000, the values obtained for the wheat used in this study were equal or better for most parameters evaluated. Semolina extraction for all samples was lower than the 2000 average of 62.6%. The waxy lines had higher ash, lower speck count, similar protein quantity, lower wet gluten and stronger mixograph curves than the non‐waxy cultivars. Waxy durum semolina had higher lipid content, starch damage, stirring number and flour swelling values. Spaghetti made from waxy durum semolina had shorter cooking time, similar cooking loss and cooked weight and lower firmness values, which would be unacceptable by most standards. Spaghetti made from blends containing 20–80% waxy durum semolina were evaluated. Cooking time and firmness decreased and cooking loss increased as the amount of waxy semolina increased. Acceptable spaghetti was obtained using 20–40% waxy semolina blends, depending on the quality of the non‐waxy blending material. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

A comparison of two instrumental techniques used to discriminate the cooking quality of spaghetti

Pasta is a popular food whose quality can be measured by appearance, flavour and texture. Several instruments have been devised to measure texture but there is little comparative information. This study compared the TA.XT2i texture analyser with the viscoelastograph of thirty spaghetti samples. There was a high correlation between these instruments and good agreement in ranks. While both instruments provide comparable data it is not the same. Two laboratories used the texture analyser to measure cooked spaghetti firmness using their own procedures. There was good agreement in firmness, however; there were differences in the ranks for samples that fell between the extremes in firmness. We attributed these differences to variations in the instrument settings, cooking method and sample presentation used by the laboratories indicating the need to standardise the method. Using a standard method greatly improved the correspondence between the laboratories improving the r ² to 0.99 with excellent agreement in the ranking of ten samples.     

Heat Denaturation of Durum Wheat Semolina β-Amylase Effects of Chemical Factors and Pasta Processing Conditions

The susceptibility to heat denaturation of durum wheat β-amylase was studied in aqueous solution at 50 to 65°C. The activation energy of the reaction of denatnration was 439 kJ/mole between 56 and 65°C. Additives were tested to determine their protective effects on enzyme activity (at 65°C) in aqueous solution. Maltose, resulting from degradation of starch by β-amylase, appeared to be the most protective. The β-amylase became more resistant to heat with higher concentrations of maltose, indicating an enzyme-maltose complex which was more stable to heat than the enzyme alone. The same mechanism occurred when durum wheat pasta was processed: maltose produced either during mixing and sheeting or during extrusion protected the enzyme. The degree of protection was proportional to the intensity of mechanical work imparted to the dough.     

Influence of semolina replacement with salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha) powder on the physicochemical attributes of fresh pasta

This study evaluated the influence of the incorporation of salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha) fish powder (SFP) into pasta production and the effect on pasta physicochemical attributes. Four replacement levels were tested (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%) together with a control pasta (100% semolina). The effects on the chemical composition, physical properties (optimal cooking time, cooking loss, water absorption index, swelling index and colour and textural properties (firmness and extensibility) were analysed. The results demonstrated that pasta with SFP had increased protein (12.88–23.40%), lipid (0.46–7.20%), ash (0.39–0.57%) and energy (122.26–161.08 kcal) contents (P < 0.05), increased cooking time (6.30–8.30 min) and cooking loss (4.28–8.02%) compared with semolina control pasta. However, all pasta samples were in the acceptable range (8 g/100 g) for cooking loss. The addition of SFP resulted in significantly decreased swelling index (2.29–1.95), water absorption (105.46–81.62%) and firmness (3.13–1.16 N) (P < 0.05) whilst increasing resistance to uniaxial extension of pasta. Colour parameters indicated comparable brightness between the samples and higher redness values for enriched pasta. Thus, pasta fortified with SFP has the potential to be a technological alternative for the food industry to provide protein-enriched pasta.     

Evaluation of the technological and sensory properties of durum wheat spaghetti enriched with different dietary fibres

The incorporation of fibres, whether insoluble or soluble, in durum wheat pasta negatively impacts desirable end‐use properties, especially if incorporated in significant amounts. Fibres can disrupt the starch–protein matrix of the dough during pasta preparation and can also often swell more readily with water than starch, competing with the starch for water during dough development. Similar degrees of substitution with different fibres gave markedly different impacts on firmness, stickiness, cooking loss and sensory attributes, suggesting that results obtained for one fibre cannot readily be generalized to other fibres. The in vitro starch digestibility of the pastas was significantly reduced when resistant starch, β‐glucan‐enriched flour, carboxymethyl cellulose or guar gum was incorporated but increased when pollard or inulin was added. In many instances, different sources of the same fibre gave dramatically different impacts on the properties of cooked durum wheat pasta. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

Quality of spaghetti pasta containing Mexican common bean flour (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

The objective of this research was to study the effect of the addition of common bean flour to semolina on the cooking quality and total phenolic content of pasta. Pasta was obtained at three temperatures (60, 70 and 80 °C) and two levels of added common bean flour (15% and 30%); plain pasta (100% semolina) was used as control. Moisture, optimal cooking time, cooking loss, water absorption capacity, colour change, firmness and total phenolic and furosine contents were measured. The cooking time and water absorption were diminished in spaghetti pasta with added common bean flour; cooking loss increased and firmness decreased as a function of the bean flour percentage. A linear relationship between colour change and common bean flour content in pasta was found. Increases of furosine and phenolic contents in pasta with the addition of bean flour were observed.     

Study of cooking quality of spaghetti dried through microwaves and comparison with hot air dried pasta

The aim of this work is to evaluate and compare the effects of microwave and conventional drying (hot air) on the quality characteristics of cooked pasta. Experiments were carried out on pasta type spaghetti.A huge difference was noticed between times necessary to dry samples by hot air and by microwaves, in fact in the first case, the drying time was on the average 204.5 min vs. 61.7 s of microwave treatment (average). The gelatinization degree of samples dried by hot air was faster than that of those dried by microwaves: the medium values of kinetic constant of gelatinization of samples dried by hot air and microwaves were 7.5 and 5.2, respectively. Similar total organic matter values suggest that the cooking quality of samples differently dried was comparable. Moreover, samples dried by microwaves were thicker than pasta dried by hot air (37.8 vs. 27.4).     

An overview of the Italian market for 2015: cooking quality and nutritional value of gluten-free pasta

A roundup of gluten-free (GF) pasta sold in the Italian market in 2015 was characterised throughout cooking behaviour, texture, colour and nutritional value. A preliminary evaluation of cooking quality of the thirty-three available products underlined an extremely heterogeneous technological quality. Eleven categories were, therefore, discriminated based on the main ingredients declared on the labels. Interestingly, the most numerous category (rice and corn) was pulverised on the factorial space indicating highly heterogeneous properties. This result was confirmed throughout multivariate statistics and can be likely due to diversity in ingredients proportions or/and processing. Nutritional evaluation of GF pasta pointed out a good nutritional quality. Therefore, the combination of technological and nutritional analyses demonstrated a huge difference among the analysed pasta samples, which can increase the difficulty of consumers to make their choice, and leaves room for further improvement of GF pasta formulation and productive processing.     

In vitro starch digestion and technological properties of spaghetti fortified with lupin protein isolate

Spaghetti commonly made with durum wheat, typically lacks essential amino acids and with low fibre. Legumes offer potential to improve these properties and lupin is a good choice because it is cheaper with fewer antinutritional compounds than other legumes. Spaghetti was prepared with 0%, 5%, 17% and 30% lupin protein isolate (LPI) using both single-screw (SSEP) and twin-screw extrusion (TSEP). LPI increased protein up to 129%, reduced cooking time, water absorption and cooked firmness while stickiness and cooking loss were increased, especially using TSEP. LPI made the dried pasta more red and yellow and decreased brightness. The percentage of starch digested under in vitro conditions was reduced using 17%LPI with TSEP and 30%LPI with SSEP compared vs. control. Microscopy revealed changes in structure by LPI which may explain impacts on technological properties and digestion. Inclusion of LPI in pasta represents a potential approach for a low-cost improvement of nutritional value of spaghetti and potentially reducing its starch digestibility.     

Relationship between gluten strength and pasta firmness in Indian durum wheats

Selected Indian durum wheats including five newly released varieties and seven landraces were studied for their grain quality, gluten strength (sodium dodecyl sulphate‐sedimentation and mixograph) and pasta making properties. Landraces were found to have good grain size, protein content, and gluten strength but they had lower test weight and semolina yield than released varieties. As protein composition affects gluten strength, landraces having combination of low molecular weight (LMW‐GS) with 5, 12, 15 and 19 linked to Gli‐B1 43.5 and high molecular weight (HMW‐GS) 2*, 14 + 15 provide a dough strength comparable with the 7 + 8 and LMW‐GS 2, 4, 6, 12, 15 and 19 (caa) allelic pattern, typically associated with good gluten strength. Landraces have rare combinations of glutenins and gliadins, which are not seen in commercial Indian durums, and in some cases, these rare alleles seem to favour good gluten strength and pasta firmness. Introduction of these alleles through breeding should improve the gluten strength and pasta making properties of Indian durum cultivars.     

Effect of supplementation of wheat flour with resistant starch and monoglycerides in pasta dried at high temperatures

Quality of pastas made from wheat flour (WF) and durum wheat semolina (DWS) with added resistant starch (RS) and distilled monoglyceride was evaluated through a central composite rotational design. A press extruder was used to produce the pasta. Water absorption index showed statistical difference between the WF and DWS indicating that proteins present in each samples were different. Pasta samples obtained with the WF presented a shorter cooking time and less solid loss than those obtained with DWS. Increase in volume and weight gain was similar for both samples. Instrumental texture responses showed that pasta made from DWS had higher values for firmness and springiness and lower for adhesiveness when compare to WF pastas. Nevertheless, pasta made from both samples showed similar behaviours of final RS contents of 4% after cooking. Therefore, they could be considered as a source of fibres according to the Brazilian Laws (3 g dietary fibre/100 g product).     

Gluten‐free spaghetti made with chickpea,unripe plantain and maize flours: functional and chemical properties and starch digestibility

The development of gluten‐free spaghetti with a low amount of glycaemic carbohydrate was investigated. The goal of this study was to determine the chemical composition, cooking quality and starch digestibility of gluten‐free spaghetti elaborated with mixtures of chickpea, unripe plantain and maize flours. The gluten‐free spaghetti presented a higher protein, fat and ash content than the control semolina spaghetti. The solid loss among all the gluten‐free spaghetti was in the range of 10.04–10.91% and not significantly different from each other. These values were almost at the limit of acceptability to be considered as good cooking quality. Total starch in the gluten‐free spaghetti was lower than the control spaghetti. The lower available starch (AS) and higher resistant starch contents in the gluten‐free spaghetti were associated with their lower rate of hydrolysis and predicted glycaemic index. There is a potential for developing gluten‐free spaghetti with reduced amount of glycaemic carbohydrates from unconventional food ingredients such as chickpea, unripe plantain and maize flours.     

Chemical composition,sensory and cooking quality evaluation of durum wheat spaghetti enriched with pea flour

The goal of the study was to obtain spaghetti enriched with pea flour with sensory properties close to conventional pasta. To this aim, the study has been organised in two subsequent trials. In the first, the pea flour amount added to the spaghetti was continuously increased until the overall sensory quality reached its threshold value (pea flour concentration = 15%). In fact, the spaghetti samples supplemented with 15% pea flour (15%S‐P) showed less elasticity, unpleasant colour and higher firmness compared to the control sample (CTRL). The second step was aimed to improve the overall sensory quality of the 15%S‐P spaghetti by means of guar gum (GUAR). The sample with GUAR (15%S‐P/GUAR) showed a pleasant colour, odour and taste. Furthermore, the 15%S‐P/GUAR sample recorded a low starch digestibility value (i.e. 54) and a higher soluble fibre content with respect to the 15%S‐P sample.     

The role of a low molecular weight glutenin fraction in the cooking quality of durum wheat pasta

Durum wheat glutenin fractions, composed of two low molecular weight proteins DSG-1 and DSG-2 (durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf) sulphurrich glutenin fractions) were extracted from semolina samples using a low concentration of Na tetradecanoate after extracting albumins, globulins and gliadins. DSG proteins have a high? SH plus S? S content. A highly significant correlation was found between the ? SH plus S? S content of this DSG-rich fraction and the cooking quality of pasta (0.63, P <0.01 with firmness and 0.86, P <0.001 with the state of the surface of the cooked pasta) and this seems to be a functional relationship. The use of acetic acid at various molarities showed the presence of high molecular weight glutenin fractions with differing solubility properties. In this respect, differences were found between varieties which are placed in the same group according to the classification of durum wheats based upon the composition of high molecular weight glutenin subunits.