Effect of fibre fortification of low FODMAP pasta.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition affecting the digestive system and can be triggered by several different factors, including diet. To ease symptoms of IBS, a diet low in fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs) is often recommended. Pasta, as a staple food in the Western World, is naturally high in FODMAPs. This study investigates the impact of insoluble and soluble dietary fibre ingredients in low-FODMAPs pasta. The assessment included physicochemical, sensory, and nutritional quality. Soluble fibre strengthened gluten network, which caused a lower cooking loss and a lower release of sugars during in vitro starch digestion. Insoluble fibre interfered with the gluten network development to a higher extent causing a higher sugar release during digestion. This study reveals the most suitable fibre ingredients for the development of pasta with elevated nutritional value and sensory characteristics compared to commercial products on the market. This type of pasta has a high potential of being suitable for IBS patients.

Combining high-protein ingredients from pseudocereals and legumes for the development of fresh high-protein hybrid pasta: maintained technological quality and adequate sensory attributes.

BACKGROUND: The fortification of cereal foods, like pasta, with pseudocereal and legume ingredients promises a substantial improvement of their nutritional quality. However, partial replacement of wheat by pseudocereals and legumes in pasta formulations bears challenges regarding the products' technological and sensory quality. This study investigates the partial replacement of wheat semolina by a combination of high-protein ingredients (HPIs) from buckwheat, faba bean and lupin to reach a protein level of 20% of calories provided by protein. This high-protein hybrid pasta (HPHP) formulation was subjected to a thorough evaluation of technological quality characteristics and compared to regular wheat pasta and pasta formulations containing the single HPIs. Additionally, descriptive sensory profiling was performed to compare organoleptic properties of HPHP with regular wheat pasta. RESULTS: The quality of pasta formulations containing single HPIs was significantly reduced with regard to at least one of the determined quality characteristics. For the HPHP formulation containing all three HPIs, the technological quality was found to be equal to regular wheat pasta. No significant differences were detected for the most indicative quality characteristics cooking loss, firmness and stickiness. This was attributed primarily to compensating effects of the HPIs with respect to different quality characteristics. Sensory analysis revealed only slightly inferior overall quality of HPHP in comparison to regular wheat pasta, especially promoted by similar textural properties. CONCLUSION: The combination of selected HPIs offers the opportunity to produce high-protein hybrid pasta with technological and sensory quality similar to regular wheat pasta at a level of wheat semolina replacement of 25%. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Storage and preservation of dry pasta into biodegradable packaging made from triticale flour.

We studied the quality of dry pasta packaged and stored for 45 days in biodegradable bags made from triticale flour films. Results were compared with the quality of pasta packaged in commercial bags. Characterization of films and technologic and microbiological quality of pasta were performed. Biodegradable bags presented adequate properties during storage. There was no microbiological growth or differences in moisture and breaking force of dry pasta within both types of packaging during storage. Cooking quality of pasta was not affected by the type of packaging or storage time. We also studied the antioxidant capacity of pasta enriched with partially-deoiled-chia flour during storage in both types of packaging. A decrease in the antioxidant activity measured by ABTS assay was found at 45 days of storage in pasta packaged in biodegradable bags. Nevertheless, the total phenolic content and the antioxidant activity evaluated by FRAP method did not change significantly with time or type of packaging.

From ancient to old and modern durum wheat varieties: interaction among cultivar traits, management, and technological quality.

Following the boom in durum wheat breeding, ancient wheat disappeared from the human diet and old durum wheat varieties were replaced by what is believed to be their better versions: higher yielding modern varieties grown in high-input systems. Breeders have worked intensely ever since to improve the quality of durum wheat traits - mainly gluten subunit alleles - to obtain superior technological quality in the main durum wheat end products (first pasta and then bread) but conflicts about predicting their quality still exist. This is because quality is neither governed by one trait alone nor conditioned by a single controllable factor. This review discusses the evolution of wheat varieties from ancient to old, and then modern durum wheat in terms of agronomy, genetics, technological, and end-product qualities. Environmental effects will not be discussed. Moving from ancient to modern durum wheat varieties, grain yield increased, grain protein concentration decreased, and gluten strength and dough toughness improved, ameliorating the quality of pasta but decreasing the durum wheat versatility. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Impact of Variation in Amylose Content on Durum Wheat cv. Svevo Technological and Starch Properties.

Reserve starch, the main component of durum wheat semolina, is constituted of two glucan homopolymers (amylose and amylopectin) that differ in their chemical structure. Amylose is mainly a linear structure formed of α-1,4-linked glucose units, with a lower polymerization degree, whereas amylopectin is a highly branched structure of α-1,4-chains linked by α-1,6-bonds. Variation of the amylose/amylopectin ratio has a profound effect on the starch properties which may impact the wheat technological and nutritional characteristics and their possible use in the food and non-food sector. In this work a set of genotypes, with a range of amylose from 14.9 to 57.8%, derived from the durum wheat cv. Svevo was characterised at biochemical and rheological level and used to produce pasta to better understand the role of amylose content in a common genetic background. A negative correlation was observed between amylose content and semolina swelling power, starch peak viscosity, and pasta stickiness. A worsening of the firmness was observed in the low amylose pasta compared to the control (cv. Svevo), whereas no difference was highlighted in the high amylose samples. The resistant starch was higher in the high amylose (HA) pasta compared to the control and low amylose (LA) pasta. Noteworthy, the extent of starch digestion was reduced in the HA pasta while the LA genotypes offered a higher starch digestion, suggesting other possible applications.

Degradation of starch in pasta induced by extrusion below gelatinization temperature.

The structural deformation of starch during pasta extrusion leads to varied effects on pasta quality. We investigated the impact of shearing force on the starch structure of pasta and pasta quality by varying the screw speed (100, 300, 500 and 600 rpm) with a temperature range of 25 to 50 ℃ in increments of 5 ℃, from the feeding zone to the die zone. The higher screw speeds were associated with more specific mechanical energy input (157, 319, 440, and 531 kJ/kg for pasta produced at 100, 300, 500 and 600 rpm, respectively), resulting in a lower pasting viscosity (1084, 813, 522 and 480 mPa·s for pasta produced at 100, 300, 500 and 600 rpm, respectively) in the pasta due to the loss of starch molecular order and crystallinity. Size-exclusion chromatography revealed that pasta produced at 600 rpm screw speed had a lower amylopectin size distribution which indicated molecular breakdown during extrusion. Pasta produced at 600 rpm had higher in vitro starch hydrolysis (both raw and cooked) than the pasta made at 100 rpm. The research provides relationship of how the screw speed can be manipulated to design pasta with varied texture and nutritional functionality.

Allelic Variation of Glu-A1 and Glu-B1 Genes in Winter Durum Wheat and Its Effect on Quality Parameters.

Winter durum wheat is a relatively young crop that is highly adaptable due to its winter type of growth habit. The priority of breeding and genetic improvement of winter durum wheat is to improve grain quality and pasta quality, largely determined by the glutenin storage proteins. In the present study, a collection of 76 accessions of winter durum wheat from P.P. Lukyanenko National Grain Centre was studied. The allelic state of high-molecular-weight glutenin genes, Glu-A1 and Glu-B1, using PCR markers and SDS-PAGE was identified and grain and pasta quality traits were assessed in a two-year field experiment. The positive effect of the Glu-A1a allele and a negative effect of Glu-A1c on the gluten index were shown. It was found that Glu-B1al and Glu-B1f have a positive effect on the quality and quantity of protein and gluten, while the Glu-A1c + Glu-B1al genotypes were closest to the high-quality category in protein-associated quality traits.

Influence of Some Spaghetti Processing Variables on Technological Attributes and the In Vitro Digestion of Starch.

Durum semolina spaghetti is known to have a low-moderate glycaemic index but the impact of various processing variables during the manufacture and cooking of pasta does affect pasta structure and potentially could alter starch digestion. In this study, several process variables were investigated to see if they can impact the in vitro starch digestion in spaghetti while also monitoring the pasta's technological quality. Cooking time had a large impact on pasta starch digestion and reducing cooking from fully cooked to al dente and using pasta of very high protein content (17%), reduced starch digestion extent. The semolina particle size distribution used to prepare pasta impacted pasta quality and starch digestion to a small extent indicating a finer semolina particle size (<180 µm) may promote a more compact structure and help to reduce starch digestion. The addition of a structural enzyme, Transglutaminase in the pasta formulae improved overcooking tolerance in low protein pasta comparable to high protein pasta with no other significant effects and had no effect on starch digestion over a wide protein range (8.6−17%). While cold storage of cooked pasta was expected to increase retrograded starch, the increase in resistant starch was minor (37%) with no consequent improvement in the extent of starch digestion. Varying three extrusion parameters (die temperature, die pressure, extrusion speed) impacted pasta technological quality but not the extent of starch digestion. Results suggest the potential to subtly manipulate the starch digestion of pasta through some processing procedures.

Protein Maps for Durum Wheat Precision Harvest and Pasta Production.

The quality traits of dough and dry pasta obtained from semolina (Triticum durum Desf. var. Biensur), harvested from a 13.6 ha field, subjected to variable-rate nitrogen (N) fertilization, were assessed to test site-specific pasta production for a short supply chain. Based on the grain quality spatial distribution, two distinct areas with protein content lower or higher than 13% were delineated and harvested selectively. The rheological properties of semolina samples obtained from those areas were evaluated. Furthermore, dry pasta was produced and characterized for its cooking behaviour and sensory characteristics. Semolina was demonstrated to have rheological characteristics (i.e., gluten aggregation time and energy, as evaluated by GlutoPeak test) positively related to the protein content as well as the related pasta, showing better cooking quality. These results are driven by the high amounts of gluten proteins, as well as by the glutenin/gliadin ratio, which are indicators of the technological quality of semolina. Overall, the results indicate that segregation of the grain with >13% of protein at harvest led to the production of semolina with a higher gluten protein content and a higher glutenin/gliadin ratio and, hence, to the production of pasta with better cooking quality. Therefore, site-specific pasta could be a potential asset for a short supply chain, aiming at improving traceability, as well as environmental and economic sustainability.

Is Site-Specific Pasta a Prospective Asset for a Short Supply Chain?

In the 2011-2012 season, variable-rate nitrogen (N) fertilization was applied two times during durum wheat vegetative growth in three field areas which differed in soil fertility in northern Italy. The quality traits of the mono-varietal pasta obtained from each management zone were assessed in view of site-specific pasta production for a short supply chain. To this purpose, semolina from cv. Biensur obtained from management zones with different fertility treated with N at variable rate was tested in comparison with a commercial reference (cv. Aureo) to produce short-cut pasta. Biensur semolina demonstrated to have technological characteristics positively correlated with the low-fertility zones treated with high N doses (200 and 200+15 kg/ha) and, to a lesser extent, with the high-soil-fertility zones (130 and 130 + 15 kg/ha of N). The lower quality parameters were obtained for pasta produced with wheat from medium-fertility zones, independently of the N dose applied. The derived pasta obtained from the low-fertility zones treated with high N doses had cooking and sensory properties comparable to those of pasta obtained using the reference cv. Aureo. These results are explained by the higher amounts of gluten proteins and by a higher glutenin/gliadin ratio in semolina, which are indicators of technological quality. Overall, the results indicate that segregation of the grain at harvest led to the production of semolina with higher protein content and, hence, to a higher pasta quality. Therefore, site-specific pasta could be a potential asset for a short supply chain, aiming to improve traceability and environmental and economic sustainability.

How do conventional and organic management affect the healthy potential of durum wheat grain and semolina pasta traits?

The effect of cropping system (conventional vs. organic) and soil tillage (conventional vs. reduced tillage) on the health potential of durum wheat grain as well as on semolina and pasta quality traits was investigated in a long-term field experiment. Total antioxidant capacity, total arabinoxylans, alkylresorcinols, yellow pigments and total phenolics, which were assessed in kernels, revealed differences between the two cultivation systems only in 2011, whereas in the 2010 rainy season, cropping management did not influence these compounds. Proteins and W index were higher in the conventional system, except for the exceptionally rainy years. In contrast, the quality of cooked spaghetti was comparable in both management systems. Soil tillage differently affected bioactive compounds but had no impact on semolina and pasta quality. Overall, climatic conditions was the major factor affecting the quality of durum wheat. Our results indicate that an organic system does not represent a constraint to obtaining durum wheat grain with healthy potential relative to conventional wheat.

Use of Olive Oil Industrial By-Product for Pasta Enrichment.

BACKGROUND: During recent years food industries generally produce a large volume of wastes both solid and liquid, representing a disposal and potential environmental pollution problem. OBJECTIVE: The goal of the study was to optimize, from both sensory and nutritional points of view, the formulation of durum wheat spaghetti enriched with an olive oil industrial by-product, indicated as olive paste. METHODS: Three consecutive steps were carried out. In the first one, the olive paste was air-dried at low temperature, milled to record olive paste flour and properly analyzed for its biochemical composition. In the second step, the olive paste flour was added to the pasta dough at 10% and 15% (w/w). In the last step, different concentrations of transglutaminase were added to enriched pasta (10% olive paste) to further improve the quality. Sensory properties and nutritional content of enriched and control pasta were properly measured. RESULTS: Spaghetti with 10% olive paste flour and 0.6% transglutaminase were considered acceptable to the sensory panel test. Nutritional analyses showed that addition of 10% olive paste flour to pasta considerably increased content of flavonoids and total polyphenols. CONCLUSIONS: The proper addition of olive paste flour and transglutaminase for pasta enrichment could represent a starting point to valorize olive oil industrial by-products and produce new healthy food products.

Effect of gaseous ozone treatments on DON, microbial contaminants and technological parameters of wheat and semolina.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is an important mycotoxin produced by several species of Fusarium. It occurs often in wheat grain and is frequently associated with significant levels of its modified form DON-3-glucoside (DON-3-Glc). Ozone (O3) is a powerful disinfectant and oxidant, classified as GRAS (Generally Recognised As Safe), that reacts easily with specific compounds including the mycotoxins aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, trichothecenes and zearalenone. It degrades DON in aqueous solution and can be effective for decontamination of grain. This study reports the efficacy of gaseous ozone treatments in reducing DON, DON-3-Glc, bacteria, fungi and yeasts in naturally contaminated durum wheat. A prototype was used to dispense ozone continuously and homogeneously at different concentrations and exposure time, in 2 kg aliquots of durum wheat. The optimal conditions, which do not affect chemical and rheological parameters of durum wheat, semolina and pasta, were identified (55 g O3 h-1 for 6 h). The measured mean reductions of DON and DON-3-Glc in ozonated wheat were 29% and 44%, respectively. Ozonation also produced a significant (p < 0.05) reduction of total count (CFU/g) of bacteria, fungi and yeasts in wheat grains.

Pasta quality as impacted by the type of flour and starch and the level of egg addition.

This study investigated the effects of substituting wheat flour with fractions of different starch types and egg levels on pasta quality. First order mixture response surface model was used where the effects of various starch types and egg levels on pasta quality were evaluated. Coefficients of estimation were determined and fractional contribution of wheat, starch type and egg levels were evaluated. Egg levels negatively (p < .05) impacted treatments pasting viscosities, except in potato starch and rice flour. Stabilized rice bran peak viscosity increased from 215.0 to 3420.0 cP with decrease in egg level from 33 to 0%. Flow behavior index of treatments solution with various fractions of starch types and egg level ranged from 0.34 to 1.42 and was significantly (p < .05) lower than control (i.e., 2.15) indicating a better fit as a shear thinning model. Water holding capacity values of acorn starch and lupine flour were the greatest among treatment ranging from 86.8% to 176.0% and from 83.3% to 152.0%, respectively. Results also showed a possible modification of cooked pasta quality including firmness, stickiness, cooking loss, and water uptake, keeping with consumer acceptability through varying starch type and egg level. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Results show that flour and starch type and egg level interaction play significant role in pasta blends formulation. Moreover, substitution of wheat flour with acorn, native or modified corn and potato starches fractions, as well as with lupine, rice, tapioca, and stabilized rice bran flours would have significant effects on the physical properties and acceptability of various cereal products. For instance, the use of rice bran in potentially developed products would enhance the consumption of whole grain foods, resulting in improved intake of fiber and other healthy components.

The quality of functional whole-meal durum wheat spaghetti as affected by inulin polymerization degree.

The use of inulin in pasta improves the nutritional value decreasing the glycemic index in the blood after pasta ingestion but it compromises the sensory characteristics in terms of elasticity, firmness, bulkiness and adhesiveness. Thus, in this work, the impact of substituting whole-meal durum wheat flour with inulin on cooking quality, sensory and textural properties, digested starch and chemical composition of spaghetti was investigated. Two types of inulin at two different concentrations (2% and 4%) were adopted: inulin extracted from cardoon roots (CRI) (high polymerization degree) and commercial inulin (CHI) (low polymerization degree) produced from chicory. From the chemical point of view, the sample with 4% CRI showed the greatest total dietary fibres content and the lowest available carbohydrates content. A global acceptable quality was also recorded in all the other technological and sensory properties of enriched pasta with both types and both concentrations of inulin. The most feature of the work is that when CRI was added to the dough, better results were recorded, thus suggesting that for pasta enrichment, the selection of inulin with proper polymerization degree is a strategic factor for final product acceptance.