Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.
2005
Volume 8
Issue 1
Topic:
Food Science and Technology
ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
Spychaj R. , Gil Z. 2005. EFFECTS OF ADDING DRY GLUTEN POWDER TO COMMON WHEAT FLOUR ON THE QUALITY OF PASTA, EJPAU 8(1), #19.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume8/issue1/art-19.html

EFFECTS OF ADDING DRY GLUTEN POWDER TO COMMON WHEAT FLOUR ON THE QUALITY OF PASTA

Radosław Spychaj, Zygmunt Gil
Department of Grain Technology, Agricultural University of Wrocław

 

ABSTRACT

The aim of this research was to determine the effects of adding dry gluten powder (DGP) on the properties of common wheat flour dough and pasta. The experiment was done using flours obtained from common winter wheat cultivars (Mikon, Pegassos), enriched with 3% and 6% dry gluten powder additives. For comparative purposes, semolina was used. The dry gluten powder originated from three producers and varied in terms of quality (water absorption, ash content). It was observed that the incorporation of dry gluten powder into common wheat flour brought about a higher carotenoid pigment content and lower L* and higher b* index values of pasta dough. Compared with common wheat flour products, pasta with added dry gluten powder showed less cooked weight and cooking loss, and more firmness. The Mikon cultivar flour pasta recorded a longer cooking time, more cooked weight and more cooking loss than the Pegassos cultivar flour pasta.

Key words: common wheat, dry gluten powder, quality, pasta.

INTRODUCTION

The basic material used for making pasta is semolina obtained by milling hard wheat grain. This type of wheat is cultivated mainly in the Mediterranean region, the US, and Canada. Countries which cannot cultivate Triticum durum due to climate and soil conditions must import the material for making pasta. Whereas hard wheat cultivars cultivated in moderate climate are characterized by good quality, the yield level is too low for the cultivation to be profitable [13]. Since hard wheat and its milled products are rather expensive, common wheat milled products (Triticum aestivum ssp. vulgare) are used for making pasta in many countries, especially by small factories. Compared with durum wheat, this type of wheat has less carotenoid pigment content and a different fractional composition, especially that of gluten proteins [5], and this is reflected in the poor quality of the finished product. However, the problem could be remedied by selecting the right type of common wheat cultivar and applying appropriate technological additives. Dry gluten powder obtained during production wheat starch could be used as such an additive and moreover cost of DGP is low.

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of adding dry gluten powder to flour obtained by milling common wheat on the quality of dough and lab-scale produced pasta. The quality characteristics of common wheat flour, dough and pasta were compared with the quality characteristics reported for semolina as well as semolina dough and pasta.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Flours and semolina

The experiment was done using flour from the grain of two common wheat cultivars (Mikon, Pegassos), finely ground in a laboratory mill (Quadrumat Senior). Before the milling, the common wheat grain was moistened with water until its moisture content was 15%. Semolina originating from the industrial milling at `Malma´ S.A. Wroclaw Department was used as the standard material. Analitical data of the samples are given in Table 1.

Table 1. Common wheat flour and semolina quality characteristics

Features

T. aestivum cultivars:

Semolina

Mikon

Pegassos

Total flour yield(%)

60.5

68.4

 

Total protein (%)

10.0

10.2

12.5

Wet gluten (%)

22.5

31.2

29.2

Sendimentation value (cm3)

35.0

37.0

11.0

Ash (%)

0.46

0.40

0.85

Falling number (s)

540

396

605

Dry gluten powder

The flours were enriched with three types of dry gluten powder 3 and 6% in the ratio to the weight of each respective flour. They came from Amylum (Belgium), Cargill sp. z o.o. (Poland) and ZPZ Niechlow (Poland).

Dry gluten powder was evaluated with regard to its moisture content [1], total protein content (Nx5.7) [1], ash content [11] and the water absorption [12]. The colour was measured using the Minolta Chroma Meter CR-200b based on the L* and b* values. Results are shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Dry Gluten Powder Quality Parameters

Kind of DGP

Moisture
[%]

Total protein
[%]

Ash
[%]

Water absorbtion
[%]

L*

b*

B*

9.3

76.0

0.87

130

73.7

18.0

C

5.7

76.6

0.95

158

74.4

18.3

N

7.8

76.4

1.19

122

69.9

18.6

*B- dry gluten powder from Amylum (Belgium); C - Cargill (Poland); N - ZPZ Niechlow (Poland)

Carotenoid pigment content was scored for flours with and without the addition of dry gluten powder, and for semolina [1]. The degree of the darkening of pasta dough was also assessed. The evaluation was done by measuring the colour of the pasta dough produced with added dry gluten powder and water (in the ratio of 2:1) in the CIE system and using the Minolta Chroma Meter CR-200b based on the L* and b* values. The measuring procedure was done before and after thermostating for 3 hours at 30°C. Colour parameters of pasta were measured with the same device before and after the drying.

Sample preparation

Pasta was extruded using a laboratory single-screw extruder from dough produced from flour and water in the ratio of 3:1. The dough was formed in ribbon (50x6x1mm) and dried for 120 min: during the first 40 min at 60°; subsequently, the temperature was gradually lowered to 25°C. After this process moisture of pasta was below 12,5% according to PN-A-74131.

The firmness of samples was measured by fixing the minimum shear force using the Instron 5566 with a rectangular head (crosshead speed 250 mm/min). The procedure was repeated fifteen times.

The experiment produced 100 g of pasta which was cooked in 1000 cc boiling water. The minimum cooking time was fixed by pressing (twice per minute) a piece of pasta between glasses until white sign disappeared. The pasta was cooked for a longer time than the minimum cooking time by 25%; the cooked weight (the weight of pasta after cooking compared to the weight of pasta before cooking) and the cooking loss were determined [8].

Statistical analysis

The results obtained were subjected to the three-factor ANOVA (T aestivum flour, type of dry gluten powder and its quantity). The means were computed using Duncan´s Multiple Range Test at the significance level of 0.95. The quality parameters recorded for semolina were not submitted to the ANOVA.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

It is generally accepted that the colour of pasta is determined not only by the caroteinoid pigment content in flour or semolina, but also by the content of mineral elements, total protein content and enzyme activity, especially by enzymes of lipoxygenase groups [2, 6]. The caroteinoid pigment content in common wheat flour is less than in milled wheat products such as Triticum durum [7]. This was also observed in our experiment. Semolina contained 0.567 mg% of the pigments and the cultivar flours more than 2.5 times less than that. It was also concluded that the type of wheat gluten had no effect on the value of this parameter (Tab. 3). Flours without added dry gluten powder contained the average 0.177 mg% of the pigments. A 3% dry gluten powder additive raised the pigment content to the level of 0.204 mg%, and a 6% additive to 0.239 mg% (Tab. 3). Such an increase can be explained by the fact that dry gluten powder contains some amounts of fat compounds and caroteinoid compounds which dissolve in them [8, 9].

It is necessary for the material used for making pasta to have a reasonably high caroteinoid pigment content. The dough produced from this type of material is required not to have an undesirable colour when being dried - an effect produced by the activity of lipoxygenase group enzymes [3, 8]. Before and after thermostating, the Mikon cultivar flour dough were lighter yellow (before - 86.6; after - 83.1) than the dough made from the cultivar Pegassos flour (before - 84.9; after - 77.6) (Tab. 3). Lower values were recorded for semolina dough, i.e. 82.9 and 79.2, respectively. The difference in the ΔL* (ΔL* =L*after -L*before) values for the cultivar Mikon flour was -3.6 and approximated the value recorded for semolina -3.7. A greater tendency of the Pegassos cultivar dough to darken was noted, the ΔL* value being equal to -7.1. The addition of dry gluten powder was observed to increase the darkening of pasta dough. Flours without added dry gluten powder and with a 3% gluten additive showed the ΔL* values equal to -4.7 and -5.3, respectively. As the addition increased to 6%, the dough darkened by -6.1 (Tab. 3).

Another colour parameter was the b* index which showed a change in colour intensity (yellow index). It was observed that owing to a higher carotenoid pigment content, semolina dough was more yellow that T. aestivum dough (Tab. 3). The factors applied in our experiment appeared not to have affected the b* value of the common wheat flour dough before thermostating. After thermostating, however, higher yellow index values were noted as the amount of additive increased (Tab. 3). The colour of common wheat flour dough (with and without added dry gluten powder) and the colour of semolina dough were found more yellow after thermostating. The least changes in colour intensity were observed in semolina. The Mikon and Pegassos cultivar flour dough recorded higher b* values after rather than before thermostating. On the average, an increase by 1.9 was noted for the Mikon cultivar, and a more significant increase was observed for the Pegassos cultivar (3.0) (Tab. 3).

The colour of the dough is not equivalent to the colour of the finished product. The conditions during the extrusion and then drying of extruded pasta are likely to affect its colour [8]. Our experiment has shown that the colour of pasta after extrusion was affected by cultivar related factors and the quantity of added dry gluten powder. The Pegassos cultivar pasta showed a lighter colour (80.3) than the Mikon cultivar pasta (79.9) before drying (Tab. 3). As the pasta dough darkened (L* value), so did the pasta with added dry gluten powder. The Pegassos cultivar flour pasta revealed higher yellow index values (22.2) than the Mikon cultivar flour pasta (21.8). Owing to the added dry gluten powder, an increase in the b* value (pasta colour) before and after drying was observed (Tab. 3).

Table 3. Carotenoids pigments content. Colour of dough and pasta made from common wheat and semolina

Features

Factor

Carotenoids pigments content
[mg%]

Darknening of pasta dough

Pasta colour

before thermostating

after
thermostating

ΔL*

Δb*

before drying

after drying

L*

b*

L*

b*

L*

b*

L*

b*

Common wheat cultivar

Mikon

0.211 a

86.6 a

13.4 a

83.1 a

16.6 a

-3.6 b

1.9 b

79.9 b

21.8 b

67.2 a

16.1 a

Pegassos

0.202 a

84.9 b

14.0 a

77.4 b

16.9 a

-7.1 a

3.0 a

80.3 a

22.2 a

66.9 a

16.2 a

Kind of DGP

C

0.208 a

85.8 a

12.2 a

80.1

16.8 a

-5.6 a

2.5 a

80.1 a

27.1 a

67.3 a

16.0 a

B

0.208 a

85.9 a

14.4 a

79.8

16.6 a

-5.4 a

2.2 a

80.2 a

21.9 a

67.1 a

16.2 a

N

0.204 a

85.8 a

14.4 a

80.9

17.0 a

-5.1 a

2.6 a

79.9 a

22.0 a

67.1 a

16.3 a

Quantity of DGP
[%]

0

0.177 c

86.8 a

11.3 a

81.3 a

15.3 b

-4.7 b

1.9 b

82.6 a

20.9 c

70.3 a

15.1 c

3

0.204 b

86.1 a

14.6 a

80.4 a

17.0a

-5.3 b

2.4 ab

80.1 b

21.6 b

66.7 b

16.1 b

6

0.239 a

84.5 b

15.1 a

78.9 b

18.0 a

-6.1 a

3.0 a

77.5 c

23.5 a

64.4 c

17.3 a

 

Semolina

0.567

82.9

28.2

79.2

28.7

-3.7

0.5

78.8

32.9

78.9

21.2

a. b. c-in tables 3 and 4 little letters stand by homogenous group by Duncana test (p=0.95)

To further evaluate the pasta, it was necessary to determine its cooking properties such as cooking time, cooked weight and cooking loss. The cooking time was shown to be significantly affected only by the cultivar related factor. The mean cooking time for the Mikon cultivar flour pasta with added dry gluten powder was 4.6 min, whereas for the Pegassos cultivar 4.8 min. The cooking time for semolina pasta was longer (5.7 min). This can be explained by the material contain more total protein. The cultivar related factor and the quantity of the additive caused the material used in this research to diversify with regard to the cooked weight values. The Mikon cultivar flour pasta showed higher cooked weight values (2.5) than the Pegassos cultivar (2.1). The highest value for this parameter was recorded for semolina pasta (3.1). However, it was also observed that the cooked weight disadvantageously decreased as the added dry gluten powder increased (Tab. 4). After cooking pasta made from the material without added dry gluten powder, its weight increased 2.5 times. A 3.% additive lead to a 2.3 increase, whereas a 6% additive to 2.0 (Tab. 4).

Table 4. Cooking properties and firmness of pasta made from common wheat and semolina

Features

 

Factor

Cooking properties of pasta

Firmness
[N]

cooking time
[min]

cooked weight index

cooking loss
[%]

Common wheat cultivar

Mikon

4.6 b

2.4 a

2.62 a

37.41 a

Pegassos

4.8 a

2.1 b

2.50 b

36.30 a

Kind of DGP

C

4.8 a

2.3 a

2.58 a

36.14 a

B

4.5 a

2.2 a

2.53 a

36.77 a

N

4.8 a

2.3 a

2.57 a

37.66 a

Quantity of DGP
[%]

0

4.6 a

2.5 a

2.65 a

33.56 b

3

4.7 a

2.3 b

2.63 a

38.29 a

6

4.8 a

2.0 c

2.40 b

38.70 a

 

Semolina

5.7

3.1

2.90

36.35

The final processing of pasta is known to cause a loss of certain amount of dry substance. A significant loss would indicate the lower quality of the product. When cooking the Mikon cultivar flour pasta, a 2.62% cooking loss was recorded, which was more than in the case of the Pegassos cultivar pasta (2.50%). Due to longer thermal processing, however, the semolina pasta showed a 2.90% cooking loss [4]. The added dry gluten powder reduced the loss from 2.63% to 2.40% (Tab. 4).

Common wheat flour pasta without added dry gluten powder was less firm (33.56 N) than pasta obtained from semolina (36.25N). An increase in this parameter was noted to rise from 33.56 N (no additives) to 38.29 in the case of a 3% additive, and to 38.70N in the case of 6% added dry gluten powder (Tab. 4).

CONCLUSIONS

The results obtained in our experiment show that added dry gluten powder increased the tendency of the pasta dough to darken and produced darker colour pasta. It was concluded that the incorporation of dry gluten powder increased the yellow index values of the finished product.

Cooking properties of pasta obtained from common wheat flour were varied. The Mikon cultivar four pasta was found to be of better quality than the Pegassos cultivar flour pasta.

Addition of gluten protein decreased cooked weight and cooking loss.

A 3.% dry gluten powder additive increased the firmness of pasta, whereas an increase in the additive by another 3% was not observed to cause any significant increase in firmness.

REFERENCES

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  2. Borrelli G. M., Troccoli A., Fronzo N. Di., Fares C., 1999. Durum wheat lipoxygenase activity and other quality parameters that affect pasta color. Cereal Chem. 76, 3: 355-340.

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  11. Polska Norma PN-ISO 2171. Ziarno zbóż i przetwory zbożowe. Oznaczanie popiołu całkowitego. [Cereal and milled cereal products - Determination of total ash]. Polish Stadard PN-ISO 2171 [in Polish].

  12. Polska Norma PN-ISO 5530-1. Mąka pszenna. Fizyczne właściwości ciasta. Oznaczanie wodochłonności i właściwości reologicznych za pomocą farinografu [Wheat flour. Physical characteristics of doughs. Part 1: Determination of water absorption and rheological properties using a farinograph]. Polish Standard PN-ISO 5530-1 [in Polish].

  13. Rachoń L., 1999. Plonowanie i jakość pszenicy twardej (Triticum durum DESF.) nawożonej zróżnicowanymi dawkami azotu. [Yield and grain quality of wheat fertilized with different nitrogens doses]. Pam. Puł., z. 118, 349-355 [in Polish].


Radosław Spychaj
Department of Grain Technology,
Agricultural University of Wrocław
Norwida 25/27, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland
ph. (+48 71) 3205272
fax. (+48 71) 3287124
email: rspychaj@poczta.fm

Zygmunt Gil
Department of Grain Technology,
Agricultural University of Wrocław
Norwida 25/27, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland
ph. (+48 71) 3205272
fax. (+48 71) 3287124
email: zgil@ozi.ar.wroc.pl

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