Durum wheat pasta: the past, the present and the future

Pasta is definitely the Italian food for excellence and durum wheat semolina had been always considered the most suitable raw material for pasta production - and the only one allowed by the Italian law. In fact, protein properties together with the high pigment content of semolina are the key features for making a product with excellent cooking behavior. Consequently, in the past the research had been taken into great consideration the evaluation of protein quantity and quality, selecting durum wheat varieties with increased protein content and improved gluten strength. At this regard, up-to-now, semolina strength had been evaluated adapting the rheological tests set up for common wheat flour. The setting up of a method for semolina characterization able to predict pasta cooking behavior is still a challenge. Concerning the processing conditions, much effort had been devoted to understand and quantify the positive and negative effects associated with the use of high temperatures drying cycles, which are considered the most relevant technological innovation introduced in the late ’70. Since the 2000s, studies have been devoted to safety issues. Therefore, the peeling and debranning processes have been more and more used in the durum wheat chain as technological tools suitable for improving not only the semolina safety but also its pasta-making performance. At the same time, these pre-milling processes enable the selective removal of the external regions of the kernel, collecting numerous functional components (fiber, antioxidant molecules, minerals, vitamins, etc.). Pasta today is a product that well represents “globalization”, since it comprises both the traditional and typically Italian dried pasta made of semolina, which exhibits a low glycemic index, as well as other new pasta products, enriched with ancient cereal and/or leguminous flours. These last type of products are suitable for improving the health and nutritional quality of the product, as demanded by consumers around the world. Despite the progress achieved up to here, which can be summarized in having a cheap but nutritious food, easily storable and adaptable to different dietary habits and traditions, challenges remain to be faced and overcome in a near future. Efforts should be addressed to lower the environmental impact associated with both the cultivation and the productive steps; nevertheless, the recent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies suggest that the amount of water and the time required for pasta cooking have to be decreased. The Italian scientists are ready to accept this challenge.