Abstract

TORRES, Alexia; RODRIGUEZ, María; GUERRA, Marisa  and  GRANITO, Marisela. Technological feasibility of incorporating defatted corn germ in pasta processing. An Venez Nutr [online]. 2009, vol.22, n.1, pp.25-31. ISSN 0798-0752.

Traditionally, pasta has been manufactured from wheat durum semolina (STD), but an alternative to reliance on this imported item is through the partial replacement of wheat by defatted corn germ (GDM), a byproduct of the maize industry. In order to assess the technological feasibility for producing pasta substituted with GDM in an industrial scale, several formulations were proposed (with substitution levels of 10, 20 and 30% of STD by GDM), which were prepared at an early stage in a semi-industrial scale and subjected to sensory evaluation, being well accepted until a 30% level of replacement. For industrial purposes, a 25% substitution of STD was chosen. The obtained supplemented product had a higher amount of fat, ash and fiber than traditional pasta. Cooking parameters indicated higher loss of solids and soluble proteins in water, greater weight and volume increase compared to 100% STD pasta (control). Sensory testing showed a substituted pasta significantly different from the traditional pasta, but with good acceptance. The industrial feasibility of developing pasta with GDM was proved using equipment, conditions and processes common of integral pasta processing, however, it is necessary to set up additional operations like the mixing of raw materials, as well as to establish the drying curves and test extruders designed to work with flours of finer granulometry than of semolina.

Keywords : Defatted corn germ; compound flours; pasta; wheat.