Production of Pastas with Bread Wheat Flour

Abstract

Pasta is a traditional food with high consumer acceptance, characterized by its convenience, palatability, and nutritional quality. While the preferred ingredient to make pasta is durum wheat semolina (Triticum durum Desf.), this cereal grows under a relatively narrow range of climatic conditions, which makes it expensive, with low supply and availability. Therefore, it is common to find pasta made from bread wheat flour (Triticum aestivum L.), especially in those products consumed by people who prioritize price over quality. The product is still a good but would have some expected changes in cooking properties and appearance. Therefore, to study the differences between semolina and bread wheat pasta’s cooking properties, scanning electron microscopy, sensory evaluation, and instrumental texture were used to analyze commercial spaghettis made with both types of wheat. A brief discussion in relation to the role of raw material, including the bread wheat flour, together with the protein and starch behavior, salt, water, and pasta processing, was also presented. Despite the differences between both types of wheat and the resulting pasta, the convenience, availability, and preference tend to influence consumer choice.