Characterisation of gluten-free pasta through conventional and innovative methods: evaluation of the uncooked products

Formation of a gluten protein network is fundamental for the texture and the overall quality of pasta. Replacement of the gluten network in gluten-free pasta is a major technological challenge, and the conventional technological processes have to be adapted to non-gluten formulations. The wide variety of raw materials and technologies used in the production of commercial gluten-free pasta stems from the - still on-going - search for solutions to these problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of different commercial gluten-free spaghetti currently available on the market, focusing on starch and protein organisation. Taking into account the chemical and biochemical properties of the samples, and their relationships to the physical characteristics of these products we looked at how some molecular properties relate to the final structure and quality of gluten-free pasta. Phenomena related to starch retrogradation were found to play a central role for the final texture of the products. At the same time, the origin of proteins included in the formulation was found to govern the protein-protein interactions, especially in those samples including proteins from different vegetable sources.