High-amylose bread wheat and its effects on cooking quality and nutritional properties of pasta

Pasta samples were produced by replacing durum wheat semolina with high-amylose bread wheat semolina-type flour in proportions of 30%, 50% and 70%. Resistant starch content in uncooked pasta samples varied from 4.9% of total starch in high-amylose pasta with 30% substitution of semolina, to 15.3% of total starch in 100% high-amylose semolina pasta, achieving the levels established for the health claim. The high amount of resistant starch in cooked pasta caused a reduction of starch digestion rate in all samples with high-amylose flour substitution compared to control. The expected glycaemic index lowered from 53.8 in control pasta (durum wheat semolina) to 48 in 100% high-amylose pasta (bread wheat semolina). The inclusion of high-amylose flour in proportion of 70% combined the best cooking and nutritional properties, but is expectable a further improvement in pasta quality with the adoption of tailored processing protocols.