pasta
Pasta
Pasta
The use of emulsifiers in pasta products, either common wheat pasta or instant noodles, optimizes both the production process and the product characteristics, such as mouthfeel, expansion ratio, water absorption, cooking losses and preparation time.
GLUTEN FREE PASTA
Pasta consists of a mix of flour (normally wheat flour) with water. It may also contain egg, salt and other ingredients. When flour is mixed with water, the gluten proteins form a sticky network that provides pasta with:
- Doughy elasticity
- The ability to rise when baked
- Chewy texture
This is only possible if the protein content (gluten) is high enough to create the network. What happens then with Gluten Free Pasta?
In gluten-free pasta, wheat flour has been replaced by other flours (rice and corn being preferred ones), and the proteins contained are not able to form a network like gluten does.
Thanks to specific production processes, including heating, and the addition of Monoglycerides, gelatinised starch substitutes protein (gluten) to create the network that provides pasta with its typical elasticity and texture.
Lasenor’s brand VEROL® includes palm-based and sunflower-based emulsifiers for Gluten Free Pasta.
Contact us to receive more information.
INSTANT NOODLES
Instant noodles are products prepared from wheat flour (and/or rice and/or other flours) and/or starches as the main ingredient. Water is also added to prepare the dough. This water will be removed during the dehydration step. Other possible ingredients are oil, salt, additives and seasonings. Additives are often used to improve:
- the preparation of the noodle dough.
- its behavior during the production process.
- the characteristics of the finished noodles.
Advantages of using Hydrolyzed Lecithin in the production process:
- Lecithin is disolved into the water before adding the rest of the ingredients. That’s why the enhanced dispersibility in water of Hydrolyzed Lecithin is an important advantage.
- During mixing and kneading, it facilitates the emulsion of the ingredients, achieving an even distribution.
- Provides sheetability, workability and machinability to the noodle dough.
- Prevents stickiness.
- Provides additional stability during the dehydration step.
Lasenor’s Hydrolyzed Lecithins for Instant Noodles are available from different botanical origins with different brand names:
- VEROLEC NON GMO® for products based on Non GM soy lecithin.
- GIRALEC® for products based on sunflower lecithin.
- SEMILEC® for products based on rapeseed lecithin.
- VEROLEC® for products based on GM soy lecithin.
Advantages of using Hydrolyzed Lecithin in the product:
- Increases elasticity and chewing feel of the noodles.
- Prevents starch retrogradation.
- Increases crispness in fried noodles.
- Increases the breaking stress and cutting stress: the use of lecithin increases the binding forces in the noodle, which is not possible with monoglycerides or SSL, that weaken the noodle structure and have a negative impact on mouthfeel.
- Increases surface firmness without darkening.
