Search

Pasta is healthy, cheap, versatile, and convenient as a carrier of bioactive components. The present work focused on increasing the nutritional quality of pasta via chickpea flour and protein isolate in addition to monitoring the influences of this fortification on the physicochemical, texture and sensory attributes of functional pasta. Eight fortified pasta products were prepared of durum semolina wheat with partial replacements of 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10% of chickpea flour (CF)/or chickpea protein isolate (PI). Cooking quality, moisture content, swelling index, starch content, in-vitro protein digestibility, texture and sensory properties were evaluated. CF and PI fortifications decreased optimum cooking time (Min. 5 min) and starch content (Min. 62%) with overall increases in cooking losses (Max. 5.79%), swelling index (SI) (Max. 31.69%), hardness (Max. 22.13 g), cohesiveness (Max. 1.13), springiness (Max. 1.11 cm), gumminess (Max. 21.34 N) and doubled the chewiness (Max. 21.36 g cm−1). The impact of pasta enrichment on its in-vitro protein digestibility against control (91.89%) was varied where CF substitution resulted increased protein digestibility (Max. 95.57%), while counter results have been announced by PI that significantly decreased pasta protein digestibility to (48.55%). Absorbed water was increased along with CF or PI substitutions resulting in higher moisture cooked pasta (Max. 68.83%). Panelists’ opinion summed the upraised differences positively affecting chickpea fortified pasta sensory attributes to gain high acceptance scores. Enrichment the nutritional quality of pasta by fortification with chickpea flour and protein isolate can be recommended supported by enhancements in rheological and sensorial properties.

The functional properties of &beta, glucans derived from oats and barley are confirmed by numerous in vitro and in vivo studies. This study aimed to assess the effect of adding 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20% oat (1,3)(1,4)-&beta, D-glucans to physicochemical properties, as well as the cooking and sensory qualities of durum wheat pasta. Additionally, to improve the cooking and sensory qualities of pasta, we added 5% of xanthan gum and vital gluten. The present study showed that the addition of &beta, glucans led to an increase of the water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), and viscosity of products. At the same time, an increase in the content of fat, ash, and dietary fiber was observed. The addition of (1,3)(1,4)-&beta, D-glucans influenced the cooking quality of the pasta, extending the minimum cooking time and increasing the loss of dry matter. At the same time, the color of the product changed. In the case of cooked pasta, the addition of &beta, glucans decreased the brightness and increased the yellowness and redness. It was found that the products enriched with 10&ndash, 15% of &beta, glucans, as well as 5% of xanthan gum and vital gluten would yield functional pasta that may offer health benefits beyond its nutritional value. Further, this could influence high cooking and sensory quality.

A biotechnological approach including enzymatic treatment (protease and xylanase) and lactic acid bacteria fermentation has been evaluated to enhance the nutritional value of semolina pasta enriched with hemp, chickpea and milling by-products. The intense (up to circa, (ca.) 70%) decrease in the peptide profile area and (up to two-fold) increase in total free amino acids, compared to the untreated raw materials, highlighted the potential of lactic acid bacteria to positively affect their in vitro protein digestibility. Fermented and unfermented ingredients have been characterized and used to fortify pasta made under pilot-plant scale. Due to the high contents of protein (ca. 13%) and fiber (ca. 6%) and according to the Regulation of the European Community (EC) No. 1924/2006 fortified pasta can be labelled as a &ldquo, source of fiber&rdquo, and a &ldquo, source of protein&rdquo, The use of non-wheat flours increased the content of anti-nutritional factors as compared to the control pasta. Nevertheless, fermentation with lactic acid bacteria led to significant decreases in condensed tannins (ca. 50%), phytic acid and raffinose (ca. ten-fold) contents as compared to the unfermented pasta. Moreover, total free amino acids and in vitro protein digestibility values were 60% and 70%, respectively, higher than pasta made only with semolina. Sensory analysis highlighted a strong effect of the fortification on the sensory profile of pasta.

In this study fortified pasta was prepared through the replacement of durum wheat semolina with 0, 5 and 10 g/100 g of olive pomace (OP). OP was characterized by high total phenolic compounds (TPC) and a significant amount of fibre. Fortification with OP significantly increased the TPC and the antioxidant capacity, both in cooked and uncooked pasta. OP incorporation decreased the optimum cooking time while increasing the swelling index, the water absorption and the cooking loss. Firmness significantly increased with increasing levels of OP as well as the adhesiveness. OP incorporation affected the starch fractions, reducing the rapidly digestible starch and increasing the slowly digestible starch and the resistant starch, without significantly influencing the predicted in vitro glycaemic index. These results show that pasta fortified with OP could represent a healthy product and a potential technological alternative for the food industry by-products re-use.

Pigeon peas (Cajanus cajan) seeds were germinated for 4 days at 20 °C in darkness in order to improve the nutritional quality of seeds. Germination brought about a sharp reduction of α-galactosides, phytic acid and trypsin inhibitor activity (83%, 61% and 36%, respectively) and an increment of vitamin B2 (145%), vitamin C (from negligible amounts to 14 mg/100 g d.m.), vitamin E (108%) and total antioxidant capacity (28%). These flours were used as ingredients to produce pasta products in a proportion of 5%, 8% and 10%. The supplemented pasta products had shorter cooking time and higher water absorption, cooking and protein losses in water than had control pasta (100% semolina). From sensory evaluation, fortified pasta generally had acceptability similar to control pasta. Cooked pasta with the highest level of substitution (semolina:germinated pigeon pea flour at 10%) was chemically and biologically evaluated and results showed that protein, fat, dietary fibre and mineral contents were improved. Fortified pasta provided more vitamin B1, B2, E and antioxidant capacity than did control pasta. Biological assessment of fortified, cooked pasta indicated that true TD and PER value increased by 12% and 64%, respectively, in comparison with control. The germinated pigeon pea flour can be an excellent ingredient to increase the nutritional value of semolina pasta without affecting the sensory properties., The authors are indebted to the Spanish Comision Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CICYT) for the financial support of projects AGL2002-02905/ALI and AGL2004-0886/ALI.