Effect of Micronization of Maize on Quality Characteristics of Pasta.

Currently, production of pasta that is either gluten-free or having lower
content of gluten, using low-cost nonwheat cereals and legumes, is
becoming increasingly popular worldwide. This is mainly done to increase
the nutritional value and reduce the allergenicity of the product. The quality
attributes of pasta prepared from micronized maize flour with additives
such as guar gum (MPG) and a combination of guar and xanthan gum
(MPGX) were compared with pasta prepared from unmicronized flour with
guar gum (UMPG). The optimum cooking time for pasta in all three cases
(UMPG, MPG, and MPGX) was 3 min. The cooked weight of pasta MPG
and MPGX was less compared with UMPG, indicating limited water
penetration during cooking. The solid loss of pasta ranged between 8 and
9.5% and was within acceptable levels (<12%). Micronization increased the
firmness in MPG (3.7 N) and MPGX (4.5 N) compared with UMPG pasta
(2.7 N). MPGX pasta exhibited improved texture, color, and overall
acceptability compared with UMPG, and these quality attributes were
also comparable to commercial wheat pasta. The study indicated that
micronized maize flour with gums can be used in the preparation of maize
pasta with good quality attributes.