Cereal Chem. 70:1-7   |  VIEW ARTICLE

Effects of Drying Temperature and Farina Blending on Spaghetti Quality Using Response Surface Methodology.

L. J. Malcolmson, R. R. Matsuo, and R. Balshaw. Copyright 1993 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Response surface methodology was used to analyze the effects of peak drying temperature and blending of hard red spring farina with durum semolina on the quality characteristics of spaghetti. Five peak drying temperatures (40, 60, 70, 80, and 90 C) and five blends of farina and durum (0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and 100:0) were studied. Good-fit models were developed for compression and relaxation time of optimally cooked spaghetti, for firmness and compression of overcooked spaghetti, and for brightness. Models developed for firmness of optimally cooked spaghetti, relaxation time of overcooked spaghetti, purity, and dominant wavelength did not meet all of the criteria of good fit but nevertheless provided useful information for an initial screening study. Models for strand stickiness and cooking loss had low predictive ability. The superimposition of the individual contour plots permitted the identification of the region where all predicted characteristics met or exceeded commercial durum spaghetti samples. The most limiting factors were the firmness of optimally cooked spaghetti, relaxation time of overcooked spaghetti, and dominant wavelength. To satisfy these constraints, durum levels greater than 60% and peak drying temperatures above 60 C were required.