Improvement of quality of pasta products through use of additives - an appraisal.

Factors affecting the quality and status of pasta products, such as macaroni, spaghetti, vermicelli and noodles, produced in India are discussed. Oxidants such as L-ascorbic acid are important in reducing loss of yellow pigment in spaghetti. Emulsifiers such as glycerol monostearate lecithin give better machinability of dough, reducing cooking loss and stickiness of products. Surfactants such as sodium steroylacetate improve the sheetability of noodles, increase surface firmness and decrease cutting stress. Effects of different types of gluten on cooking quality of spaghetti were studied. It is concluded that there is a greater need to use additives to improve the machinability of the dough and the quality of end products in view of the lack of suitable flour/semolina.