Search Results (118)

Carrot pomace is a valuable, underutilized by-product suitable for obtaining novel foods. The durum wheat dough and pasta network structure is affected by fiber-rich ingredients like carrot pomace, leading to changes in rheological and texture parameters. In this context, this paper aimed to evaluate the rheological, textural, and color properties of durum wheat dough and pasta as affected by different varieties and addition levels of carrot pomace. For this purpose, oscillatory dynamic rheological tests, compression mechanical texture evaluation, cooking behavior observation, and reflectance color measurements were made. The results indicated that carrot pomace has a strengthening effect on the durum wheat dough protein–starch matrix, while the maximum creep compliance decreased with the addition level increase. A delay in starch gelatinization was suggested by the evolution of visco-elastic moduli during heating. Dough hardness and gumminess increased (from 2849.74 for the control to 5080.67 g for 12% Baltimore, and from 1073.73 for the control to 1863.02 g for 12% Niagara, respectively), while springiness and resilience exhibited a reduction trend (from 100.11% for the control to 99.50% for 12% Sirkana, and from 1.23 for the 3% Niagara to 0.87 for 12% Belgrado respectively) as the amount of carrot pomace raised. An increasing tendency of pasta solids loss during cooking and fracturability was observed with carrot pomace addition level increase. Color properties changed significantly depending on carrot pomace variety and addition level, indicating a reduction in lightness from 71.71 for the control to 63.12 for 12% Niagara and intensification of red nuance (0.05 for the control vs. 2.85 for 12% Sirkana). Cooked pasta elasticity, chewiness, gumminess, hardness, and resilience increased, while adhesiveness and stickiness decreased as the level of carrot pomace was higher. These results can represent a starting point for further industrial development of pasta enriched with fiber-rich ingredients like carrot pomace. The study highlights the possibility of using a fiber-rich waste stream (carrot pomace) in a staple product like pasta, providing a basis for clean-label pasta formulations. In addition, the novelty of the study consists in highlighting how compositional differences of different carrot pomace varieties lead to distinct effects on dough rheology, texture, color, and cooking behavior. Full article

This study evaluates the potential of hard hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) lines, developed through marker-assisted selection (MAS), as an alternative to durum wheat for pasta production. Using hard hexaploid lines (SD lines) with targeted traits, such as increased gluten strength, protein content, and yellow coloration, the objective was to assess their performance relative to traditional durum wheat. Results indicate that some hard hexaploid lines demonstrate competitive properties compared to durum wheat genotypes, including protein content exceeding 11.5%, gluten index above 90%, and line SD 55 presented acceptable cooking performance with minimal cooking loss. Although some textural properties like hardness and chewiness were slightly lower than durum pasta, the line SD 34 exhibited characteristics most similar to durum wheat pasta. This study supports MAS-developed bread wheat as a feasible and cost-effective alternative for high-quality pasta production, particularly in regions where durum wheat is less accessible. Full article

The objective of this research was to evaluate the physicochemical quality, bioactive compound content, and antioxidant capacity of pasta made with durum wheat semolina and partial substitutions of parota flour (Enterolobium cyclocarpum). Fettuccine pasta formulations were prepared with different percentages of parota flour (0%, 10%, 30%, and 50%). The methodologies included proximate chemical composition analysis, dietary fiber determination, total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity (ABTS assay), and reducing power, as well as cooking quality tests and color analysis. The results showed that the incorporation of parota flour significantly increased protein content (up to 22.06 g/100 g), total dietary fiber (up to 22.1 g/100 g), and total phenolic compounds (up to 23.35 mg/100 g). Additionally, higher antioxidant capacity and reducing power were observed in the pastas with higher parota flour content. In terms of cooking quality, the parota flour-enriched pastas exhibited reduced cooking time and higher cooking loss, but lower water absorption and weight of cooked pasta. The values for cooking loss and water absorption in cooked pasta suggest the need to optimize formulations in order to improve pasta quality. Color analysis revealed more reddish and yellowish tones with greater saturation. Parota flour enhances the nutritional and functional profile of the pasta, providing a healthier and more visually appealing product. These pastas enriched with parota flour show promise as functional foods by contributing to a balanced diet and encouraging the use of regional, sustainable ingredients. Full article

Durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.), among the herbaceous crops, is one of the most extensively grown in the Mediterranean area due to its fundamental role in supporting typical food productions like bread, pasta, and couscous. Among the environmental and technical aspects, nitrogen (N) fertilization is crucial to shaping plant development and that of kernels by also affecting their protein concentration. Today, new techniques for monitoring fields using uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) can detect crop multispectral (MS) responses, while advanced machine learning (ML) models can enable accurate predictions. However, to date, there is still little research related to the prediction of the N nutritional status and its effects on the productivity of durum wheat grown in the Mediterranean environment through the application of these techniques. The present research aimed to monitor the MS responses of two different wheat varieties, one ancient (Timilia) and one modern (Ciclope), grown under three different N fertilization regimens (0, 60, and 120 kg N ha⁻¹), and to estimate their quantitative and qualitative production (i.e., grain yield and protein concentration) through the Pearson’s correlations and five different ML approaches. The results showed the difficulty of obtaining good predictive results with Pearson’s correlation for both varieties of data merged together and for the Timilia variety. In contrast, for Ciclope, several vegetation indices (VIs) (i.e., CVI, GNDRE, and SR_RE) performed well (r-value > 0.7) in estimating both productive parameters. The implementation of ML approaches, particularly random forest (RF) regression, neural network (NN), and support vector machine (SVM), overcame the limitations of correlation in estimating the grain yield (R² > 0.6, RMSE = 0.56 t ha⁻¹, MAE = 0.43 t ha⁻¹) and protein (R² > 0.7, RMSE = 1.2%, MAE 0.47%) in Timilia, whereas for Ciclope, the RF approach outperformed the other predictive methods (R² = 0.79, RMSE = 0.56 t ha⁻¹, MAE = 0.44 t ha⁻¹). Full article

Background: Edible insects, such as Tenebrio molitor larvae (TM), offer a sustainable protein alternative to meet increasing dietary demands. The aim of this study is to investigate the functionalization of durum wheat pasta through the incorporation of TM flour (0–30%), focusing on how the addition of this non-conventional ingredient affects pasta production processing and its technological and chemical characteristics. Methods: Pasting properties, color, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and reducing sugars were determined for dry and cooked pasta. Texture profile and cooking properties were assessed for cooked samples. Results: The insect flour contributed to enhance polyphenols content in pasta, which increased from 0.06 and 0.03 mg_GAE/g up to 0.19 and 0.10 mg_GAE/g for dry and cooked pasta, respectively, and remained constant after the production process. The addition of TM flour altered the microstructure of wheat macromolecules, forming complex molecules, such as amylose–lipid complexes, and hydrogen and electrostatic interactions between proteins and polysaccharides, contributing to improved molecular stability and bioactivity. The pasta produced with insect flour up to 10% showed water absorption capacity, cooking properties, and consistency comparable to those of traditional pasta. Moreover, the addition of TM flour led to a reduction in peak viscosities from 2146.5 cP to 911.5 cP and roughness of pasta. Conclusions: The findings demonstrated the potential of TM flour as a unique source of bioactive compounds enhancing both the nutritional and functional properties of durum wheat pasta. Overcoming processing challenges through the optimization of product formulation and process parameters is crucial for exploring the production of insect flour enriched pasta at industrial scale while maintaining product uniformity and satisfying consumers expectations. Full article

Pasta made from durum wheat semolina has a medium–high glycemic index score, high starch digestibility, and limited nutritional value due to its low fiber, vitamin, and bioactive compound content. This study aimed to enhance pasta’s nutritional and functional qualities by incorporating Pleurotus eryngii (PE) powder at various substitution levels to achieve one nutritional claim at least. This research involved two phases: evaluating the chemical/physical, nutritional, functional, and sensory properties of laboratory-scale samples and validating the selected formulations through industrial-scale production and shelf-life analyses. The pasta sample with 8.62% PE substitution (SPE8-P) demonstrated significantly improved nutritional qualities, including high fiber content sufficient for a “high fiber content” claim, and potential prebiotic activity indicated by increased bifidobacterial density during simulated fecal microbiota fermentation. Despite its enhanced riboflavin and antioxidant content, regulatory constraints limited the inclusion of claims for vitamin B2 richness and antioxidant activity. Although significantly affecting the color, taste, and odor profiles, the sensory analysis revealed high overall acceptability, supporting the product’s potential for consumer acceptance. This study confirms the feasibility of producing innovative, nutritionally enriched pasta with PE powder as a functional ingredient. Future research will focus on in vivo evaluation to establish the potential for classifying this pasta prototype as a functional food. Full article

Colour plays an important role among the quality traits of durum wheat, attracting consumer attention for the pasta market. The traits involved in colour expression are affected by genotype, environment, and processing. In the present study, based on eighteen durum wheat genotypes grown in eight environments, the effects of different traits related to colour expression were evaluated. Carotenoid pigments, such as lutein and β-carotene content; yellow and brown indices; and lipoxygenase, peroxidase, and polyphenoloxidase activities were analysed in semolina. The effects of processing were evaluated by measuring both the content of carotenoid pigments and colorimetric indices in pasta. The genotype, the environment, and their interaction were significant for all traits, although with a strong prevalence of genotypic effects, except for the brown index. After processing, a decrease in carotenoid content and the yellow index (86.7% and 16.0%, respectively) was observed, while the brown index increased (8.2%). A multiple regression analysis was performed on semolina traits, and the yellow index emerged as the main predictor for pasta colour, strengthening this trait as a fast and reliable criterion of selection. A High-Performance Index tool was also used to identify the genotype and environment that better combine all traits, positively influencing colour expression. All this information can be used in durum wheat breeding programmes for the prediction of pasta colour. Full article

Despite growing interest in ancient wheat varieties, the functional and nutritional properties of einkorn (Triticum monococcum) in cereal-based foods remain not fully elucidated. This study examined the chemical composition and functional properties of wholegrain einkorn pasta through cooking and simulated gastrointestinal digestion, comparing it with conventional Triticum durum wheat pasta. While sharing similar macronutrient profiles, einkorn pasta demonstrated higher retention of key compounds including phenolics, tocopherols, and phytosterols throughout cooking and in vitro digestion. Notable findings include enhanced prebiotic activity specifically targeting bifidobacteria populations and preserved antioxidant capacity despite thermal processing. These results demonstrated einkorn’s potential as a functional food ingredient, suggesting its capacity to deliver enhanced nutritional benefits through its unique matrix properties. Our findings provide mechanistic insights into ancient grain functionality in modern food applications, with implications for developing nutritionally enhanced pasta products. Full article

The widespread popularity of pasta has driven innovations in formulations and production technologies to enhance its versatility. Techniques such as alternative drying methods and fortification of wheat pasta seek to improve the nutritional value and functional properties of pasta products, thereby increasing their attractiveness to consumers. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of microwave–vacuum drying versus conventional drying on the characteristics of durum wheat semolina pasta, including moisture content, water activity, microstructure, colour, texture, weight gain factor, and cooking loss. Three types of pea protein concentrates (80, 84, and 88% dry matter) were used at levels of 3, 6, and 9% (g/100 g flour). Results indicated that microwave–vacuum drying had a significant impact on the physical properties and cooking quality of pasta. Microwave–vacuum drying caused material puffing, resulting in microstructure with high open porosity (64.1%) and minimal closed porosity (0.1%). This has likely contributed to the short rehydration time (2 min in boiling water) of produced pasta, effectively transforming it into an instant food product. All pasta samples had low water content (<9%) and water activity (<0.4), which ensure food safety. The microwave–vacuum-dried pasta weight gain factor (2.2) was lower than in the conventionally dried pasta (2.8). The firmness of microwave–vacuum-dried pasta was significantly higher (135 g) than that of conventional pasta (16 g). Fortification with pea protein enhanced porosity but did not affect pasta’s culinary parameters, such as weight gain or cooking loss, although it resulted in darker pasta (p = 0.001), especially notable with a 9% pea protein addition. Full article

Microalgae are a promising protein source due to their high protein content; high reproductivity; and low carbon, water, and arable land footprints. In this study, the impact of adding 3 and 5% of four Chlorella vulgaris strains, namely Smooth (SCV), Honey (HCV), White (WCV), and New Honey C. vulgaris (NHCV), on the processing, cooking behavior, color, firmness, structure, and sensory properties of durum wheat semolina pasta was investigated. It was hypothesized that (1) changes in physical properties depend on strain and concentration, (2) acceptability varies by strain due to different colors, odors, and flavors, and (3) the absence of fishy odors and flavors is crucial for acceptance rather than color. The results show that high-quality pasta could be produced with all C. vulgaris strains and concentrations. Cooking time and water absorption of all samples decreased but only significantly for the samples with NHCV added. Also, the bite resistance (determined instrumentally and sensorially) increased for almost all samples due to increasing protein and fiber content. A clear concentration dependency could not be found. In terms of sensory acceptance, NHCV performed the best, and an unaltered typical odor was identified to be crucial rather than color or the absence of fishy odor. Full article

The behavioural response of adult maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais, to different types of semolina pasta enriched or not enriched with increasing proportions (5%, 10%, and 15%) of house cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder was investigated in olfactometer arena bioassays by using trap devices. In the five-choice behavioural bioassays, the number of S. zeamais adults attracted to 100% durum wheat semolina pasta was significantly higher than those attracted to the other pasta types enriched with A. domesticus powder. In the two-choice behavioural bioassays, the Response Index for each pasta type was positive and significant. However, although not significant, there was a progressive reduction in the Response Index as the cricket powder content increased. In similar experiments, there were no significant differences between cricket powder alone and the control in the number of attracted S. zeamais, indicating a neutral effect towards insects. These observations suggest that the lower attractiveness of pasta enriched with house cricket powder is mainly due to the masking of host food odours. Solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy identified a total of 18 compounds in the head-space samples of the different types of pasta, highlighting differences in volatile composition. Some volatile compounds were only present in the pasta produced with cricket powder. In particular, 1-octen-3-ol and phenol were present in the samples containing 5%, 10%, or 15% cricket powder; pentanal, benzaldehyde, and dimethyl disulphide were present in samples containing 10% or 15% cricket powder; and 2,5-dimethyl-pyrazine was present in the sample containing 15% cricket powder. Further investigation with individual compounds and mixtures is needed to define the chemical basis of the differences in the insect olfactory preference observed in this study. Full article

In the current study, the prebiotic potential of an innovative functional pasta enriched with 12% (w/w) inulin was investigated. To this aim, pasta was subjected to in vitro gastrointestinal digestion followed by simulated gut fermentation compared to the control pasta (CTRL) not containing inulin. The incorporation of inulin positively (p < 0.05) affected some organoleptic traits and the cooking quality of the final product, giving an overall score significantly higher than CTRL. The resultant essential amino acid content was similar in both pasta samples while the total protein content was lower in inulin-enriched pasta for the polymer substitution to durum wheat flour. The prebiotic potential of chicory inulin was preliminarily tested in in vitro experiments using seven probiotic strains and among them Lacticaseibacillus paracasei IMPC2.1 was selected for the simulated gut fermentation studies. The positive prebiotic activity score registered with the probiotic strain suggested the suitability of the inulin-enriched pasta with respect to acting as a prebiotic source favoring the growth of the probiotic strain and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. The present study contributes to broadening knowledge on the prebiotic efficacy of inulin when incorporated into a complex food matrix. Full article

Italy is the world leader in the production of pasta and the Italian market is characterized by strong price competition among large industrial producers. Thus, recently, many small and medium firms have started to differentiate their products as a way to achieve higher margins and escape from price competition. Using data on the prices and characteristics of dried pasta sold online in the Italian market and a hedonic price model, we estimated the implicit prices associated with several attributes that are currently available for dried pasta. We find that the “artisanal” statement on pasta labeling is associated with the highest price premium. Also, results show that protected geographical indication, Halal and Kosher certifications, and the use of ancient wheat varieties are valuable features of dried pasta sold in the Italian market. Instead, a positive, albeit limited in magnitude, price premium is associated with dried pasta made using 100% Italian durum wheat semolina, the organic method, enriched with additional ingredients. Findings suggest that producers can differentiate their products by mostly emphasizing their small-scale production methods, the territorial connotation, and the cultural and environmental sustainability of production. Otherwise, certifying dried pasta as Halal or Kosher can represent a complementary or alternative strategy to differentiate the product and achieve a higher price. Full article

Food adulteration consists of changing the original structure of a food, and so, by its definition, it is a process not admitted by law. Adulterations can not only have commercial consequences, but also hygienic and nutritional ones, and in some cases, they can cause a serious danger to public health. Therefore, it is of great interest to understand and identify the modifications that alter the original chemical composition of a food item (nutrition label). Among the food processing sectors, the pasta food chain is a fascinating production process, which finds its roots in a mixture of a few, simple ingredients; in particular, in its basic formulation to produce pasta, exclusively durum wheat mixed with water is used, while soft wheat and therefore the flour obtained from it are destined for bakeries and the confectionery industry. In this work, a procedure was developed that allows the detection of the possible presence of soft wheat in durum wheat-based products, both in the flour and after the pasta-making process. It is to point out that this adulteration is only commercial fraud and there are no consequences for people’s health. In detail, the method was based on the isolation of the lipid fraction of flours and pastas and using the gas chromatographic analysis of the sterol ester fraction, which were not altered during the pasta-making phase, because they have very high boiling points. Based on the evaluation of some specific ratios between sterol esters, it was possible to trace the percentage of soft wheat present in a mixture with durum wheat, both in flour products and pastas. Full article

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. Full article