Chemical and technological variables and their relationships: a predictive equation for pasta cooking quality.

Abstract

Fifty samples of 10 Italian durum wheat varieties were analyzed by technological and chemical tests and 26 variables were obtained; their value in predicting pasta cooking quality was investigated. Pasta was dried at two temperatures (40 and 80 o C), and cooking quality was measured as organoleptic judgment (OJ) and total organic matter (TOM). Factor analysis was applied to the variables as a clustering tool; among the six factors identified, three were useful in describing the relationships among variables. Predictive equations for pasta cooking quality were calculated with these variables and the values needed to produce a significant improvement in pasta cooking quality were found