Credit by A. Diaz http://lifeandthyme.com
PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES
High temperature could damage pasta’s proteins
Proteins Another consequence of the activity of plant geneticists that today goes to differentiate ancient wheats from modern ones is the protein content of the wheat, particularly of the gluten way: the durum wheat flour obtained from the milling of ancient grains has a
low gluten strength (10<W<50) and this is a point of weakness for its industrial application; instead the durum wheat flour obtained from modern grains is characterized by a much higher gluten strength (300<W<400), element much sought in technological level (TABLE 1).
The essential element for the quality of the pasta cooking is precisely the ability of the gluten proteins of durum wheat (gliadin and glutenin) to interact during the formation of the dough and to form the characteristic viscoelastic protein network, insoluble to the cooking in water, which entraps
Table 1
Strengths and weaknesses of ancient and modern wheats STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
· Rusticity and adaptation to the biological method; · Strength of low gluten (W=10-50);
ANCIENT WHEATS
MODERN WHEATS
12
· Consistent production performance; · Increased competitiveness towards weeds;
· High size (1,10-1,80 m) --> less resistance to the folding of the ears;
· Increased genetic variability.
· Low harvest yields.
· High gluten strength (W=300-400);
· They require greater use of nitrogen fertilizers and chemicals;
· Low size (0,70-1,00 m) --> increased resistance to the folding of the ears; · High productivity per hectare.
· Less genetic variability; · Less competitiveness towards weeds.
Professional
PASTA
July / September 2020