Structure–quality relationship in commercial pasta: A molecular glimpse

Presence and stability of a protein network was evaluated by fluorescence spectroscopy, by protein solubility studies, and by assessing the accessibility of protein thiols in samples of commercial Italian semolina pasta made in industrial plants using different processes. The pasting properties of starch in each sample were evaluated by means of a viscoamylograph. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to evaluate water distribution and water mobility in dry pasta, and at various cooking times. The molecular information derived from these studies was related to sensory indices, indicating that protein reticulation was dependent on the process conditions, which affected water penetration, distribution, and mobility during cooking. Products with a crosswise gradient of water mobility once cooked had the best sensory scores at optimal cooking time, whereas products with a less compact protein network performed better when slightly overcooked.

► Structural features of starch and proteins were evaluated in commercial Italian spaghetti.
► Protein and starch features were different in low-temperature dried pasta.
► Protein rearrangements upon cooking relates to processing parameters.
► Non-solvated areas were present at optimum cooking in high-temperature dried pasta.
► A crosswise gradient of water mobility in the cooked product relates to the “al dente” feeling.