Production of pasta
The production of pasta takes place through some specific technical operations; these are: the mixing and processing of the ingredients (which gives rise to the dough), fragmentation and shaping (to define the size of the pasta), possible drying (to reduce food humidity to a minimum).
INDUSTRIAL production of pasta
The industrial production of food pasta concerns the DRY one and makes use of some fundamental steps that require the use of specific instruments; these processes are:
Grinding and sifting of wheat for pasta: takes place by passing the seeds between 3 consecutive pairs of metal rollers which, rotating on their own axis but in the opposite direction from each other, crush the grain, first separating the bran, then the bran and the tritello. Total waste is mainly of the fibrous type and amounts to approximately 20-22% of the initial raw material.
Kneading and ungramming of pasta: the semolina or semolina obtained by grinding and sifting is then added with water to make up the dough; this, produced using 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 about 80 ° C and a pressure of about 10bar.
Drawing or rolling of pasta: once the dough has been extracted from the malaxer it is inserted into the special extrusion machine. The shape of the pasta can require 2 different systems: one for drawing (called TRAFILATRICE), which extrudes the pasta and gives it a more or less rough (depending on whether it uses bronze or other materials), or one for lamination (called LAMINATRICE) which, by passing the dough between two cylinders gradually less distant from each other, causes a "sheet to come out" ". This system does NOT require the achievement of high temperatures and pressures instead typical of drawing-extrusion.
Pasta drying: it is carried out 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 lukewarm or cold air, since at higher temperatures the dough would undergo superficial dehydration so rapidly that it does not allow time for the water to migrate from the heart to the outside of the food.
Cooling or packaging of pasta: cooling is essential for drawn dry pasta, while the packaging varies according to the type of pasta and the packaging used: bags, boxes, etc.
Nutritional values of pasta
By virtue of the higher levels of consumption referred to industrial dry pasta compared to fresh (3 times higher), the relative nutritional values will be shown below, referring the comparison with other types of pasta to another specific dedicated article.
Nutritional composition of dry semolina pasta
353.0kcal
Proteins
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, in particular of 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), the fraction of which is proportional to the degree of refinement of the flour.
The protein content is modest (about 12% of the energy) and characterized by peptides with 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 the "energy), as well as that of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins. The intake of water-soluble vitamins is inversely proportional to the degree of refinement of the flour (especially for Niacin - vit. PP) as well as that of mineral salts (especially for magnesium - Mg). The intake of fiber is insufficient for pasta refined food, while it reaches satisfactory levels for the wholemeal one (although it is characterized by a prevalence of non-soluble compounds).
Dry and ORGANIC pasta
Organic dry pasta is produced with durum wheat flour; moreover, it MUST possess some specific requirements and set forth by current regulations, which are:
- Humidity ≤12.5%
- Ashes:
- MINIMUM 0.70% of the dry matter
- Maximum 0.90% of dry matter
- Cellulose:
- MINIMUM 0.20% of dry matter
- MAX 0.45% of the dry matter
- Acidity ≤ 4 ° out of 100 parts of dry matter
- Spot welding 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 from humidity or fungal presences, or soiling), size and shapes proportionate to the preparation of individual meals; dry and organic pasta must have a characteristic aroma and taste BUT not unpleasant (moldy or stale or sour or spicy), it must not contain moths or other parasites, nor spiders or insects. To the eye, it must appear intact and not crumbled, without cracks - breaks - spots - air bubbles - veins - white dots - black dots; moreover, organic dry pasta must not contain foreign bodies and, upon opening the package, must not drop any dust or flour. It cannot be artificially colored and must resist cooking (about 15 "), furthermore, when raw it must resist pressure and then fracture in a vitreous manner.
For any type of distribution or restaurant business, it is not allowed to hold dry pasta with less than 12 months from the minimum shelf life.
Dry pasta can contain the following microbial loads
Microbial load
E. coli
<100 cfu / g
Staph. Aureus
<100 cfu / g
Salmonella
Absent / 25g
B. cereus
<500 cfu / g
List. monocytogenes
<110 cfu / g
