Cereal Chem. 70:676-684   |  VIEW ARTICLE

Effects of Drying Temperature, Starch Damage, Sprouting, and Additives on Spaghetti Quality Characteristics.

L. A. Grant, J. W. Dick, and D. R . Shelton. Copyright 1993 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Stickiness of spaghetti dried at high and low temperatures was studied using two cultivars of durum wheat that exhibited strong or weak gluten properties. Some grain of each cultivar was artificially sprouted before milling. Portions of the semolina obtained from each were overground after milling to increase starch damage. Blends included all combinations of sprout-damaged and overground semolina, along with incorporations of spaghetti regrinds and monoglyceride. Selected biochemical components implicated with increased spaghetti stickiness were analyzed. The cooking quality, firmness, and stickiness of spaghetti produced from all blends were examined. High-temperature drying increased amylose content in cooked spaghetti and decreased the amount of amylose in the cooking waters. Sprouting caused an increase in total sugars in cooked spaghetti, whereas high-temperature drying caused a decrease. Concomitantly, it increased the total sugar in the cooking water. Sprouting caused higher cooking losses, decreased firmness, and lower spaghetti stickiness values. The incorporation of spaghetti regrinds increased stickiness; however, high- temperature drying decreased stickiness in similar samples. Monoglyceride alone had little effect on stickiness, but in combination with high-temperature drying it decreased stickiness. Overgrinding increased amylose content of semolina, whereas semolina containing monoglyceride showed a reduced amylose content.