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It is well known that gluten plays a major role in determining cooking quality in durum wheat pasta. This work is an attempt to systematically elucidate the role of gluten quantity and nature in determining cooking quality as a function of the drying cycle used in the manufacturing process. Gluten and starch were fractionated from two durum wheat cultivars possessing good and poor gluten quality. Either of them were then added back to the original base semolina to alter its protein content and to produce two semolina series with identical protein contents. Semolinas were processed into pasta and dried following three drying programs (low, medium, and high temperature). Cooking quality was determined with sensorial, chemical, and instrumental methods. The results indicate that optimum cooking time is governed by gluten quality. The positive effect on cooking quality of increasing gluten contents and of the application of HT drying is evident in weak gluten samples, but it is not significant in the strong gluten samples.

Cereal Chem. 76(1):25-29The kernel characteristics and composition, milling performance, protein quality, and alveograph parameters of five spelt cultivars grown in European countries were determined in relation of their utilization in pasta products. Long pasta was manufactured and chemically characterized, and its quality was assessed by sensory and chemical tests. Protein and fat contents were high in the grains (15.7 and 4.4% db, mean value, respectively). Total fiber varied from 10.5 to 14.9% db. The average β-glucan content was 1.2% db. The milling performance as determined by yield, damaged starch, ash, and particle-size distribution in the flour was uniform among the five cultivars. The results of the SDS sedimentation and gluten index tests indicated that spelt gluten strength was low, and this was confirmed by the alveograph test. Sensory and chemical evaluations of the pastas, however, indicated that spelt is suitable for obtaining good-quality pasta. The combination of the high protein content and the high-temperature drying cycle adopted in pasta production could be responsible for these good results.

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