Effects of Modified Processing Conditions on Oxidative Properties of Semolina Dough and Pasta

Abstract

During pasta making, semolina is subject to various modifications that are mainly related to oxidative activities with relative effects on some of its components. To evaluate the involvement of hydroperoxidation and bleaching of lipoxygenase (LOX) and peroxidase (POD) activities on loss of pigments and ‐SH groups, their behavior in semolina and during processing was analyzed. Processing was done in standard and four experimental conditions, applying chemical (pH 5.0 and 8.0) and physical (10 and 40°C) treatments, during the mixing and extrusion phases, to study their effects on components. Results pointed out that treatments principally affected hydroperoxidation and bleaching activities of LOX rather than the POD. During pasta making, enzymatic activities showed the same trend in all cultivars, and this was reproducible in all the experimental conditions. Temperature effects on preservation of components were modest, whereas pH 8.0 improved the residual pigment and ‐SH group content in pasta, probably because of the concomitant reduction of oxidative enzyme levels. Finally, out of the four investigated wheat cultivars, Cosmodur showed the best performance in the experimental conditions applied. In fact, high pigment content and yellow index associated with low oxidative activity levels in semolina and in processing samples resulted in better pasta color. Such findings have confirmed that breeding and technological approaches may play an important role in the control of oxidative activities during pasta making, preserving the constituents that positively influence the final pasta color.

Processing and cooking effects on chemical, nutritional and functional properties of pasta obtained from selected emmer genotypes

“…In fact, during pasta processing, the presence of oxygen and water triggered the lipoxygenase reaction that induces the oxidative degradation of the carotenoids pigments. 60,61 Negligible TAC was observed after cooking in all samples confirming the scarce presence of antioxidant compounds in cooked products.…”

Carotenoids, Tocols, and Retinols during the Pasta-Making Process

“…Oxidative degradation is known to increase with the destruction of the food cellular structure (Rodriguez-Amaya et al, 2006), greater surface area or porosity, length, and severity of the processing conditions (temperatures, time). Compounds could be degraded both by direct and lipoxygenase-mediated oxidation (Leenhardt et al, 2006;Borrelli et al, 2003). This enzyme catalyzes the hydroperoxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic acid, producing conjugate hydroperoxides.…”

“…Carotenoid losses during pasta processing vary widely with durum wheat cultivar used to produce semolina, depending on the different extent of lipoxygenase activity in the kernel (Laignelet, 1983;Borrelli et al, 2003). In a study by Borrelli et al (2008), the loss of pigments and yellow index after milling and processing were evaluated and correlated with all the parameters involved in the determination of final pasta color.…”

Improving durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var durum) grain yellow pigment content through plant breeding

“…In general, there is a positive correlation between high semolina yellowness and pasta quality (Borrelli et al, 2003). Pasta color is highly associated with the consumer's choice, and the competition in the pasta market has made this trait even more important (Dexter and Marchylo, 2001), especially after the legal ban of the use of artificial coloring in pasta production in certain countries in Europe (Hare, 2006).…”