HK1023916B - Wet toasted pasta having improved rehydration properties and method of manufacture - Google Patents

Description

Wet baked wheaten food with improved rehydration property and preparation method thereof

The invention relates to a pasta product that can be reconstituted rapidly. More particularly, the present invention relates to instant pasta products that are easily rehydrated during microwave, hot or boiling water immersion preparation and conventional stove top preparation. The product has improved appearance, eating quality, dimensional stability and porous structure. The invention also relates to a method for making pasta by baking freshly extruded pasta under carefully controlled conditions.

Currently available instant or instant pasta and noodles (pasta) have poor texture and hydration. Most of these products are prepared by extrusion curing or curing followed by immersion in boiling water extrusion and/or steam curing. Extrusion cooking, however, results in a deterioration of the texture of the pasta due to the heat and high shear forces acting on the protein matrix prior to and during extrusion. When these products rehydrate, the texture is pasty or soft and collapsed, rather than "biting to have a hard feel". The extrusion curing process is also costly and requires complex equipment and control systems. The invention allows the use of simpler and more readily available equipment. The process of the present invention also takes less time than conventional pasta processing techniques which require additional drying time.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,251,694 discloses a precooked macaroni in which the dough is prepared in the conventional manner and the freshly prepared pasta is completely precooked and dried at 300-. However, this product is expensive due to the high processing costs and the shape of the pasta is limited, it can be extruded with thin walls and still retain its shape.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,615,677, instant pasta is made by extruding the dough and drying the dough to a moisture content of less than 12% by drying with moist air for 12 to 48 hours or about 5 to 120 minutes at about 150 and 300F to partially gelatinize the starch. Corn flour is present in an amount of about 45-85% and is a critical ingredient because it functions as a binder and masks the astringent bitter taste of the soy material. (another key ingredient is soy flour in an amount of 15-40%). The specification states that gelatinization of the starch can be carried out by high temperature drying before, during or after extrusion and that the degree of gelatinization should be at least about 10%, with about 10-75% being the best result. However, such products have poor structural integrity, a soft, pasty texture, and the astringent bitter taste of the soy material is not effectively masked.

Numerous other patents describe pasta products that reconstitute rapidly when they require complete precooking during the manufacturing process. These patents include US patent 2,704,723, in which freshly made pasta is immersed in boiling water and then dried; and US patents 4,044,165, 4,394,397 and 4,540,592, in which heat and mechanical stress are used in combination during the extrusion process to fully pre-cook the pasta. All of these products have poor texture and lack a "hard-to-bite" texture.

US patent 5,144,727 describes a method of coating pasta to provide a firm texture. The coating composition is dried and solidified egg white and edible oil.

The disadvantages of the prior known processes and products are solved by the novel process of the invention and the novel products produced thereby. The applicant has therefore disclosed a process for drying freshly extruded pasta by baking (i.e. using heated ambient air without additional moisture) under controlled conditions, in order to prepare pasta with excellent appearance and texture with a greater ripening rate and a short ripening time.

The pasta production method of the invention has less need for original expenditure equipment and less continuous production costs due to shorter drying times. The invention also allows manipulation of processing conditions to achieve a wide range of pasta densities and textures from soft to hard. Thus, the pasta of the invention can be made to have the "hard-to-bite" texture or a softer or harder texture of conventional pasta.

All percentages and ratios stated below are by weight/weight unless otherwise indicated. All percentages of ingredients used in the formulations used to prepare the products of the present invention are based on the total weight of the ingredients prior to addition of water to make the dough.

The baked pasta of the invention has improved texture and appearance of the product and is rapidly rehydratable. Reconstitution of the article is suitably prepared by addition of hot or boiling water (i.e. soaking reconstitution), by microwave cooking or by conventional oven tops, all with excellent results. The product is partially pre-cooked, having a degree of gelatinization of about 15 to about 80%, preferably about 25 to about 75%. The product also has a moisture content of less than about 13%, i.e., about 2% to about 13%, and has the appearance (size and shape) of regular dry pasta, even when extruded from a thin-walled die. The product has a low density of about 0.600 to about 1.05 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cc), preferably about 0.75 to 1.05g/cc, unlike prior art pasta having a density greater than about 1.3 g/cc. The product also has a stable pasta base in which the starch is partially gelatinized and the protein is partially denatured creating a porous internal structure unique to the art. Scanning electron micrographs reveal that the open "sponge-like" structure of the articles produced with the prior art produces dense, compact structures. It is believed that the structure of the product of the present invention is also responsible for the greater ripening rate, which ranges from about 315% to about 450%, preferably from about 330% to about 425%.

The manufacturing process of the present invention is accomplished by baking freshly extruded or sheeted pasta at about 180F to about 350F for about 1 to about 25 minutes, preferably about 210F to about 310F for about 2 to about 15 minutes. The baking may be carried out in more than one zone, preferably two or three zones. All products of the invention may optionally include a step of heating with steam just before the first baking zone, in particular soaking the reconstituted product. Steam heating is at least 212 ° f to expand pasta and can be as high as about 350 ° f. When no steam heating step is used, the minimum temperature of the first baking zone (or the only baking zone) must be at least 212 ° f in order for the pasta to expand. The soaking rehydration product can be made without the steam heating step, but the product is preferred when this step is used.

Freshly extruded or sheeted pasta has a moisture content of from about 15% (semi-moist) to about 35% wet/moist prior to baking. The principle of the present invention is that the higher dough moisture content facilitates the expansion of the protein starch matrix prior to stabilization by partial denaturation of the protein and partial gelatinization of the starch. Increasing the moisture content of the dough produces more steam or leavening effect, resulting in a more porous, less dense structure of the pasta. This structure is fixed by the early heat of baking, which acts to denature the protein and increase the rate of starch gelatinization, and by the higher moisture content.

The rapid hydration and cooking process (further protein denaturation and starch gelatinization) of the pasta of the invention can be achieved using microwave or conventional manufacturing methods. The invention also produces a product that can be rehydrated by pouring hot or boiling water over the pasta (also referred to herein as a marinated rehydration product).

Scanning electron microscopy was used to make cross-sectional micrographs of the pasta of the invention and the pasta now known. Photomicrographs were obtained using secondary electrons at 10,000 volts at 35 times normal magnification. The sample of the pasta was broken into halves by hand to obtain the cross-section. Each sample was cut to a flat surface with a knife at about 1/4 inches below the cross-section for mounting on an aluminum rod mounted in a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Each fixed sample was gold coated in a sputter coater and then transferred to an SEM chamber.

FIG. 1 is an SEM micrograph of pasta made in example 10 of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an SEM micrograph of pasta made according to comparative example 1 and dried at 225F for 15 minutes according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,615,677.

FIG. 3 is an SEM micrograph of the same pasta as FIG. 2 but made after 3 minutes of drying at 300F.

Figure 4 is an SEM micrograph of a commercially available pasta product that is said to reconstitute rapidly.

The pasta dough is prepared from water and wheat flour using known processing techniques such as extrusion or sheeting, a portion of which is pregelatinized in the preferred embodiment, and optionally other ingredients. The ingredients are mixed and hydrated with sufficient water to achieve the desired consistency and then kneaded into a dough. The dough may be extruded through a die plate or sheeted into the desired shape and then cut to the desired size.

The ingredients of the wheaten food of the present invention include wheat flour selected from semolina, durum wheat and soft wheat flour, and wheaten food obtained by secondary pulverization of wheat-based wheaten food and the like. Amounts of 0 to about 15%, preferably less than about 10%, may be substituted for flours such as rice and corn flour. A portion of the flour, preferably wheat flour, may be pregelatinized using conventional techniques. The amount of pregelatinized flour is from 0 to about 15%, and the amount of pregelatinized flour in the steeped reconstituted product is from about 5 to about 12%. Particularly good products can be made using about 10% pregelatinized semolina produced by extruding natural semolina in a double screen extruder. It is also possible to use from 0 to about 20%, preferably less than about 15%, of starch from sources such as rice, corn or potato. Protein sources may optionally be added in amounts of 0 to about 10%, and when used, they are generally added in amounts of at least about 0.5%. Typical protein sources include wheat gluten, milk protein, soy protein and any form of egg product including whole egg, egg white, egg powder, powdered egg white, and the like. Various natural and artificial flavors, herbs, spices, cheeses, etc. may also be used in amounts of 0 to about 15%, and they are typically added in amounts of at least about 0.1% when used.

Traditionally, pasta dough has been extruded at a vacuum of about 22 inches of mercury (Hg). However, the extrusion of the present invention is conducted at atmospheric pressure (no vacuum) or at low vacuum levels, i.e., less than about 12 inches Hg. When a vacuum is used, the vacuum is maintained in the mixing chamber and the auger chamber of the extruder. Ambient extrusion without vacuum or with low vacuum levels results in the production of extruded dough with many small air bubbles distributed uniformly. These air bubbles act as a central point for air expansion and, more importantly, during baking, cause moisture vapor to collect and expand, creating a porous matrix. According to the method of the present invention, the use of full vacuum (i.e., conventional vacuum) produces a product having a non-uniform internal structure and a non-uniform external appearance.

The expanded foamed structure produces a porous pasta (pasta or noodle) structure that is appealing (has the appearance of regular pasta) and ensures faster hydration during preparation by microwave, hot water or rehydrated soak preparation or conventional stove top preparation.

In practice we have found that extruded pasta products may have a moisture content of from about 15% (semi-moist) to about 35% (wet/moist) prior to baking. The upper water content of the above range is preferred when a faster rehydration time is desired. This part helps the gelatinization (ripening) of the starch to occur to a somewhat higher degree when more moisture is available during baking. Increasing the moisture content also increases the swelling of the protein starch matrix during baking to produce a "sponge-like" structure, thereby also contributing to the short cooking times achieved by the present invention.

In one embodiment, the pasta produced by the present invention has a 3 minute shorter hydration time than conventional pasta and eliminates the slimy, unripe texture and taste that a comparable unripe conventional pasta has. In general, the reduced cooking time of the present invention is a result of the partial cooking (partial gelatinization) of the starch and, more importantly, the open "sponge-like" nature of the protein starch matrix as shown in FIG. 1. This structure provides a pathway for hot water to rapidly penetrate, hydrate and cook pasta.

For the purposes of the present invention, control of density and texture is directly related to the control of the baking conditions used and the moisture content of the pasta dough. It has been found that having higher baking temperatures in the first and subsequent baking zones increases the porosity of the pasta and decreases the density of the pasta. For example, baking at a temperature of about 180F to about 325F causes the pasta density to continuously decrease. However, when the temperature was held too long at 325F or higher, an increase in pasta density was observed, indicating partial collapse of the protein starch matrix. These data are shown in table 1. Said collapse is apparently the result of an over-expansion or over-stressing of the protein starch matrix.

TABLE 1

Run number first zone F second zone F Density (g/cc)

3 276 325 0.802

7 276 325 0.815

4 325 325 0.832

8 325 325 0.825

In accordance with the present invention, the ingredients are mixed by conventional means, such as kneading, to form a pasta dough having a moisture content of from about 15 to about 35%, preferably from about 26 to about 33%, most preferably from about 28 to about 30%. The water added to achieve the desired moisture content during the kneading process may be at room temperature or slightly preheated. In a preferred embodiment, the water is preheated to a temperature of from about 38 to about 40 ℃. The freshly mixed dough is extruded or sheeted to form the desired thin or thick walled pasta. The barrel pressure in the extruder should not exceed about 1,000kg/cm³And should be at about 600-800kg/cm³In the meantime. The wet pasta is then cut to the desired size and the product is baked at about 180 to about 350F for about 1 to about 25 minutes for processing. Preferred processing temperatures are from about 210 to about 310F for from about 2 to about 15 minutes to achieve a moisture content of less than about 13%, i.e., from about 2 to about 13%, preferably from about 5 to about 12%. In a preferred embodiment, the product has a moisture content of about 2 to about 4% upon exiting the final baking zone, but it is understood that the product may absorb moisture during storage up to a maximum of about 12%. The baking may be carried out in more than one zone and in embodiments where the reconstituted product is soaked, a step of steam heating is used just prior to the first baking zone. Other pasta products of the invention may also be heated by steam. When heated with steam, the temperature of this step must be at least 212 ° f in order to expand the pasta, and can be as high as about 350 ° f. When the steam heating step is not selected, the minimum temperature of the first (or only) baking zone must also be 212 ° f in order to expand the pasta. Steam heating is typically carried out for about 1 to about 6 minutes. The most effective effect will be achieved when the steam is heated for about 3 to about 5 minutes.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the baking is carried out in two, three or more zones as described above. In addition, selective heating and steaming of the pasta can be used to further partially cook and set the pasta surface just prior to baking. The preferred baking time and temperature will vary depending on the shape, thickness and desired texture of the pasta. Thicker, wetter pasta requires longer baking times and/or higher temperatures.

The degree of expansion and resulting pasta density can be manipulated to impart the desired texture, hydration and cooking time. A significant advantage of the present invention is the ability to control the thickness of the pasta and to obtain the degree of porosity/density required for the desired preparation time and texture. The density of the product is controlled such that the product will have a density of from about 0.600 to about 1.050 g/cc. Preferred densities are generally from about 0.700 to 1.000 g/cc. The preferred density in practice depends on the particular application for which the pasta is to be used. Control of product density is a distinguishing feature of the present invention. In addition, the density of the pasta produced in accordance with the present invention is in excess of about 1.3g/cc, which is different from the higher density of commercially available pre-cooked pasta and conventionally produced pasta.

The silicone oil used in the present invention was subjected to density measurement according to the following procedure. An 8 oz jar was pre-weighed on a top-loading balance with a sensitivity of 0.01g and the volume was pre-calibrated using silicone oil (Fisher Scientific Cat. No. S159-500). 25.0+/-0.5g of pasta was accurately weighed into a jar and enough silicone oil at 23 ℃ was added to cover just the pasta. Stirring the cake with a thin metal blade released any air that was ingested. The silicone oil is added again until the oil almost reaches the rim of the can. A pre-weighed 4 and 1/2 inch square 1/8 inch thick plastic flat plate containing 24 1/16 inch holes and a 1/4 inch center hole in the area of the top of the can was placed on the can. The covered position is that the central big hole is close to the center of the tank opening. A pipette is used to add silicone oil to the central hole until all the air below the plate is expelled.

The silicone oil had a density of 0.961g/cc at 23 ℃ and was used to remove the weight required to fill an empty can to give the volume of the can, and the difference in volume between the weight of oil added to fill the can when the can was filled with pasta and the volume was removed by using the silicone oil density alone to give the volume of the pasta. The weight of the pasta is adjusted to its moisture content to obtain its weight on a dry basis, and the weight of the pasta is divided by the measured volume of the pasta to obtain the density of the pasta.

The density control of the present invention is achieved by controlling the bake zone bake time and temperature, and is preferably divided into two or more separate bake zones. Controlling the extrusion process (moisture content and vacuum) and the baking process (bake residence time and bake temperature) will control the density of the product.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that the pasta is carried on a transport bed through the baking machine and that the thickness of the pasta bed will vary depending on the baking conditions. The thickness of the bed is typically from about 1 inch to about 2 inches.

In the first baking zone, and to a lesser extent than either of the second and subsequent zones, the pasta dough is more compliant and has a maximum amount of moisture converted by the steaming matrix expanding within the pasta. It was observed that a very high degree of matrix expansion (very low product density) resulted in a crisp pasta with a soft texture and poor product integrity. On the other hand, too little swelling (high product density) will reduce porosity, increase preparation time requirements and reduce ripening rates. Some ripening of the dough may also occur in the first baking zone. After passing through the first and second baking zones, the water content can be further reduced using subsequent zones.

The bake temperature of the bake zone is maintained at about 180F to about 350F, preferably about 210F to about 310F.

It was found that air velocity during baking is important for drying uniformity and product uniformity. An effective air velocity of about 150 and 800 feet per minute, preferably about 250 and 800 feet per minute, is used. The air flow rate varies depending on the product shape, thickness and desired final moisture content of the pasta in order to achieve the desired product uniformity and moisture loss rate.

After baking, the baked pasta is removed from the baking machine and cooled to room temperature by conventional means, such as by using a forced air cooler.

As noted above, the products of the present invention are partially cured, having a degree of gelatinization of about 15 to about 80%, preferably about 25 to about 75%. To determine the degree of gelatinization of the pasta product, the total heat absorbed in sufficient water during gelatinization of the pasta in the weighed portion was determined using a Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC).

To this end, at least 10g of the product was finely ground and 10 milligrams (mg) were weighed into the bottom of a specially made stainless steel container mounted in the instrument. Weighing was performed on a microbalance to an accuracy of at least 0.01 mg. Then 20mg of water was injected into the upper part of the pasta at the bottom of the container and the total weight of the contents of the container was weighed. The lid of the container (secured with a neoprene "O" ring) was placed on the bottom of the container as a cap. Pressure is applied to form a complete seal to prevent water loss during heating. The container was placed in the sample cell of the DSC instrument chamber and the sealed empty container was placed in the reference cell. The chamber was heated uniformly at a constant rate and the difference in joules per gram absorbed by the sample from the peak in the near 70 ℃ region of the resulting thermogram was determined from the blank. This result is subtracted from the value of a similarly determined sample of the raw wheat ingredient (e.g., semolina or semolina) used to make pasta. Since these two values represent how much heat is required to gelatinize the remaining ungelatinized starch in the respective samples, the difference in% is the extent to which the product has been gelatinized.

The products of the invention also exhibit excellent ripening (sometimes referred to in the art simply as rate or% hydration). To determine the rate of ripening, the optimum ripening time must be determined and performed using the chewing method and the extrusion method for each sample and using the results of the method which gives the shortest ripening time.

According to the chewing method, 25g of dry pasta is cooked in a beaker containing 300ml of boiling distilled water, and the cooked pasta pieces are taken out of the cooked water at intervals of 30 seconds, starting the timer. The sample was chewed between molars. The time when no hard core was found for the first time was the optimum maturation time.

According to the extrusion method, 25g of the same dried pasta is cooked in a beaker containing 300ml of boiling distilled water, the timing is started and the cooked pasta pieces are taken out of the cooked water every 30 seconds and transparent plastic is inserted between the two pieces. The time when the white central core of cooked pasta disappears for the first time is the optimum cooking time (see Methods 16-50, AACC, Methods of the American Association of Cereal Chemist, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121 USA), 1995 edition.

The ripening rate was then determined by adding 10g of the same dried pasta to 300g of boiling distilled water and ripening for the optimum ripening time determined above. The cooked pasta was then dehydrated on a sieve for 5 minutes and weighed. The cooking rate of the pasta is reported in percent as 10g of initial dry pasta weight. The pasta of the invention has a cook rate of from about 315 to about 450%, preferably from about 330 to about 425%.

The use of steam prior to the baking process can further improve the properties of the product by increasing the integrity of the product, increasing "crack or crevice" resistance, reducing starch loss, increasing pasta firmness and increasing resistance to over-ripening. This step can be accomplished by injecting food grade steam into a steamer or other similar equipment that will be used for baking. When a steamer is used, steam is arranged upstream of the toaster so that the kneaded, extruded and cut pasta can be steamed prior to toasting. Suitable continuous process industrial steamers are available from Buhler, Wenger or Pavan. The effect of steaming is to pre-cook the starch and denature the protein on the surface of the pasta. The method is improved significantly to enhance the protein-starch matrix. The degree of starch gelatinization and protein insolubility can be used as an indication of the type and extent of processing, noting that the product of the present invention is not fully pre-cooked.

Steaming also increases our ability to design products with the product attributes referred to. These attributes are of particular importance in that they improve the performance of the product in many convenient directed manufacturing processes, particularly in hot or boiling water immersion manufacturing and in microwave or furnace top manufacturing.

Further increases in preparation time can be achieved by the addition of salts. Salt added in amounts up to about 3% based on the weight of the farinaceous material (e.g., wheat, corn, soy flour, semolina, etc.) also improves hydration by creating voids during cooking of the pasta and noodles after dissolution of the salt. The highly soluble salt dissolves, leaving fine marks or voids in the pasta structure, facilitating moisture penetration during hydration. For example, 2% salt increases the preparation time using microwaves to 4-4.5 minutes when compared to 5 minutes microwave preparation time without salt.

The type, quality and amount of protein in the extruded dough is manipulated to improve the performance of the pasta product. Protein sources such as activated wheat gluten, egg protein, soy and other food grade protein sources may be added at about 0.25 to about 10% to improve the attributes of the pasta product, typically at about 0.5 to 5.0%. Protein sources are particularly useful when a farinaceous material is used that has a low protein content or when there is a lack of native protein function. Added protein can be used to improve texture, increase firmness, reduce starch loss, improve resistance to over-ripening, and maintain product integrity during vigorous preparation requiring constant agitation.

By controlling the moisture content of the dough, the baking conditions and modifying the protein matrix, the texture and hydration of the pasta can be tailored to suit a particular manufacturing process. In the present invention, it is now possible to "design pasta" with attributes that reduce the cooking time and produce the desired pasta texture.

The method of the invention can be suitable for pasta of any shape. Pasta can be made in any short and long good shape and can be of a custom or thin wall thickness. The wall thickness is selected as a function of the type of manufacturing process and the required manufacturing time requirements.

The wet baked pasta may also be made into snacks or seasoned by incorporating various natural and artificial seasonings, herbs, spices, cheese and/or other ingredients to impart a desired flavor and appearance. The seasoning may be mixed with the farinaceous material prior to extrusion and/or may be applied to a surface.

Examples

Example 1

A wheat flour dough mixture consisting of 77% semolina and 23% water was fed into a Demaco laboratory pasta extruder equipped with a retini die and cutter knife and extruded to produce a fresh pasta sample (32% moisture) having a thickness of 0.027 ". Unlike conventional pasta extrusion processes, no vacuum is used during pasta extrusion. These prepared extruded samples were transferred to a forced air cooler equipped with an air blower to remove surface moisture from freshly extruded pasta and to prevent the pasta from sticking together in the next step. The surface dried pasta was transferred to a laboratory Proctor & Schwartz toaster ("P & S" toaster available from Proctor & Schwartz, 251 GibraltarRoad, Horsham, PA 19044 USA) and baked at 298 ° f for 2.25 minutes with the air speed set to 250 ft/min. The baked pasta was then removed from the toaster and cooled to room temperature by using a forced air cooler. Unlike traditional dried pasta, baked pasta has an expanded internal structure with many expanding air bubbles, allowing the baked pasta to cook faster than ordinary pasta while maintaining the texture of traditional pasta cooked under conventional cooking conditions with boiling water and microwaves. The baked pasta had a density of 0.78g/cc, a degree of gelatinization of 59.3% and a cook rate of 348% at an optimum cook time of 3 minutes.

Example 2

The same dough product was extruded and air dried as in example 1. The surface dried pasta was transferred to a laboratory P & S toaster and baked at 260F for 14 minutes with the air speed set at 250 ft/min. The baked pasta was then removed from the toaster and cooled to room temperature by using a forced air cooler. Unlike traditional dried pasta, baked pasta has an expanded internal structure with many expanding air bubbles, which allows the baked pasta to cook faster than regular pasta while retaining the texture of traditional pasta under various types of cooking conditions (regular cooking under boiling water and microwave cooking). The baked pasta had a density of 0.83g/cc, a degree of gelatinization of 24.1% and a cook of 337% at an optimum cook time of 4 minutes.

Example 3

The same dough product was extruded and air dried as in example 1. The surface dried pasta was transferred to a laboratory P & S toaster and baked at 285 ℃ F. for 5 minutes with the air speed set at 250 ft/min. The baked pasta was then removed from the toaster and cooled to room temperature by using a forced air cooler. Unlike traditional dried pasta, baked pasta has an expanded internal structure with many expanding air bubbles, which allows the baked pasta to cook faster than regular pasta while retaining the texture of traditional pasta under various types of cooking conditions (regular cooking under boiling water and microwave cooking). The baked pasta had a density of 0.95g/cc, a degree of gelatinization of 40.6% and a cooking rate of 371% at an optimum cooking time of 3.5 minutes.

Example 4

A wheat flour dough mixture consisting of 76% semolina, 23% water and 1% table salt was fed into a Demaco laboratory pasta extruder equipped with a retini die and cutter knife and extruded to a thickness of 0.027 "of a fresh pasta sample (32% moisture). No vacuum was used during pasta extrusion. These prepared extruded samples were transferred to a forced air cooler equipped with an air blower to remove surface moisture from freshly extruded pasta and to prevent the pasta from sticking together in the next step. The surface dried pasta was transferred to a laboratory P & S toaster and baked at 298 deg.F for 2.25 minutes with the air speed set at 250 ft/min. The baked pasta was then removed from the toaster and cooled to room temperature by using a forced air cooler. The product matures faster due to the presence of salts that have an expanded internal structure and that facilitate the penetration of the cooking water into the internal structure under various types of maturation conditions (conventional maturation under boiling water and microwaves). The baked pasta had a density of 0.81g/cc, a degree of gelatinization of 46.8% and a cooking rate of 343% at an optimum cooking time of 2.25 minutes.

Example 5

A wheat flour dough mixture consisting of 78% semolina and 22% water was fed into a TPAE type Buhler pasta extruder equipped with a rotini pasta die and cutter knife and extruded to produce a fresh pasta sample (31% moisture) having a thickness of 0.027 ". No vacuum was used during pasta extrusion. These prepared extruded samples were pneumatically transferred to a Buhler fluidized bed roaster model DNTW and roasted at 277F for 6 minutes with the air speed set at 670 ft/min. The baked pasta is then cooled to room temperature in the cooling zone of the toaster. Unlike traditional dried pasta, baked pasta has an expanded internal structure with many expanding air bubbles, allowing the baked pasta to cook faster than ordinary pasta while maintaining the texture of traditional pasta cooked under conventional cooking conditions with boiling water and microwaves. The baked pasta had a density of 0.83g/cc, a degree of gelatinization of 60.3% and a cooking rate of 377% at an optimum cooking time of 2.5 minutes.

Example 6

The same pasta formulation of example 5 was extruded under the same conditions and pneumatically transferred to a Buhler fluid bed roaster model DNTW. Pasta was baked at 327F for 2 minutes with air speed set to 670ft/min as the first zone and baked at 277F for 2 minutes with the same air speed as the second zone. The baked pasta is then cooled to room temperature in the cooling zone of the toaster. Unlike traditional dried pasta, baked pasta has an expanded internal structure with many expanding air bubbles, which allows the baked pasta to cook faster than regular pasta while maintaining the texture of traditional pasta under cooking conditions (boiling water and microwave conventional cooking). The baked pasta had a density of 0.76g/cc, a degree of gelatinization of 71.2% and a cooking rate of 389% at an optimum cooking time of 3 minutes.

Example 7

The same pasta formulation of example 6 was used and extruded under the same conditions and pneumatically transferred to a DNTW type Buhler fluidized bed roaster where the pasta was baked at 212 ℃ F. for 4 minutes with the air speed set at 670ft/min as the first zone and baked at 284 ℃ F. for 4 minutes with the air speed the same as the second zone. The baked pasta is then cooled to room temperature in the cooling zone of the toaster. Unlike traditional dried pasta, baked pasta has an expanded internal structure with many small air bubbles, making baked pasta cook faster than ordinary pasta having the texture of traditional pasta under conventional cooking conditions (boiling water and microwave cooking). The baked pasta had a density of 0.99g/cc, a degree of gelatinization of 31.9% and a ripening rate of 383% at an optimum ripening time of 3 minutes.

Example 8

The same dough product was extruded and air dried as in example 1. The pasta with dry surface was transferred to a laboratory P & S toaster and conditioned with steam by injecting 15lbs of steam into the toaster. The pasta was heated with steam at 298 ° f for 1.0 minute, and then the steam line was disconnected and baked without steam for 1.25 minutes. The baked pasta was then removed from the toaster and cooled to room temperature by using a forced air cooler. This product has the same expanded internal structure as the toasted pasta without steam treatment, but it has a better structural integrity than the toasted pasta without steam treatment. The texture and cooking time characteristics were the same as those of the baked pasta without steam treatment. The baked pasta had a density of 0.95g/cc, a degree of gelatinization of 56.5% and a cooked rate of 365% at an optimum cooking time of 3 minutes.

Example 9

A wheat flour dough mixture consisting of 73.6% semolina, 23% water, 1.8% wheat gluten and 1.6% powdered egg white was fed into a Demaco laboratory pasta extruder equipped with a retini die and cutter knife and extruded to a fresh pasta sample (32% moisture) having a thickness of 0.027 ". No vacuum was used during pasta extrusion. These prepared extruded samples were transferred to a forced air cooler equipped with an air blower to remove surface moisture from the freshly extruded pasta and to prevent the pasta pieces from sticking together in the next step. The surface dried pasta was transferred to a laboratory P & S toaster and baked at 298 deg.F for 2.25 minutes with the air speed set at 250 ft/min. The baked pasta was then removed from the toaster and cooled to room temperature by using a forced air cooler. The baked pasta has an expanded internal structure as observed in other baked pasta of the invention, but requires a slightly longer cooking time than baked pasta without the addition of wheat gluten and egg white. The product has robust tissue bite and excellent structural integrity. The baked pasta had a density of 0.85g/cc, a degree of gelatinization of 61.4% and a cooking rate of 317% at an optimum cooking time of 4.5 minutes.

Example 10

A wheat flour dough mixture consisting of 77% semolina and 23% water was fed into an industrial-scale Buhler extruder of the TPR type equipped with a retini die and a cutter to produce a fresh sample of pasta (32% moisture) having a thickness of 0.027 ". No vacuum was used during pasta extrusion. These prepared extruded samples were transferred by means of a vibrating conveyor equipped with a blower to a production-scale P & S belt-type toaster having 3 heating zones and 1 cooling zone, in order to remove the surface moisture of the freshly extruded pasta. Then, bake 2 minutes at 300 ° f in the first zone, 2 minutes at 266 ° f in the second zone, 2 minutes at 220 ° f in the third zone, and 2 minutes with ambient air cooling. Unlike traditional dried pasta, baked pasta has an expanded internal structure with many expanding air bubbles, allowing the baked pasta to cook faster while maintaining the texture of traditional pasta under a variety of cooking conditions (regular cooking with boiling water and microwaves). The baked pasta had a density of 0.75g/cc, a degree of gelatinization of 68.2% and a ripening rate of 398% at an optimum ripening time of 3 minutes.

Example 11

A wheat flour dough mixture was made by mixing 90% semolina and 10% pregelatinized semolina with sufficient water to reach 30% moisture content. Pregelatinized semolina is produced by extruding natural semolina in a double screen extruder. The dough was extruded through a thin-walled twisted die and then subjected to steam for 5 minutes. Then baked at 293 ℃ F. for 5 minutes. The baked product is then cooled to room temperature. Upon rehydration with boiling water, the pasta has the typical cooked pasta texture.

Comparative example 1

A dough mixture consisting of 45% corn flour, 25% soybean flour and 30% durum flour was dry blended in a Hobart mixer. The water and dry blend were blended to a dough with 35% moisture content. Freshly prepared pasta was extruded using a Demaco laboratory pasta extruder equipped with a retini die and a cutter. A vacuum of 17 inches Hg was used during the extrusion.

The first portion of pasta was baked at 225 ° f for 15 minutes and a cross section of the sample was photographed as a microscopic preparation. The micrograph is shown in FIG. 2.

A second portion of the pasta was baked at 300F for 3 minutes and a cross section of the sample was photographed as a microscopic preparation. The micrograph is shown in FIG. 3.

The pasta dough was thoroughly mixed but had a lumpy texture. Pasta products have poor structural integrity. When hydrated, also had a soft, sticky, pasty texture, and a bitter, soyfood taste.

Comparative example 2

Commercially available fast rehydrating, instant Pasta-sporales thin walled Pasta made from n.v. establ. joseph soury s.a., ardooisesteeng 110, 8800 roesleare, Belgoum were prepared for SEM analysis as described above. A micrograph of the sample is shown in fig. 4, illustrating the compact nature of the product.

Comparing the micrographs of FIGS. 1-4, none of the comparative products (FIGS. 2-4) shows the open internal porous structure of the pasta of the invention as in FIG. 1.

Claims (4)

1. A method of making a partially pre-cooked pasta product with improved reconstitution properties comprising extruding or sheeting a pasta dough comprising flour and 0 to about 15% by weight of total flour of pre-gelatinized flour and having a moisture content of about 15 to about 35% at ambient pressure or at less than 12 inches Hg, cutting the extruded or sheeted dough into samples having a desired size, and drying the pasta samples by baking at about 180 to about 350 ° f for 1 to 25 minutes to a moisture content of less than about 13%, a degree of gelatinization of about 15 to about 80%, and a density of about 0.6 to about 1.05 g/cc.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising extruding at a pressure of from ambient pressure to less than about 12 inches Hg.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the drying by baking is carried out in two or more zones.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pasta dough comprises wheat dough.