Cereal Chem 46:1 - 6.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Spaghetti Tenderness Testing Apparatus.

R. R. Matsuo and G. N. Irvine. Copyright 1969 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

An apparatus for measuring the tenderness of cooked spaghetti is described. To simulate the "bite test," a continuously increasing force is applied to a cutting edge. The rate of movement is measured with a linear variable differential transformer. The rate of cutting is recorded and the curves, which are reproducible, are interpreted in terms of a tenderness index. The index is the slope at the midpoint of the curve. Values ranging from 0.029 to 0.060 mm./sec. were obtained. Low values correspond to firm spaghetti and high values to soft spaghetti. For the range of samples studied, results indicate that the apparatus is sufficiently sensitive to differentiate spaghetti made from various varieties and types of wheat.