Pasta Technology
Introduction to Pasta
Technology
Bühler AG
Ali Kocak
Process Engineer
Definition of the term pasta
Pasta is a product of any kind of shape which is made from
ground grain products
with or without the addition of eggs
and/or additives by
dough formation, shaping and drying
without the use of any fermentation or baking process.
Occasionally it is treated before drying with hot water or steam
(Instant Pasta or gluten free raw material)
.
Pasta consumption (per capita and year)
- Italy 26.0 kg - Austria 5.6 kg - Venezuela 12.9 kg - Belgium/Luxemburg 5.4 kg - Tunisia 11.7 kg - Estonia 5.3 kg - Greece 10.4 kg - Spain 5.0 kg - Switzerland 9.7 kg - Slovakia 5.0 kg - Sweden 9.0 kg - Bolivia 4.8 kg - USA 9.0 kg - Netherland 4.4 kg - Chile 8.2 kg - Lithuania 4.4 kg - Peru 7.5 kg - Latvia 4.4 kg- Germany 7.4 kg - Dominican Republic 4.0 kg
- Argentina 7.2 kg - Australia 4.0 kg
- Brazil 6.7 kg - Israel 4.0 kg
- Portugal 6.7 kg - Costa Rica 3.8 kg
- Hungary 6.5 kg - Panama 3.8 kg
- Canada 6.5 kg - Finland 3.2 kg
- Czech Republic 6.0 kg - Columbia 3.0 kg
- Russia 6.0 kg - Poland 3.0 kg
- Turkey 6.0 kg - Rumania 2.7 kg
Statistics – Consumption (2008)
Italy 3’161’000 USA 2’000’000 Brazil 1‘500‘000 Russia 858’000 Turkey 606’000 Egypt 400‘000 Venezuela 350’000 Germany 305’000 Argentina 291’300 Mexico 280’000 France 252’000 Spain 234’000 Peru 231‘000 Canada 170‘000 Chile 155‘000 Poland 150‘000 Greece 145’000 Japan 144’000 Columbia 131‘000 Tunisia 110‘000 India 100‘000 Portugal 78’000 Czech Republic 70’000 Hungary 70’000 Dominican Rep. 65’000 Rumania 52’000 Switzerland 49’000 Bolivia 43’000 Guatemala 38’000 Austria 38’000 England 35‘000 Ecuador 32‘000 Slovakia 22’000 Costa Rica 22’000 Sweden 20‘000 Jordania 20‘000 El Salvador 13‘000 Syria 9’000 Lithuania 6‘000 Panama 4‘000 Latvia 1’800 Estonia 1‘400
Statistics– Production in Tones (2008)
Source: UN.I.P.I.
General overview – pasta making process
RAW MATERIAL DOUGH FORMATION DRYING FINAL PRODUCTe.g. Polymatik Press
-Triticum Durum
Durum wheat
-Triticum Aestivum
Hard wheat
Soft wheat
-etc. (e.g. Corn, Rice)
Dried, uncooked Pasta
(e.g. Spaghetti)
e.g. C-Line Long Good Dryer
e.g. C-Line Short Good Dryer
-Pasta are conveyed on sticks
-Pasta are conveyed on belts & in elevators
Cooked Pasta
Raw Materials: Durum, Hard- and Soft wheat
Durum wheat
TRITICUM DURUM
TRITICUM DURUM
TRITICUM AESTIVUM
TRITICUM AESTIVUM
Hard wheat
(Bread wheat)
Soft wheat
(Cookie wheat)
- Slightly vitreous
structure
- Floury inclusions
- Semolina and flour
production
- Protein content 11-13%
- Hardness 40 – 75 %
- Flour appearance
- Soft
- Flour production
- Protein content 9-11%
- Hardness < 35 %
- Vitreous structure
- Strong yellow color
- Semolina production
- Protein content 13-15%
- Hardness 100 %
Unit operations involved in pasta dough processing
Semolina
heterogeneous bulk solid
0 – 400 µm
Water
water content
30-33 %wb
Extrusion
pressure up to
110 bar
Pasta dough
homogeneous
dis-tribution of starch and
protein
Hydration and
plasticization
Dough formation and
structure homogenization
Drying & structure stabilization - principle based on combined heat
and mass transfer (convection drying)
Air flow
Air flow
mass transfer
(water) to air
heat transfer
to pasta
Moisture gradient during
drying within pasta strand
(e.g. spaghetti)
Dryer types: Short good dryer/ Long good dryer
e.g. C-Line long goods dryer e.g. C-Line short goods dryer
-Pasta is conveyed on belts
-Pasta is spread on sticks
Effect of High Temp. drying on textural properties of cooked
pasta
Relative depth of penetration at
F = 0.1 N
Stickiness
Firmness
Effect of High Temp. drying on physical properties of dried
pasta – solubility of the protein fraction
Reduction of the protein solubility happens during HT treatment
Aggregation and densification of the protein matrix
Effect of High Temp. drying on physical properties of dried
pasta – surface roughness
Pictures from: Zweifel (2001). Dissertation ETH Nr. 14073
Pasta surface
after extrusion
Atomic Force Microscopy
Pasta surface
after HT-drying
Low temperature drying
rather rough surface due to non embedded starch granules
High temperature drying smoothing of the surface
as a result of evenly embedded starch granules
Effect of High Temp. drying on properties of cooked pasta –
stickiness
from: Zweifel (2001). Dissertation ETH Nr. 14073
Higher drying temperature
and lower product moisture
during HT-drying:
reduced stickiness
due to higher density
of protein matrix and
consequently less free
amylose on the product
surface
Final product – objectives regarding wheat pasta in general
nice, desired shape
no cracks
desired colour (depends especially on raw material properties (ash content) &
drying parameters)
desired firmness especially at
al-dente
point
desired surface integrity (low sliminess) after cooking