New insights into the role of gluten on durum pasta quality using reconstitution method

The effects of varying the gluten composition at constant protein, protein content at constant composition, and glutenin-to-gliadin (glu/gli) ratio on dururn semolina theological properties and the quality of the spaghetti derived from these doughs was investigated using the reconstitution method. Reconstituted flours were built up from a common dururn starch and water-soluble fraction but with varying gluten types from a range of wheats at both 12 and 9% total protein. A 10-g mixograph and microextensigraph properties were affected by the source of the gluten, which was related to glutenin composition and polymeric molecular weight distribution. Cooked pasta firmness was highly correlated to mixograph development time (MDDT). Furthermore, varying the protein content (9-20%) showed an increase in mixograph peak resistance (PR) with no effect on extensigraph Rmax. Pasta firmness increased and stickiness decreased with increasing protein content. In another experiment, the glutenin and gliadin fractions isolated from dururn wheat were added to the respective base semolina to investigate the effect of varying the glu/gli ratio by 1.3-1.6 fold. Increasing the ratio increased MDDT but had no effect on PR and resistance breakdown. Variable effects were obtained for spaghetti firmness. The information obtained should prove useful to durum breeders by providing further evidence for the importance of protein to pasta quality.