Pasta Products Pasta Wheat based products prepared from

Pasta Products

Pasta • Wheat based products- prepared from dough • Non leavened • Prepared by different processes v Pasta, paste and alimentary pastes are terms that describe large number of products v Restricted to extruded products that are generally made from durum wheat

Composition • Pasta is the Italian word for “paste” • Made from semolina flour and water • Rolled thin and formed into different shapes • Available in enriched and whole wheat • Some pastas are flavored with carrots, spinach, tomatoes, or other foods

Pasta Types of Pasta Products v Macroni v Spagetti v Noodles

1. Macaroni • Must be tube shaped • Hollow • (U. S standards) Diameter is more than 0. 11 inch but not more than 0. 27 2. Spaghetti • Cord shaped • Not tubular • Diameter is more than 0. 06 inches but less than 0. 11 (U. S standards)

Shapes of Pasta

Shapes of Pasta

Raw Material Wheat v The ideal raw material for pasta is durum semolina v Durum wheat is amber in color v Endosperm of durum wheat is high in carotenoid pigments that give the pasta its yellow color v In general durum wheats do not make bread due to weaker gluten v Most outstanding characteristic of durum wheats is their hardness

Water v Should be pure, free from off-flavors, and suitable for drinking v Since pasta is produced below pasteurization temperatures, the bacterial count of the water is directly related to the bacterial count of the final product. v Consequently, only water of low bacterial count can be used

Eggs v Eggs are added to pasta to make egg spaghetti v Eggs improve the nutritional quality and richness of the pasta and can be added as fresh eggs, frozen eggs, dry eggs, egg yolks, or dried egg solids v Only pasteurized egg products that have low bacterial counts, show negative Salmonella, and have less than 10 mold and yeast spores per gram of egg are used in pasta production. v Special high yellow eggs are sometimes added to pasta to improve color

Optional Ingredients v Optional ingredients may also be added to pasta to enhance flavor e. g salt, celery, garlic, v Disodium phosphate may be used to shorten cooking time v Glyceryl monostearate, and egg whites, may also be added.

Characteristics of ideal product v Uncooked pasta must be mechanically strong v Uniformally yellow v When cooked in boiling water, the product must maintain its shape with no splitting or falling apart v After cooking the pasta should give a firm bite and surface should not be sticky v Cooking water should be free of starch v Pasta should be resistant to overcooking

The Production Process Mixing v Pure water is added to the milled wheat (semolina, durum granular, or durum flour) in a mixing trough to produce dough with a moisture content of approximately 31 percent v Eggs and any optional ingredients may also be added v A special twin-shaft mixing chamber is used to obtain a uniform mixture

v Most modern pasta presses are equipped with a vacuum chamber to remove air bubbles from the pasta before extruding v A vacuum is applied either by enclosing the entire mixer in the vacuum chamber or by drawing a vacuum on the pasta immediately prior to extrusion v If the air is not removed prior to extruding, small bubbles will form in the pasta which diminish the mechanical strength and give the finished product a white, chalky appearance

Extruding v After the dough is mixed, it moves to the extruder v The extrusion auger: v. Forces the dough through the die v. Kneads the dough into a homogeneous mass v. Controls the rate of production v. Influences the overall quality of the finished product

v The auger fits into a grooved extrusion barrel, which helps the dough move forward and reduces friction between the auger and the inside of the barrel v Extrusion barrels are equipped with a water cooling jacket to dissipate the heat that is generated during the extrusion process v The cooling jacket also helps to maintain a constant extrusion temperature, which should be held at approximately 51°C v If the dough is too hot (above 74°C), the pasta will be damaged

v Important factors affecting product appearance Ø Uniform flow rate of the dough through the extruder Ø The inside surface of the die v Variances in the flow rate of the dough through the die cause the pasta to be extruded at different rates and thus cut to different lengths

Drying v Most difficult and critical step to control in the pasta production process. v The objective of drying is to lower the moisture content of the pasta from approximately 31 percent to 12 to 13 percent

v Most pasta drying operations use a preliminary drier immediately after extrusion to prevent the pasta from sticking together v Predrying hardens the outside surface of the pasta while keeping the inside soft and plastic v A final drier is then used to remove most of the moisture remaining in the product v Important factors in drying are Ø Drying temperature Ø Relative humidity increments

v Since the outside surface of the pasta is exposed to the heated air, it dries more rapidly than the inside, causing moisture gradients to develop across the surface to the interior of the pasta v If dried too quickly, the pasta will crack, giving the product a poor appearance and very low mechanical strength v If the pasta is dried too slowly, it tends to spoil or become moldy during the drying process

v Therefore, it is essential that the drying cycle be tailored to meet the requirements of each type of product v If the drying cycle has been successful, the pasta will be firm but also flexible enough so that it can bend to a considerable degree before breaking

Packaging v Packaging keeps the product free from contamination v Protects the pasta from damage during shipment and storage v Displays the product favorably v The principal packaging material is cellophane bag v However, cellophane bags are difficult to stack on shelves v Many manufacturers also utilize boxes to package pasta, which are easy to stack, provide good protection for pasta products

Cooking Pasta • Cooked in a large amount of boiling water • Boil water first, then add pasta • Stir to prevent sticking together • Cook– firm to the bite, yet tender • Drain pasta in colander or strainer

Cooking Tips 1. Right before serve, and while pasta is draining, put a small amount of olive oil in the saucepan and heat to very hot. 2. 3. Pour in pasta and stir immediately! Serve. Oil will keep away pasta from sticking and will reheat the cooled pasta.

Pasta is approximately dried to………………. . % moisture.

What is the name microorganism commonly present in eggs?

Noodles v Type of pasta and is generally made from flour rather than semolina or farina v Contain eggs and salt in addition to flour and water v Important part in the diet of many Asians v Originated in China as early as 5000 BC, then spread to other Asian countries v Today, the amount of flour used for noodle making in Asia accounts for about 40% of the total flour consumed

CLASSIFICATION OF NOODLES v There is no systematic classification or nomenclature for noodles v Wide differences exist between countries v Need to standardize noodle nomenclature using a universal classification system v Classification below is based on the current state of the knowledge for Asia

Based on Raw Material v Can be made from wheat flour alone or in combination with buckwheat flour v Wheat flour noodles include Chinese and Japanese type noodles v Many varieties in each noodle type, representing different formulation, processing and noodle quality characteristics v Noodles containing buckwheat are also called soba

v Chinese type noodles are generally made from hard wheat flours, characterized by bright creamy white or bright yellow color and firm texture v Japanese noodles are typically made from soft wheat flour of medium protein v Creamy white color and a soft and elastic texture is desirable in Japanese noodles.

Based on Salt Used v Based on the absence or presence of alkaline salt in the formula, noodles can be classified as white (containing salt) noodles or yellow (containing alkaline salt) noodles v Alkali gives noodles their characteristic yellowness v Instant noodles fall under the yellow alkaline noodle category

Based on Size v Based on the width of the noodle strands Ø Very thin, 0. 7 -1. 2 mm wide Ø Thin, 1. 3 -1. 7 mm wide Ø Standard, 1. 9 -3. 8 mm wide Ø Flat, 5. 0 -6. 0 mm wide

Based on Processing v The simplest way to classify noodles based on processing is hand-made versus machine-made noodles v Four types of noodles Fresh v Noodle strands coming out of slitting rolls are cut into certain lengths for packaging without any further processing

v Often consumed within 24 hours of manufacture due to quick discoloration v Shelf life can be extended to 3 -5 days if stored under refrigeration v Typical examples are Chinese raw noodles, udon noodles, and soba noodles Dried v Fresh noodle stands are dried by sunlight or in a controlled chamber v Shelf life is dramatically extended, but fragile noodles may have handling problems

Boiled v Fresh noodle strands are either parboiled (90% complete cooking) or fully cooked v After parboiling, Chinese wet noodles and hokkien noodles are rinsed in cold water, drained and coated with 1 -2% vegetable oil to prevent sticking v Boiled noodles are re-cooked for another 1 -2 minutes before serving

Steamed v Fresh alkaline noodle strands are steamed in a steamer and softened with water through rinsing or steeping v Often prepared by stir-frying for consumption

Flour Quality Characteristics v Each noodle type requires its own specific flour quality criteria v Flour protein, ash content and flour-pasting characteristics are major specifications v Protein content varies according to the noodle type to achieve the desired eating quality v Flour protein content has a positive correlation with noodle hardness and a negative correlation with noodle brightness

v Optimum flour protein content is required for each noodle type v Japanese udon noodles require soft wheat flour of 8. 0 -9. 5% protein v Other noodles require hard wheat flours of high protein content (10. 5 -13. 0%), giving a firmer bite and springy texture v Ash content is one of the important specification because it affects noodle color negatively

v Most noodle flours require ash content below 0. 5%, but premium quality noodles are often made from flours of 0. 4% or less ash v Starch pasting characteristics (as measured on the amylograph or Rapid Visco Analyzer) also play an important role v The ratio of amylose to amylopectin content determines a starch’s pasting characteristics v Flour amylose content between 22 -24% is often required for noodle making

v Measurement of the pasting viscosity of flour also relates to noodle quality v However, the presence of excessive alpha-amylase activity in the flour will undermine the prediction results v Even a small quantity of the enzyme reduce the paste viscosity v Sedimentation test, farinograph and extensigraph measurements affect noodle processing behaviour and noodle eating quality

v High sedimentation volumes indicate a strong dough, which is good for noodles that require a firm bite and springy texture v Extensigraph parameters measure the balance of dough extensibility versus elasticity v Too much extensibility results in a droopy dough v Too much elasticity causes difficulty in controlling final noodle thickness

v Farinograph stability time has a positive relationship with raw noodle texture and tolerance in hot soup v It should be cautioned that a noodle dough is much lower in water absorption than bread dough v Rheological tests may not be applicable to noodle dough evaluation v Need to develop new tests for relating a noodle dough’s rheological properties to eating quality

PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY v Basic processing steps for machine made noodles are Mixing Ingredients v Mixing formula ingredients is often carried out in a horizontal or vertical mixer for 10 -15 minutes v Since the horizontal mixer seems to have better mixing results, it is more commonly used than the vertical one in commercial noodle production

v Mixing results in the formation of a crumbly dough with small and uniform particle sizes v Since the water addition level is relatively low (vs. bread doughs), gluten development in noodle dough during mixing is minimized v This improves the dough sheetability, sheeted dough smoothness and uniformity

Dough Resting v After mixing, the dough pieces are rested for 20 -40 minutes before compounding. v Dough resting helps water penetrate into dough particles evenly, resulting in a smoother and less streaky dough after sheeting v In commercial production, the dough is rested in a receiving container while being stirred slowly

Sheeting and Compounding v The rested, crumbly dough pieces are divided into two portions, each passing through a pair of sheeting rolls to form a noodle dough sheet v The two sheets are then combined (compounded) and passed through a second set of sheeting rolls to form a single sheet v The roll gap is adjusted so that the dough thickness reduction is between 20 -40%

v The combined dough sheet is often carried on a multi-layer conveyor belt located in a temperature and relative humidity controlled cabinet v This step is to relax the dough for easy reduction in the subsequent sheeting operation v The resting time takes about 30 -40 minutes

Sheeting, Slitting and Waving v Dough sheeting is done on a series of 4 -6 pairs of rolls with decreasing roll gaps v Noodle slitting is done by a cutting machine, which is equipped with a pair of calibration rolls, a slitter, and a cutter or a waver v The final dough sheet thickness is set on the calibration rolls according to noodle type v The sheet is cut into noodle strands of desired width with a slitter

v Noodle strands are cut into a desirable length by a cutter v At this stage, Chinese raw noodle and Japanese udon noodle making is complete v For making instant noodles, noodle strands are waved before steaming and cutting

Cooking Noodles v Cooking processes include parboiling, and steaming v Chinese wet noodles are usually parboiled for 45 -90 seconds to achieve 80 -90% gelatinization in starch v The noodles are then coated with 1 -2% edible vegetable oil to prevent the strands from sticking together. v Parboiled noodles have an extended shelf-life (2 -3 days) and high weight gain (60 -70%)

v They are quickly re-cooked by boiling or stir-frying prior to consumption v Japanese noodles are boiled for 10 -15 minutes, rinsed and cooled in running water, steeped in dilute acidic water before packing, and further steamed for more than 30 seconds in a pressurized steamer v This type of noodle usually has a shelf-life of 6 months to one year v Also called longevity noodle

v Important steps to assure optimal Cooking a) The weight of cooking water is at least 10 times that of the uncooked noodles b) The size of the boiling pot is proper c) p. H of the boiling water is 5. 5 -6. 0 d) Cooking time is precisely controlled e) Cooking water temperature is carefully maintained at 98 -1000 C through out the process

Noodles Drying v Can be achieved by Ø Air drying Ø Deep frying or Vacuum drying Air Drying v The air drying process has been applied to many noodle types, such as Chinese raw noodles, Japanese udon noodles, steamed and air dried instant noodles, and others

v For regular dry noodles, raw noodle strands of a certain length are hung on rods in a drying chamber with controlled temperature and relative humidity v Air drying usually involves multistage processes v. In the first stage, low temperature (15 -200 C) and dry air are applied to reduce the noodle moisture content from 40 -45% to 25 - 27%

v In the second stage, air of 400 C and 70 -75% relative humidity is used to ensure moisture migration from the interior of the noodle strands to outside v In the final stage, the product is further dried using cool air v For the manufacture of air-dried instant noodles, noodlestrands are first steamed for 18 -20 minutes at 1000 C, then dried for 30 -40 minutes using hot blast air at 800 C

v The dried noodles are cooled prior to packaging v Air-dried instant noodles have a low fat content so some people prefer them v Longer shelf-life because little fat rancidity is involved

Frying v Drying by frying takes only a few minutes v Very fast process v Water vaporizes quickly from the surface of the noodles upon dipping into the hot oil v Dehydration of the exterior surface drives water to migrate from the interior to the exterior of the noodle strands v Eventually, some of the water in the noodles is replaced by oil

v Many tiny holes are created during the frying process due to the mass transfer, and they serve as channels for water to get in upon rehydration in hot water v Usually takes 3 -4 minutes to cook or soak instant fried noodles in hot water before consumption