An innovative pasta cooking process performed with a prototype microwave oven was characterised and the quality of microwave cooked pasta was compared to that of traditionally cooked pasta. A first step of this research was aimed to determine the optimum time for spaghetti cooking by the microwave method, eventually further analysis were carried out to investigate the effect of microwave cooking on starch gelatinization as well as structural and rheological modifications of pasta. Finally, a sensory evaluation was performed by a panel of trained judges in order to (i) evaluate the influence of the different cooking methods on pasta sensory quality, (ii) test if the differences evidenced by analytical determinations were perceived by sensory analysis. Optimum cooking time being equal, microwave cooked spaghetti showed lower cooking loss and shear strength values than traditionally cooked ones, moreover microwave cooked samples showed a more closely-packed superficial protein network and a higher saturation of yellow colour. The panel of sensory judges did not perceived any difference between the two tested samples except for the yellow colour intensity, which was higher for microwave cooked pasta according to instrumental analysis data.[...]
Quality assessment of pasta cooked using an innovative microwave oven
SACCHETTI, Giampiero;
2005-01-01
Abstract
An innovative pasta cooking process performed with a prototype microwave oven was characterised and the quality of microwave cooked pasta was compared to that of traditionally cooked pasta. A first step of this research was aimed to determine the optimum time for spaghetti cooking by the microwave method, eventually further analysis were carried out to investigate the effect of microwave cooking on starch gelatinization as well as structural and rheological modifications of pasta. Finally, a sensory evaluation was performed by a panel of trained judges in order to (i) evaluate the influence of the different cooking methods on pasta sensory quality, (ii) test if the differences evidenced by analytical determinations were perceived by sensory analysis. Optimum cooking time being equal, microwave cooked spaghetti showed lower cooking loss and shear strength values than traditionally cooked ones, moreover microwave cooked samples showed a more closely-packed superficial protein network and a higher saturation of yellow colour. The panel of sensory judges did not perceived any difference between the two tested samples except for the yellow colour intensity, which was higher for microwave cooked pasta according to instrumental analysis data.[...]I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
