Pasta Pasta - Production and Nutritional Values

Production of pasta

Pasta production takes place through some specific technical operations; these are: mixing and processing of the ingredients (which gives rise to the dough), fragmentation and forming (to define the size of the pasta), drying if necessary (to reduce food moisture to a minimum).

It is also possible to extend this concept of production to many other pasta products that are NOT typical Italian foods, such as couscous, spatzle, soy spaghetti, rice, etc.

INDUSTRIAL production of pasta

The industrial production of pasta concerns SECCA and uses some fundamental steps that require the use of specific equipment; these processes are:

Grinding and sifting of wheat for pasta: this is done by passing the seeds between 3 consecutive pairs of metal rollers which, rotating on their own axis but in the opposite direction from one another, crumble the grain separating the bran first, then the bran and the tritello . Total waste is mainly fibrous and amounts to about 20-22% of the initial raw material.

Dough and grinding of pasta: the semolina or semolina obtained by grinding and sifting is then added with water to make the dough; this, produced through the use of a machine called GRAMOLA, acquires an amalgamated, firm and elastic consistency thanks to the presence of starch and gluten, chemical-physical characteristics essential for the success of the food. NB . The process requires a temperature of around 80 ° C and a pressure of about 10 bar.

Drawing or rolling of pasta: once the dough is removed from the kneader it is inserted into the extrusion machine. The shape of the pasta can require 2 different plants: one for the extrusion (called DRAWER), which extrudes the dough and gives it a more or less rough surface (depending on whether it uses bronze or other materials), or one for lamination ( called LAMINATRICE) which, by passing the mixture between two cylinders gradually less distant from each other, determines the escape of a "puff pastry". This system does NOT require the achievement of high temperatures and pressures instead typical of extrusion-extrusion.

Drying of pasta: it is done differently depending on the type of pasta to be processed, the important thing is that the final size does not exceed 12.5% of humidity starting from a mixture having 35% of total water. Tendentially, drying is carried out with warm or cold air, since at higher temperatures the dough would undergo surface dehydration so rapid as not to allow water to migrate from the heart to the outside of the food.

Cooling or packaging of pasta: cooling is essential for dry drawn pasta, while packaging varies according to the type of pasta and packaging used: bags, boxes, etc.

Nutritional values of pasta

By virtue of the higher consumption levels referred to industrial dry pasta compared to fresh (3 times higher), the relative nutritional values are shown below, postponing the comparison with other types of pasta to another specific dedicated article.

Nutritional composition of dry semolina pasta

Power		353, 0kcal
Protein		10, 9g
Lipids TOT		1.4G
	Saturated	0, 22g
	Monounsaturated	0, 16g
	polyunsaturated	0, 69g
	Cholesterol	0, 0mg
Carbohydrates		79, 1g
	Simple	4, 2g
Sodium		4, 0mg
Potassium		192, 0mg
Football		22, 0mg
Phosphorus		189, 0mg
Iron		1, 4mg
Magnesium		51, 0mg
Thiamine		0.1mg
Riboflavin		0.2mg
Niacin		2.5mg
Vitamin A		0, 0μg
C vitamin		0, 0mg
Vitamin E		0, 0mg

Pasta is a starchy derivative of cereals, especially durum wheat; these are foods with a high energy density (about 350kcal / 100g for the dry one) with a prevalence of carbohydrates (about 87% of the energy, essentially starches), whose fraction is proportional to the degree of refining of the flour.

The protein content is modest (about 12% of the energy) and characterized by peptides with a medium biological value, some of which potentially subject to food intolerance (gluten protein - see celiac disease); the total lipid content is negligible (about 1% of energy), as is that of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins. The intake of water-soluble vitamins is inversely proportional to the degree of refining of the flour (especially for Niacin - vit. PP) as well as that of mineral salts (especially for magnesium - Mg). The fiber intake is insufficient for refined pasta, while it reaches satisfactory levels for the whole (although it is characterized by a prevalence of non-soluble compounds).

ORGANIC dry pasta

Organic dry pasta is made with durum wheat flour; moreover, it MUST possess some specific requirements and disposed by the current regulations, which are:

Humidity ≤ 12.5%
Ashes:

MINIMUM 0.70% of dry matter
Maximum 0.90% of dry matter

Cellulose:

MINIMUM 0.20% of dry matter
MAXIMUM 0.45% of dry matter

Acidity ≤ 4 ° on 100 parts of dry matter
Spot n ° / dm2

Black ≤ 1-2
Browns ≤ 10-20

Other fundamental requirements are: recent and homogeneous processing, optimal dehydration and conservation (integrity of the packages, always sealed, free of humidity or fungal presences, or dirt), size and shapes proportionate to the preparation of individual meals; the dry and organic alimentary pasta must have characteristic aroma and taste BUT not unpleasant (mold or stale or sour or spicy), it must not contain moths or other pests, nor spiders or insects. At sight, it must appear intact and not crumbled, without cracks - breaks - spots - air bubbles - veins - white points - black points; moreover, organic dry pasta must not contain foreign bodies and, when the package is opened, must not drop dust or flour. It cannot be artificially colored and must withstand cooking (about 15 '), furthermore, raw it must resist pressure and then fracture in a vitreous manner ..

For any type of distribution or catering activity, the holding of dry pasta with less than 12 months from the minimum storage term is not permitted.

Dry pasta can contain the following microbial charges