Whole grain wheat pasta with addition of sources of bioactive compounds and natural color modifiers

Abstract

Whole wheat pasta is rich in functional components, but it presents dark color and altered cooking characteristics. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the addition of yellow (YNC) and pink (PNC) natural concentrates, as well as regional products turmeric flour (TF) and purple sweet potato flour (SPF) to fresh whole wheat pasta, on its nutritional, technological and antioxidant properties. For pasta production were used whole grain wheat flour (WGF), refined wheat flour (RWF), YNC and PNC, TF and SPF. For each set of colored pasta with natural colorants or tuber flours was followed a linear 2 2 experimental design with three replicates at the central point (0, 0). Principal Components Analysis (PCA) for parameters weight gain, solids loss and texture (firmness) was used for selecting one formulation from each set with similar technological characteristics between them; selected pastas were further analyzed for their proximate composition and antioxidant properties.The natural colored concentrates (YNC and PNC) effectively modified whole wheat pastas color, without altering their technological characteristics. From this group of pastas, a control pasta (CP, 70:30 WGF:RWF w:w), yellow pasta (YP1, 60:40 WGF:RWF w:w, 1 g YNC/100 g) and pink pasta (PP9, 70:30 WGF:RWF w:w, 1 g PNC/100 g) were selected, as they presented similar texture, weight gain and cooking loss, for evaluation of antioxidant capacity. The three pastas had high fiber content (6.64 to 7.31 g/100 g). Additionally, PP9 had significantly higher total phenolics content in raw and cooked whole wheat pasta (raw PP9: 121.28 µg GAE/g, cooked PP9: 104.03 µg GAE/g), in comparison with CP and YP1.We also selected three pastas with tuber flour addition, which were CP3 (70:30 WGF:RWF w:w), turmeric pasta (TP6, 60:40 WGF:RWF w:w, 5 g TF/100 g) and purple sweet potato pasta (SPP13, 60:40 WGF:RWF w:w, 9 g SPF/100 g), with similar technological properties and high average dietary fiber content (7.92 g/100 g), for evaluation of antioxidant capacity. From the three pastas, TP6 presented the highest total phenolics content (534.46 ± 1.93 μg GAE / g), DPPH (5.70 ± 0.10 mg TE/ g), and ABTS (9.02 ± 0.58 mg TE/ g), with high retention (superior to 98%) of antioxidant capacity after cooking.In this study were obtained pastas with good technological, nutritional and antioxidant properties, being the natural colored concentrates an alternative for modifying the color of whole wheat pasta while adding functional value to it, making it healthy and clean-label, while the combination of tubers and whole wheat can provide health benefits and be an alternative with environmental sustainability and agricultural positive impact, for increasing the value of regional cultures.