NUFS 283: Food Engineering

Pasta Production

Mandy Chan, Ryan Johnson, Darby Roufosse, Angela Hofstra, Kaila Hauck, Danyang Xu, & Jessica Cahyadi
INTRODUCTION

Pasta products are is a popular household foods in many households throughout in North America with an excellent nutritional profile. Many pasta products are developed from the Durum wheat semolina and water are mixed, extruded and dried, to produce pasta, which mixing, extrusion and drying of durum wheat semolina with water. Pasta is a popular food with an excellent nutritional profile. Pasta contributes to a large portion of carbohydrates to in the diet as well asand has protein, yet and is low in fat [1]. Pastas also has aare also a moderate source of some vitamins, such as the B vitamins and folic acid. This nutritional profile allowsBecause of this nutritional profile, pasta canto be included as part of a healthy diet, especially in diabetics due low glycemic index.

There is a trend toward buying easy to prepare and ready to serve convenient foods in today’s industrialized world. The convenience of a dried pasta products is also are very desirable to consumers. In the industrialized world of today, there is a trend toward buying easy to prepare and ready to serve convenience foods. Dried pasta because it can be easily prepared easily byin boiling in water, and is readyshortly after, is ready to eat. Pasta has a very long shelf life and could last for years with appropriate if it is packaginged and handlinged appropriately [1]. This has desirable implications for consumers because it stores easily and there is very littlereduces money lost loss from spoiling and it can be very easily stored. Pasta also has a good consumer value because there is virtually no changeare virtually no changes in sales when in bad versus goodduring high and low economic times [1].

Among the various pasta shapes and sizes, there is spaghetti. Spaghetti is one of the a popular type of pasta products that is a popular choice among consumers. The processing of dried spaghetti is reviewed in this paper. There are many different brands of spaghetti on the market and the quality is important to ensure the product sells to consumers. The processes of mixing, extrusion, drying, and packaging are all important steps in the development of a shelf- stable, high quality product. The objective of the process is to produce a quality product by using equipments and technique to ensure homogeneous mixing and uniformed drying. This protects the pasta’s gluten network to ensure cooking quality and helps produce a uniformed strong product.The objectives of the process are to consistently produce a quality product by using processes that ensure homogenous mixing, protect the gluten network to ensure cooking quality, and to ensure the product dries in such a way to produce a uniform, strong product. The quality of the end product will reflect to the process by being a quality product that will storinge well, rehydratinge uniformly, maintaining its shape and produceing a tasty cooked product that is desirable to the consumer [1]. References [1] MARCHYLO, B.A. and DEXTER J.E. (2001) Pasta production, chapter 6: Cereal Processing Technology.
Discussion Inputs

Various Pasta Ingredients

Pasta is a mixture of semolina, made from grinding the endosperm of high-quality, hard durum wheat, water, eggs, and salt. Durum wheat helps pasta retain its structure and shape when cooked. Other grains, such as corn, rice, quinoa, spelt, and kamut, can also be used to produce a softer, sticky texture. Whole grain wheat, non-grain flour, and soy-bean flour can make darker and more nutritious pasta. A blend of semolina and durum wheat farina or flour can also be used; however, the product is less desirable in color and appearance compared to 100% durum wheat semolina. Eggs color the pasta yellow and make the dough elastic, soft and resistant to strains. A variety of ingredients, like spinach, tomato purees, chilli, and mushrooms, can also be used to add colour and flavours to pasta.
Durum wheat helps pasta retain its structure and shape when cooked. Other grains, such as corn, rice, quinoa, spelt, and kamut can also be used as they can be used offer the soft and sticky texture found in pasta. Whole grain wheat, non-grain flour, and soy-bean flours makes the pasta darker and more nutritious. A blend of semolina and durum wheat farina or flour can also be used, however the product is less desirable in color and appearance compared to 100% durum wheat semolina. Eggs color the pasta yellow and make the dough elastic, soft and resistant to strains. A variety of ingredients, like spinach, tomato purees, chilli, and mushrooms, can also be used to add colour and flavours to pasta.
Pasta can also be coloured and flavoured with the addition of a variety of ingredients at the manufacturing stage i.e. eggs, spinach, tomato puree, red pepper puree, chilli, shellfish stock, mushrooms, truffles and squid ink. These speciality pastas are best served with a complementary sauce or a very simple drizzle of oil or butter as their flavour can be quite strong. The spaghetti process being reviewed in this paper only has two input materials,, water and semolina, that are typically combined in a ratio of 25-30 kg of water for every 100kg of dry semolina [1]. Stiff dough is produced after the mixture.If eggs are included in the ingredients these are added and t The water content would be adjusted if eggs are included in the ingredients.

Selection of Semolina

The resulting mixture of water and semolina is a stiff dough. There are sSeveral considerations are required in the selection of semolina for pasta processing. One is the how certain semolina particles undertake Hhomogenous hydration of the semolina particles during mixing is important in the quality of the final product. during mixing. Small particles of semolina particles hydrate more rapidly than coarse particles in the mixing processones. This may cause In order to prevent uneven hydration and the appearance of white specks or streaks to appear or streaks of due to some unhydratedunmoistened semolinaparts. , tProcessing plants reduces this outcome by narrowing thehe input particle size distribution is as narrow as possible with emphasis on to filter for uniform, fine semolina particles, especially with during the high high-speed mixing processes. [all referenced from 1]
The protein content is aAnother important considerationcomponent in when choosing quality semolina quality for processing is the protein content. Most consumers have preference for pastas withHigh higher protein contents because it cooks to becomeing of the semolina results in a cooked pasta texture that is more more firmer and and less sticky than lower protein content pastas, both desirable characteristics by consumers [1]. Semolina is a favoured grain product for pastausually chosen for pasta production making due to itsbecause it has a high protein content of 13-14% on a dry matter basis, mainly due to a wheat protein called gluten [1]. Protein content of semolina is due to gluten, a wheat protein. Strong gGluten can is important for processing,form as a strong protein networks will result in to acquire less sticky dough with , with better extrusion properties, and a more desirable texture of the final in the end product. [1]
[1] is the same as the inputs reference.
Processes
Mixing
There are three processes involved in combining the ingredients of pasta: mixing, kneading, and extruding. The flows of the inputs into the mixer isare regulated by either a volumetric or gravimetric doser because these devices have precise and constant outputs.
Color changes: Carotenoid pigment, xanthophyll - pasta processing conditions as well as the raw material quality (pigment level) influence yellowness of the final product. Bright yellow color makes it desirable characteristic of the durum semolina. - The colour from xanthopyll may only be significant if we use egg as an ingredient as egg yolk is the source of carotenoids. I think semolina has mininmal beta carotene but I'll look more into it :) - Pasta yellow – quality of semoline – natural carotenoid pigments, protein, lipoxygenase (LOX) activity, and processing conditions - Processing – pigment losses (16.3% loss of beta carotene) - -pH of dough activates LOX 2 and LOX 3 enzymes –pigment loss - - LOX activity is main factor in colour loss - Want semolina with low LOX activity (more important than beta carotene content) Red references (Cereal processing technology)- Ang written in red – will add ref later Mixing There are 3 processed involved in the mixing of pasta. Mixing, kneading and extruding are the 3 essential parts of the mixing of the pasta. During the mixing stage, water must be added to the semolina flour so that the moisture content reached approximately 30%. The flows of the inputs into the mixer are regulated by one of two types of dosers (volumetric or gravimetric),which have precise and constant outputs that are measured by the dosers. The semolina flour absorbs the water until it forms a homogenous mixture. If yellow pasta is desired, then whole egg can also be added to the dough mixture (3).The importance of the homogeneity of the mixture is so that there are no imperfections in the final, dried product like white spots. To ensure that the semolina flour particles absorbs the water equally, the flour is sifted, often by a 0180mm mesh sleeve, so that a maximum of 25% of the particles pass through the mesh sleeve. The temperature of the water used is dependant on the type of the pasta and its shape, so 40-65 degree Celsius water is generally used. For spaghetti, which is a long pasta, the dough which has homogenously absorbed the water will be mixed in a twin shaft mixing chamber for 16-18 minutes. To ensure that the dough does not ball up, each of the shafts will turn in opposite directions. This type of movement is non-centric which will ensure that the dough does not form a ball. Many modern pasta mixture plants have moved from using the traditional dual shaft mixers to using a new type of continuous pasta-press technology. The Bühler Brothers, in Switzerland, engineered the press in 1934 (2). Using a press reduces the mixing time from 16-18 minutes to about 2-3 minutes, which reflects the other durations of the pre-drying and drying pasta production cycles. The continuous pasta press is capable of producing 3500kg/h of spaghetti and up to 8000 kg/h of macaroni (5). Semolina flour and water are combined in a pre-mixer until the dough is adequately hydrated and forms a homogenous mixture [5]. Alternatively, yellow pastas can be made if whole eggs are also added during this step [3]. The flour is sifted to ensure that the water is evenly absorbed, often by passing it through a 0.180mm mesh sieve. This limits the rate at which flour is added so that only a maximum of 25% of the particles can pass into the mixture at a given time. Again, homogeneity is important to avoid imperfections in the final dried product.
The mixture is then passed into the mixer in the next step. Initially, the mixer removes air bubbles from the dough [5]. Because air bubbles at this stage can result in pale and weaken pasta structures, press technology is used by applying a vacuums to remove all the small air bubbles within the dough [4]. Another way to remove air bubbles are theto use of conventional dual shaft mixers by mixing in various magnitudes and durations [4]. Afterwards, warm water is then added to the dough to bring the moisture content of the dough to 28-32% [5]. Generally, 45-60°C water is used depending on the type of the pasta and its shape.
For long pastas, like spaghetti, the dough is mixed in a twin shaft mixing chamber for 16-18 minutes. Each of the shafts will turn in opposite directions, a non-centric movement, to ensure that the dough does not clump into a ball. Many modern pasta mixture plants, however, have chosen to replace the traditional dual shaft mixers with the newer continuous pasta-press technology, engineered by the Bühler Brothers in 1934 [2]. Using a press reduces the mixing time from 16-18 minutes to about 2-3 minutes, which reflects the other durations of the pre-drying and drying pasta production cycles. The continuous pasta press is capable of producing 3500kg/h of spaghetti and up to 8000 kg/h of macaroni [5].
After the mixing stage, the pasta is fed to the extruder. In some cases however, the dough is given time to rest on a “stabilization belt” and then into the extruder [4]. At the extrusion stage of the production, adequate hydration in the dough helps the gluten matrix develop within the pasta becauseas this does not occur during the mixing stage [5].
Mixing Calculations
While the pasta is in the mixing process there are several things to consider.It is important to One of the most important aspects to consider while mixing is determining an e an adequate speed thato ensures that the mixture has achieved particle suspension in the mixture before mixing to heighten efficiency ([6 – P205]). Equation 1 helps define this variable mathematically. “S” is a dimensionless value for the shape factor that accounts for the shape of mixer, type of paddle, distance from paddle to outside of mixer, and paddle to tank ratio. “v” refers to the liquid kinematic viscosity, “dp” refers to particle diameter, “g” is the constant for gravitational acceleration, “∆p” is the solid-liquid density difference, “D” is a value for the paddle diameter, “pL” refers to liquid density, and “X” is the solid concentration by percentage of weight [6].

Njs = Sv0.1 dp0.2 (g∆p/pL)0.45 D-0.85 X0.13 (1)

Where “s” is for shape factor which is a dimensionless value that accounts for shape of mixer, type of paddle, distance from paddle to outside of mixer and paddle to tank ratio. “dp” refers to particle diameter, “D” is a value for the paddle diameter. “pL” refers to liquid density, “g” is the constant for gravitational acceleration, “∆p” is the solid-liquid density difference . “X” is the solid concentration by weight (X100) and “v” refers to the liquid kinematic viscosity (6 – P205).