A study of the relationship between the mechanical properties and the sensorial optimal cooking time of spaghetti

This study investigated the relationship between the mechanical properties and the sensorial optimal cooking time (OCT) of spaghetti. Three semolina spaghetti samples with an increasing radius and three non-conventional spaghetti samples (one wholemeal semolina and two maize-based spaghetti) were analyzed. Tenacity, elongation at break and phase shift angle (tan delta) were monitored during the cooking and overcooking of spaghetti using a dynamic mechanical analyzer. The sensorial OCT was also determined by a trained panel. Results highlight that the mechanical parameters are related with the OCT for all investigated spaghetti samples. In particular, a relationship was observed with elongation at break and tan delta.