Influence of Soft Kernel Texture on Fresh Durum Pasta

This study examined the quality of fresh pasta made from 3 varieties of a new type of durum wheat possessing soft kernel texture, as compared to fresh pasta made from commercial samples of durum semolina, durum flour, and bread flour, each at 3 levels of hydration (28%, 30%, and 32%, respectively). Soft durum possesses a small part of chromosome 5D that carries the Hardness locus and puroindoline genes. The soft durum lines were derived from the durum varieties Svevo, Alzada, and Havasu. The soft durum pasta exhibited low cooking weight increase (water uptake) (115% to 122%), the lowest cooking loss (∼3% to 4%), high firmness (269.3, 265.8, and 297.9 g, Soft Svevo, Soft Havasu, and Soft Alzada, respectively, versus 239.7 and 273.6 g, durum flour and semolina, respectively), low stickiness (4.17 to 4.96 g·s for the soft durums compared with 5.04 for the semolina), and raw and cooked pasta color comparable to or superior to those exhibited by the durum semolina (high L^* and b^* ). The soft durum samples also exhibited pasta quality superior to both the durum flour and bread flour samples. These results challenge the long-standing view that high-quality pasta must be made from durum semolina. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study illustrates the quality and potential applications of soft durum wheat in pasta manufacturing. As a new type of wheat, understanding these properties is crucial for manufacturers and others who may be interested in utilizing soft durum.