QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF CORN NOODLES CONTAINING GELATINIZED STARCH, TRANSGLUTAMINASE AND GUM

Nutritional contributions and processability of pasta made from climate-smart, sustainable crops: A critical review

Total or partial replacement of traditional durum wheat semolina (DWS) by alternative flours, such as legumes or wholegrain cereals in pasta improves their nutritional quality and can make them interesting vector for fortification. Climate-smart gluten-free (C-GF) flours, such as legumes (bambara groundnut, chickpea, cowpea, faba bean, and pigeon pea), some cereals (amaranth, teff, millet, and sorghum), and tubers (cassava and orange fleshed sweet potato), are of high interest to face ecological transition and develop sustainable food systems. In this review, an overview and a critical analysis of their nutritional potential for pasta production and processing conditions are undertaken. Special emphasis is given to understanding the influence of formulation and processing on techno-functional and nutritional (starch and protein digestibility) properties. Globally C-GF flours improve pasta protein quantity and quality, fibers, and micronutrients contents while keeping a low glycemic index and increasing protein digestibility. However, their use introduces anti-nutritional factors and could lead to the alteration of their techno-functional properties (higher cooking losses, lower firmness, and variability in color in comparison to classical DWS pasta). Nevertheless, these alternative pasta remain more interesting in terms of nutritional and techno-functional quality than traditional maize and rice-based gluten free pasta.

Technological and Sensory Quality of Gluten-Free Pasta Made from Flint Maize Cultivars

The development of quality gluten-free products presents a major technological challenge in terms of structure, texture, and shelf life. However, there is insufficient information available to identify genotypes for obtaining gluten-free maize pasta of good acceptability and technological quality. The objective of this work was to evaluate the technological and sensory quality of gluten-free pasta made from different maize cultivars. The flint open-pollinated variety, flint inbred line, and three dent commercial hybrids were used. Grain and flour's physical characteristics and chemical composition were determined. Gluten-free pasta was made via extrusion, and its quality traits were studied. A sensory evaluation test was carried out. Flint cultivars showed the lowest values on swelling index (both 1.77) and water absorption (124.30 and 134.58%). Pasta swelling index showed a negative association r = -0.77 to sodium carbonate retention capacity (p = 8.5 × 10^-5) and water retention capacity (p = 6.6 × 10^-5). Evaluators' preference results showed a higher frequency of choices at the top level of preference (4) for the flint open-pollinated variety C6006. Thus, evaluators' choices showed a positive association between sample preference and firmness. Pasta preference and technological quality have a direct relationship with fast tests over grain, such as test weight and float index.

Evaluation of Physicochemical, Functional, and Sensorial Characteristics of Gluten-Free Turkish Noodle “Erişte” Formulated with Oat and Quinoa Flours

This study aimed to develop and characterize the new gluten-free erişte formulated by using oat flour (100%), quinoa flour (100%), and oat + quinoa flour blend (50% + 50% by weight). The physicochemical, functional, and sensorial properties of developed gluten-free eriştes were evaluated. The moisture content values of gluten-free erişte samples were lower than 12% wet basis (w.b.). The highest ash (3.74 ± 0.63%), fat (8.17 ± 0.19%), and protein (18.74 ± 0.41%) content values were obtained for quinoa flour erişte. The highest water (76.67 ± 9.07%) and oil holding capacity (49.50 ± 7.78%) values were observed for quinoa flour erişte and oat + quinoa flour erişte samples, respectively. The highest brightness ( $L\ast$ ) value was observed for oat + quinoa flour erişte ( $p<0.05$ ). The quinoa flour erişte sample has the highest weight (354.22 ± 20.14%) and volume (268.20 ± 9.01%) increase values. The lowest (10.56 ± 1.83%) and highest (13.71 ± 0.83%) cooking loss values were observed from oat flour and quinoa flour erişte samples, respectively. In the light of the findings, it can be concluded that both oat and quinoa flours and their mixtures can be used to make gluten-free erişte, and the erişte samples were liked by the panelists.

Quality characteristics, mineral contents and phenolic compounds of gluten free buckwheat noodles

The aim of this study was to produce gluten free buckwheat noodles having high phenolics and minerals and to evaluate quality characteristics, scanning electron microscopy analysis, minerals, total phenolic content and phenolic compounds of the noodles. Corn starch or potato starch was used in the formulation of the noodle (40%, 50%, 60%). Starches improved cooking qualities of noodle. Improving effect of corn starch was more obvious compared to that of potato starch. Addition level of starches caused significant changes in color values (L*, a* and b*) of noodles. Buckwheat noodles have important minerals including potassium, phosphorous and magnesium. Total phenolic contents of noodles containing 40% starch were higher than that of other noodles. Major phenolic compounds of buckwheat noodles were caffeic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, catechin and rutin which have high antioxidant activity. As a consequence, these gluten-free products, which are suitable for celiac patients, had several healthy components.

Fortification of traditional egg pasta (erişte) with edible insects: nutritional quality, cooking properties and sensory characteristics evaluation

Proximate composition, cooking quality and sensory characteristics of traditional Turkish egg pasta, erişte, fortified with edible insect and legume flours were evaluated. Egg pasta samples were produced using different blends of wheat flour: legume (lentil and white kidney bean) flour and wheat flour: edible insect (mealworm and grasshopper) flour. Optimum cooking time significantly (p < 0.05) increased with the fortification of egg pasta. The fortification of egg pasta with edible insect flours resulted in a reduced volume expansion from 236.7% (control) to 215.6% and 196.9% for grasshopper flour (W:G) and mealworm flour (W:M) samples, respectively. On the other hand, W:M and W:G samples exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) higher nutritional profile in terms of protein, ash and crude fiber content. Results showed that the smoothness of pasta was also influenced; strengthened by addition of white kidney bean flour and weakened by the addition of grasshopper flour. The received scores from sensory evaluation showed that flours including lentil flour (W:L) and white kidney bean flour (W:B) samples had higher flavor and overall acceptability values with compared to the mealworm flour (W:M), grasshopper flour (W:G) and control sample (C).

Application of Transglutaminase in Developing Cassava-based Wet Noodle for Quality and Shelf Life Improvement: A Review

Characteristic of cassava flour is relatively similar to wheat flour. Cassava flour has the potential to substitute 70-80% of wheat flour as the main ingredient for wet noodle production. Unfortunately, cassava flour has no gluten and lower protein content than wheat flour, which is important for the characteristic of a wet noodle. Therefore, transglutaminase (MTGase) is often applied in non-gluten products to improve its texture. This enzyme catalyzes the reaction between lysine and glutamine to form isopeptide cross-links. Moreover, the addition of MTGase to cassava-based wet noodle improves its texture and color. In addition, this effect gives better palatability for wet noodle. This enzyme can increase the shelf life of wet noodles and safe for our health. The present study demonstrates with patent and literature data the potential of MTGase in noodles based on cassava flour.

Microbial transglutaminase in noodle and pasta processing

Nowadays, there is an aggressive rate in consumption of noodles and pasta products throughout the world. Consumer acceptability and preference of these functional products can be promoted by the discovery of novel knowledge to improve their formulation and quality. The development of fortified-formulations for noodles and pasta products based on microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) can guarantee the shelf life extension with minimum quality losses. The current review focuses on recent trends and future prospects of MTGase utilization in the structural matrix of noodles and pasta products and represents the quality changes of cooking loss, texture, microstructure, color and sensory attributes of the MTGase-incorporated products. Digestibility, nutritional and health aspects of the MTGase-enriched formulations are also reviewed with a vision toward physical functions and safety outcomes of MTGases isolated from new microbial sources. The high potential of MTGase in developing commercial noodles and pasta products is successfully demonstrated. MTGase by modifying the crystallinity or molecular structure via covalent crosslinks between protein molecules strengthens the doughs stability and the textural characteristics of final products with the low- or high-protein flour. Compared with the control samples, the MTGase-supplemented products indicate slower digestion rates and better sensory and cooking properties without any remarkable color instability.

Overview on the General Approaches to Improve Gluten-Free Pasta and Bread

The use of gluten-free products is increasing since a growing number of people are suffering from celiac disease and thereby need gluten-free diet. Gluten is responsible for the visco-elastic characteristics of wheat-based products; therefore, its lack makes the gluten-free products not similar to wheat-based product, with scarce textural properties. This reason constitutes the major industrial limitation. Thus, obtaining good-quality gluten-free products represents a technological challenge. This review reports the main strategies adopted to produce high quality gluten-free pasta and bread. They are mainly obtained by the utilization of specific ingredients (hydrocolloids, proteins or enzymes) to be incorporated into the standard formulation or the adoption of proper technological variables that can enhance above all the functional properties, the texture and the taste.

Effect of additives and steaming on quality of air dried noodles

Texture is the most important property for consumer acceptance in cooked noodles. The air dried noodles are known to have higher cooking loss and cooking time, to that of instant fried noodles. But the fat content of instant fried noodles is more. In the present work attempts were made to optimize the moisture content so as to obtain a smooth dough for extruded noodle preparation and develop air dried noodles of low fat content with lesser cooking loss and cooking time. To meet the objectives, the effect of various additives and steaming treatment on cooking quality, sensory attributes, textural properties and microstructure of noodles were studied. Dough prepared by addition of 40 ml water to 100 g flour resulted into formation of a soft dough, leading to production of noodles of improved surface smoothness and maximum yield. The use of additives (5 g oil, 0.2 g guar gum, 2 g gluten and 1 ml of 1 % kansui solution for 100 g of flour) and steaming treatment showed significant effect on noodles quality, with respect to cooking characteristics, sensory attributes and textural properties. The microstructure images justified the positive correlation between the effects of ingredients with steaming and quality parameters of noodles. Air dried noodles with reduced cooking loss (~50 % reduction) with marginal reduction in cooking time was developed, which were having similar characteristics to that of instant fried noodles. Compared to the instant fried noodle, the prepared air dried noodle was having substantially reduced fat content (~70 % reduction). Thus the present study will be useful for guiding extrusion processes for production of air dried noodles having less cooking time and low fat content.