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A Fast, Simple, and Reliable Method to Predict Pasta Yellowness

¹Grain Research Laboratory, Canadian Grain Commission, 1404-303 Main Street, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. Publication number 1037, Grain Research Laboratory, Canadian Grain Commission, 1404-303 Main St. Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3C 3G7. ²Corresponding author. E-mail address: binxiao.fu@grainscanada.gc.ca ³Crop Development Centre, University of Saskachewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada. ⁴Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current, SK, Canada.

Pasta yellowness depends on the semolina carotenoid content, carotenoid degradation by lipoxygenase (LOX), and pasta processing conditions. In breeding programs, early generation lines are selected for high grain yellow pigment content with the intent to improve pasta color. This approach has been successful in increasing the grain yellow pigment of Canadian durum wheat in the last few decades. In recent years, however, a weak relationship between pasta yellowness (b*) as measured by a Minolta spectrophotometer and semolina yellow pigment content (r = 0.19–0.52) was noted in the Canadian durum wheat lines. Thus, total semolina yellow pigment content cannot effectively predict the yellowness of its pasta product. Therefore, a fast and simple method was developed to predict pasta yellowness by measuring semolina dough sheet color at different time intervals after sheeting (0.5, 2.0, and 24 hr). Spaghettis were processed from the semolina samples at two drying temperature cycles (70 and 90°C). There were significant correlations between dough sheet b* values at all three times and spaghetti b* values at both drying temperatures (r = 0.87–0.94). Semolina dough sheet can be easily prepared in 15 min and requires only 30 g of material. Shortly after sheeting (30 min), dough sheet b* values can be used to predict pasta yellowness without producing the end product (involving mixing, extrusion, and drying). In this study, we also found that dough sheet b* values increased significantly with time over the sampling intervals after sheeting for those breeding lines with superior pasta color. DNA analysis revealed that all those lines lacked the Lpx-B1.1 duplication.