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Spelt (Triticum spelta L.) Pasta Quality: Combined Effect of Flour Properties and Drying Conditions

¹DISTAAM, Università del Molise, Via De Sanctis, 86100 Campobasso, Italy. ²Corresponding author. Phone: +39 0874 404616. Fax: + 39 0874 404652. E- mail: marconi@unimol.it. ³Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca per gli Alimenti e la Nutrizione (INRAN), Via Ardeatina 546, 00178 Rome, Italy. ⁴Parco Scientifico e Tecnologico “Moliseinnovazione,” Via De Sanctis, 86100 Campobasso, Italy.

Three spelt genotypes (Rouquin, Redoute, and HGQ Rouquin= Rouquin improved for gluten quality), each characterized by either high or low protein content, were processed to manufacture spaghetti, which was dried at both low (60°C) and high temperature (90°C) to assess the effects of flour properties and drying conditions on spelt pasta quality. Protein content in the spelt flour was considered low at ≈11.4% db and high at ≈13.5% db. Gluten properties, assessed by SDS sedimentation and gluten index values and by alveograph and farinograph parameters varied widely, ranging from poor for Redoute to very good for HGQ Rouquin. Pasta quality was assessed by determining color (L*, a*, and b* values), furosine, and cooking quality (stickiness, bulkiness, firmness, and total organic matter [TOM]). Furosine and color (a* and b* values) were significantly influenced by the intensity of the drying process. TOM and organoleptic judgement (OJ) showed that spelt pastas dried at low temperature, independent of their protein levels, were very poor (TOM ≥ 2.7 g/100 g of dry pasta, OJ ≤ 40), except for HGQ Rouquin which was characterized by good gluten strength. On the other hand, the cooking quality of spelt pastas dried at high temperature showed good values (TOM ≤ 1.8 g/100 g of dry pasta, OJ ≥ 53). The combination of high protein content (≥13.5% db) and high-temperature drying resulted in the production of satisfactory cooking quality pastas from spelt wheats (TOM ≤ 1.2 g/100 g of dry pasta, OJ ≥ 67).