Shape of Things to Come: Innovations in Pasta

By Kimberly J. Decker, Contributing Editor

As long as there are doting nonnas, endurance athletes, and chefs willing to plumb the creative possibilities of artisanal mac n cheese, there will be room for pasta. Some of us may have doubted its fate a few years back, what with the whole low-carb craze and all, but the smart money knows: Never bet against a foodstuff with a history that stretches as far back as pre-Roman times.

But the pasta that graced the tables of the ancients is a far cry from the tubes, twists and tagliatelle that diners enjoy today. And therein lies the lesson that pasta teaches product developers of all stripes: by remaining adaptable in form and formulation, theres no taste or trend that pasta cant evolve to meet.

Ground gold

While North American shoppers can find pasta products made from all sorts of wheat and grain flours, If we were talking about Italy, it is actually the law that dried pasta made for domestic consumption be made of durum wheat," says Paul Ebbinghaus, technologist, pasta technology, Canadian International Grains Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba. The restriction is partly a nod to tradition, but its also a consequence of the practical and quality advantages that durum wheatand semolina, the coarse-ground flour milled from the durum endospermbring to pasta.

Durum is the hardest variety of wheat and has protein characteristics that make it ideal for the production of high-quality pasta," says  Mark E. Vermylen, vice president, A Zeregas Sons, Inc., Fair Lawn, NJ. Whats more, the golden-yellow color of the endosperm effectively represents what pasta should look like to many consumersa quality some manufacturers goose with egg yolk. But all else aside, he says, all top-quality pasta is made from durum."

Ebbinghaus notes that wheat breeding programs continually introduce newer and improved varieties of durum wheat." And while the improvements mainly benefit growers and farmers, Ive seen a vast improvement in the color and increased yellowness of the durum wheat varieties," he says. Hes also seen improvements in protein quality, which is no small matter when making pasta.

Pastas protein scaffold

Protein accounts for about 13% of the composition of dried pasta, and it comes primarily from the wheat. The protein forms a scaffolding that envelops the starchpastas cement"as it gelatinizes during cooking. Without the protein substructure, pasta cant hold up.

Its what allows the pasta shape to form and remain through the cooking process," Vermylen says. The high protein content and gluten strength of durum provides for firm pasta with consistent cooking quality." Protein also gives pasta its pleasing al dente bite" (provided you dont leave it on the boil too long) and a modicum of nutritional value: about 7 grams protein per 2-oz. serving, dry.

Generally, the higher the protein the better," Ebbinghaus says, but protein quality is also very important." If you want a firm, strong bite, then you should look for a protein with less-elastic characteristics, he says, whereas a softer bite calls for a more elastic protein.

Hard wheat flour is used in pasta for certain dry consumer foods to get cost savings," Vermylen says, but only where the reduction in pasta quality wont greatly affect the consumer experience." When working with nonwheat flours entirely, often other ingredients have to be added to make up for the loss in cooking quality and color as the level of durum falls."

Making up for lost protein

Choosing the right supplemental ingredients depends on what quality you want to improve," Ebbinghaus says.

Vermylen notes that egg whites at 2% to 7% are added to pasta intended for use in some processing applications strictly for the effect of their protein on pasta firmness." Wheat gluten, in addition to or instead of egg whites, also enhances pasta firmness; both strength and nutritional protein can come from soy, he says.

In addition to strengthening agents, such as egg white and wheat gluten, emulsifiers can improve texture and reduce stickiness," Vermylen adds. For example, FDA allows concentrated glycerol monostearate in macaroni and noodles at no more than 2% and 3% by weight of the finished product, respectively.

While nothing can really replace gluten, gums like xanthan and modified starches can provide something similar in functional properties," Ebbinghaus observes.

Indeed, hydrocolloids improve pasta texture and shelf life, says Janae Kuc, laboratory technician, Gum Technology Corporation, Tucson, AZ. They also provide structure, improve pliability and improve performance during the extrusion process." They do this in much the same way that protein does: by forming a supporting gel network that will allow the pasta dough to be stronger, more flexible and less sticky," she says.

In gluten- and egg-free pasta, a supporting gel made of konjac and xanthan gum can be used at 0.75% to 2.0% of the system to provide structure and pliability and improve bite," Kuc says. In refrigerated and frozen products, 0.5% to 1.5% gums help bind moisture, improve firmness and increase shelf life while maintaining the pastas texture over time. With the addition of gums, the bite is preserved even through reheating processes with harsh conditions, such as microwaving or when held on steam tables," she says. Some of the hydrocolloids used in this type of application include tara gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, sodium alginate, agar, xanthan gum and konjac."

Even fried noodles benefit from hydrocolloids, with levels as low as 0.05% to 0.15% creating a barrier that slows oil absorption during frying. And, Kuc adds, because gums analyze as dietary fiber, they can add fiber to the finished product. Usage levels can vary depending on the type of pasta, as well as the other ingredients in the system," she says.

Shape-shifting

While perfectly permissible by FDA standards, adding gum to garganelle may not please pasta purists, who prize tradition above all else. But thats what makes pasta so forgiving: The purists can have their 100%-semolina beauties while the rest of us push pasta forward with improvements to formulation, functionality and even basic form.

Which is where most pasta evolution takes place. Pasta-making technology changes very slowlyover the course of decades," Vermylen explains. "But shapes can be developed every year." Simply by switching out a die, pasta makers can introduce engaging new shapes, design items specific to their customers' processing and preparation needs, and satisfy popular demand.

Vermylen is fond of a new mini farfalle his company makes that he recommends for soups and side dishes. And he calls pipettea cross between an elbow and a shell"a neat shape." Ebbinghaus sees the realm of shape as a playground for innovation, especially when targeting the playground set. There are always new pasta shapes being launched, particularly for children," he observes. Cartoon characters seem to have traction here."

When selecting a shape for an audience or application, Ebbinghaus says the choice pivots on customer preference and convenience, mouthfeel, texture, the ability to hold a sauce or cheese and so-on." His top pairings run from elbows, gnocchi and lasagna in quick-cooking microwave meals to bowties, rings, ABCs and orzo in dry soups and sides. Elbows, shells and penne work in refrigerated salads, while rings, shells, ABCs and lasagna shapes are good in retorted soups and dinners," he adds.

Smart pasta

But shape alone does not a perfect pasta pairing make. Pasta manufacturers and users must consider everything from packaging to preparation when selecting a pasta ingredient. Fortunately, a growing class of smart pastas" allows product developers to find a match that fits a wider variety of prepared meals and product innovations. Pasta makers continue to respond to food manufacturers needs for pasta that holds up to their process, whether frozen, retort, steam table or otherwise," Vermylen says.

He cites as examples the thin-walled, quick-cooking pastas appearing in single-serve microwave meals, and the individually quick-frozen pasta thats revolutionized frozen skillet dinners and speed-scratch segments.

Of course, IQF pasta has been around for years, but its contribution cant be understated. As Vermylen explains, IQF product can either be extruded and then cooked and frozen, or made from dry pasta thats cooked and frozen." When choosing IQF pasta, shape, size and wall thickness are important considerations," he adds, as is the moisture of the finished frozen pasta. The moisture affects how it will hydrate in the finished product."

Also expanding pastas applicability are no-cook," or instant," varieties. While similar in formulation to traditional dried pasta, true instant pasta undergoes a preliminary steam-cooking or boiling process after extrusion and prior to drying that allows it to rehydrate with the addition of boiling water. The innovation represents an impressive advance in pastas evolution, but it isnt always necessary. If pasta is to be cooked in the microwave with plenty of available water," Vermylen points out, thin-walled, conventional pastanot precookedis usually sufficient."

Precisely what counts as thin or thick varies. You might say that a standard pasta thickness would be roughly 0.040 inches," Vermylen says. The thinnest thin-walled pasta might be 0.020 inches, and then we have some heavy-walled pastas that are as thick as 0.060 inches." The latter are tailor-made for retorting, while the former are practical in microwave meals. Vermylen concedes that its hard to get a traditional al dente mouthfeel from a very thin pasta, so microwave applications are usually limited to convenience meals."

Aside from wall thickness, size also counts. For dry soup mixes and sides, Vermylen recommends smaller shapes. Many shapes are just too big for prepared foods, especially single-serve meals," he says. A pasta manufacturer focusing on the needs of food processors should offer a wide variety of sizes of the same shape to meet those needs."

Freedom of choice

Vermylen takes these considerations into account when leading customers through the pasta catalog. What we recommend," he says, is first to start with the shape itself: What style do you seek, and is it even appropriate for the product?" Then they investigate different wall thicknesses as a way of meeting performance need, because its an easier parameter to tweak for formulation. Then, if your pasta still needs some fine-tuning, the third thing we do is add extra ingredients to make the pasta firmer," he says.

Consider a canned soup. Our standard foodservice rotini is going to be too big," Vermylen explains. At 1.5 in. dry, it expands to 2 in. cooked, which is way too big for a can of soup," he says. "So the first thing wed do is get the right size of rotinimaybe half an inch longand then wed look at wall thickness to make sure its from one of our sturdier rotini dies."

If the pasta still needs buttressing against retorts rigors, egg white or wheat gluten can lend strengthas they often do in frozen applications, home-meal replacements and thick-walled pastas designed to withstand long hold times on steam tables in foodservice. So its a three-step process," Vermylen says, the idea being not to add a lot of cost with egg white unless you have to. Try to use the appropriate shape first."

Hydration station

Choosing the right pasta also raises concerns about hydration. Most pasta is dried to 11% to 12% moisture and rehydrated to about 250%, Vermylen says. So a pound . of pasta would be 2.5 lbs. cooked," he says. "Thats a common industry standard with most shapes." In canned applications, he recommends manufacturers leave pasta slightly undercooked, hydrating to below 200%say, to 180%." The pasta is quite firm at this stage, but the liquid available in the can, coupled with retorts heat, finish the job.

Similarly, Vermylen recommends foodservice operators and manufacturers of frozen meals  precook pasta to 200% to 225% hydration.When a frozen pasta meal gets microwaved and heated upor if it sits on a steam table in foodserviceits going to absorb more water," he notes.

However, these recommendations assume that you actually precook the pasta in the first placeand not all manufacturers do. Some canners, Vermylen says, literally put dry pasta right in the can." In that case, the soup must have more water available that the pasta can absorb." Otherwise, the manufacturer is likely to produce a solid block of noodles vs. a pourable or spoonable soup.

The use of fresh or frozen pasta in any of these applications throws Vermylens hydration rules out the window, as their moisture levels are much higher to begin with (fresh pasta is usually 30% moisture). With the exception of stuffed productsfor which he always recommends using frozen or fresh pastahis first choice is dry. Most people would agree," he says, that pasta that has been dried actually performs better. The protein matrix is really formed in the extrusion and drying. It gives you a firmer bite. When its not dried, the pasta is not as good."

The wheat from the chaff

Thats a matter of opinion, which is in no short supply regarding pasta. Just witness the opinions about the healthier" pastas that observers say are possibly the biggest trend to hit the category in years. Right now in North America, I see a trend toward fibers, organic, multigrain and nongluten pasta," Ebbinghaus says.

Vermylen credits retail manufacturers with getting the ball rolling. Its really a significant part of the industry in retail," he says. At least 10% of dried pasta sales are quote-unquote healthy products." Foodservice and institutional players are climbing aboard, as well. Healthy pasta is definitely migrating into prepared foods and the foodservice environment," he continues. Were seeing more and more."

The ubiquity of healthier pastas belies the hard work that goes into making them. As Vermylen explains, For the pasta maker, using whole-wheat flour is technically a bit different in the extrusion processyou have to add more water." From the pasta users standpoint, though, the difficulty comes from poorer cooking quality in the finished product.

Why? Proportionally speaking, whole-wheat flour has more fiber and bran than durum semolina and, as Vermylen points out, its not the fiber and the bran that make the pasta strong. Its the gluten in the endosperm." So the more fiber and bran crowding out the gluten, the weaker the pasta. As compensation, manufacturers add egg white to whole-wheat formulations to firm the pasta back up and offset the fact that youve replaced a lot of the semolina with other components," he says.

But the biggest hurdle facing makers of whole-wheat pasta may be consumer acceptance. Theres always been whole-wheat pasta with that brown, gritty bitter taste," Vermylen says. Blending whole wheat with traditional durum improves pastas flavor profile; whole white wheat also can improve color and flavor, but it doesnt always perform as well as durum semolinaagain, because it just doesnt have the same protein strength. As a result, he says, youll also see egg white added to make up for the difference."

Against the grain

Beyond working with whole-wheat flours, some pasta manufacturers are turning to alternative and ancient" grains to add unexpected nutrition and unconventional appeal. As expected, non-durum flours need help" in pasta, but how much and from what is largely dependent on the ingredients," Ebbinghaus says. Some require higher amounts of water when processing, and some require a modification of drying parameters." Soy flour can act like a binder and solidify inside an extruder if manufacturers dont maintain proper moisture levels and temperatures. In the end, trial and error may be the best solutions," he says.

Manufacturers also seek to add fiber through high-fiber ingredients (or the aforementioned gums). Fiber-enhanced pastas are not that difficult to produce," Ebbinghaus notes, if you choose your ingredients wisely and formulate with them at the right levels. Some ingredients hes worked with include pea, wheat and barley fibers. Amounts, of course, depend on what health claims you want to make," he notes. But you could go up to 50% fiber-to-durum or other wheat without really having to adjust processing conditions."

Product developers should also keep their eyes on the gluten-free category, as annual sales of gluten-free foods have nearly tripled to $2.6 million over the last five years, according to Packaged Facts, Rockvilled, MD. Given glutens central role in pasta performance and quality, eliminating the protein from the formulation requires a magic, but is proving entirely doable.

With todays processing technologies, you can make non-gluten pasta with cooking and textural characteristics similar to wheat pasta," Ebbinghaus says. The trick: Precooking the starch before processing. This allows the starch to bind together, as opposed to the protein binding together in wheat pasta," he explains, adding that its easier to go gluten-free in short goods like shapes and macaroni. In regards to long goods like spaghetti, one has to be careful," he says. Long goods are subject to more stress during processing, so depending on the strength of the nongluten long good, it could be subject to breakage when handled."

Whether the gluten-free trend has staying power or is this years version of low-carb remains to be seen. But Ebbinghaus is bullish on pastas staying power no matter the wider trends. With Atkins and other low-carb diets having pretty-much run their course," he says, I see a fairly strong rebound in the pasta industry." The worlds nonnas, marathoners and creative chefs are hoping hes right.

Kimberly J. Decker, a California-based technical writer, has a B.S. in consumer food science with a minor in English from the University of California, Davis. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she enjoys eating and writing about food. You can reach her at [email protected].

Standard time

Pastas invincibility owes, in part, to the interpretive liberty we use in defining it; the floppy fettuccine noodle itself is a metaphor for flexibility. But to the extent that scholars have a hard time pinning down pastas origins, its because they cant agree on what theyre trying to pin down: The baked paste of wheat and eggs depicted in Etruscan tombs? The noodles that Marco Poloour first culinary tourist"brought back from China? The ribbons and shapes any American would recognize as pasta today?

Whatever the answer, the debate is purely academic if your job is actually to produce pasta products. Then, what makes pasta pasta really matters. I get this question often," says Paul Ebbinghaus, technologist, pasta technology, Canadian International Grains Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Standards of identity depend on which region were talking about."

FDA is mum on pasta proper, but has plenty to say about macaroni and noodles. In Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 139, the agency lays out standards of identity pertaining to  allowable additives, enrichment, the use of whole wheat and labeling guidelines for different shapes and sizes (macaroni, spaghetti and vermicelli get called out specifically).

The salient message is that basic macaroni is the dried, formed product made from semolina, durum flour, farina, flour or any combination thereof, and water. Macaroni may contain egg white at between 0.5% and 2.0% of the finished-product weight, but egg noodles must contain no less than 5.5% egg solids by weight, whether from egg, egg yolk or a mix of the two.