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Pasta samples were produced by replacing durum wheat semolina with high-amylose bread wheat semolina-type flour in proportions of 30%, 50% and 70%. Resistant starch content in uncooked pasta samples varied from 4.9% of total starch in high-amylose pasta with 30% substitution of semolina, to 15.3% of total starch in 100% high-amylose semolina pasta, achieving the levels established for the health claim. The high amount of resistant starch in cooked pasta caused a reduction of starch digestion rate in all samples with high-amylose flour substitution compared to control. The expected glycaemic index lowered from 53.8 in control pasta (durum wheat semolina) to 48 in 100% high-amylose pasta (bread wheat semolina). The inclusion of high-amylose flour in proportion of 70% combined the best cooking and nutritional properties, but is expectable a further improvement in pasta quality with the adoption of tailored processing protocols.

Both Glycaemic index (GI) and Glycaemic Load (GL) were introduced to measure the impact of a carbohydrate-containing food on blood glucose. From this perspective, high-amylose (HA) flours, with a higher percentage of resistant starch (RS), may represent a suitable raw material to improve the glycaemic response. The present work aims to investigate the GI of HA bakery products (biscuits, taralli and bread) compared to products obtained from conventional flour. Ten healthy volunteers were enrolled and their capillary blood glucose was measured every 15 min for 2 h after the consumption of HA and control products containing 50 g of available carbohydrates. On average, in the three bakery products, the amount of total starch replaced by RS was equal to 12%. HA biscuits and HA bread showed significantly lower GI than their control counterparts (p = 0.0116 and p = 0.011, respectively) and better glycaemic control. From the survey to assess liking and willingness to pay on HA snacks, HA packages received an average premium of €0.66 compared to control products. Although HA flour results in lower GI in both biscuits and bread, further studies are needed to evaluate the correct composition of HA products to have beneficial effects on post-prandial glycaemia.

Dysphagia that involves difficulty swallowing food and liquids is a symptom of different diseases. In some cases, patients who experience this symptom should be fed with modified consistency foods. Dysphagia is often accompanied by malnutrition and dehydration and an interesting approach to dealing with these conditions is to provide patients with nutrient-rich foods. In this study, two new food formulations for dysphagia patients are proposed: a cereal-based protein meal and a vegetable cream. The nutritional and rheological characteristics of the two innovative preparations were assessed and compared with those of commercial products. The proposed protein meal formulations meet the criteria for the “high protein” claim and the vegetable cream meets those of the “source of fiber” claim. The rheological investigation revealed that the flow properties of the innovative formulations were comparable to those of the commercial ones. Based on these preliminary outcomes, this investigation represents an interesting perspective potentially valuable to enlarge the offer of possibilities for people suffering from swallowing disorders.