Study published in the international journal “Journal of Food Science”, issued by the “Institute of Food Technologists” (IFT).
The aim of the “Journal of Food Science” is to offer scientists an international forum to publish research at the forefront of food science. The Journal of Food Science publishes peer-reviewed articles.
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Silkworm pupae derivatives as source of high value protein intended for pasta fortification*
*Fortification is the process by which a nutrient and more generally a micronutrient, such as a vitamin, mineral or other compound that has a beneficial effect on health (e.g.: essential fatty acids, fiber), is added to a food product to improve its nutritional quality and to increase its intake levels in the population (editor’s note).
ABSTRACT
Silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupae are recognized as novel nutritionally valuable food. Their use in pasta-making was considered with the intention of repositioning spaghetti shaped pasta supplemented with silkworm derivatives (10%db) as a valuable product in sustainable diets besides upcycling a side stream from the silk industry.
The principal objective of this study was to assess the cooking quality (i.e., imbibition kinetics, cooking loss) and texture of pasta supplemented with defatted silkworm powder or with its aqueous protein extract, which enabled to reduce the content of indigestible components supplying a similar protein intake. Pasta was produced on lab-scale, dried, and tested for chemical composition, mechanical properties before and during cooking, cooking behavior in terms of hydration kinetics, starch gelatinization, and cooking quality indexes. The structural roles on pasta protein network played by silkworm powder and proteins extract were investigated. The former behaves as a structural thickener while the second provides a steric hindrance effect with consequent different cooking performances.
With regards to the fortified pasta perceived quality, a high level in total color difference (ΔE) was measured (ΔE > 6). However, after fortification agents’ addition, pasta color became closer to that of the whole wheat pasta already known by consumers. Structure fragility increased. The energy at break of the “extract pasta” was about one-third of the control (0.849 N*mm). Silkworm powder addition led to the highest pasta optimal cooking time (376 s) and the slowest imbibition rate (0.0001 s−1). After fortification, pasta had an almost doubled cooking loss than control pasta (2.97 ± 0.18 g/100gdb).
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Silkworm pupae flour can be easily applied for pasta fortification in order to increase the protein daily intake of people in an easy and practical way.
Authors
Laura Piazza (1), Simona Ratti (2), Francesca Girotto (3), Silvia Cappellozza (4).
(1, 3) Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan – Italy
(2) Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, University of Milan – Italy
(4) Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA-AA) – Sericulture Laboratory of Padua – Italy
> Online article (abstract)
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