Application of Plant Ingredients for Improving Sustainability of Fresh Pasta

Jana Zahorec, Dragana Šoronja-Simović, Jovana Petrović, Zita Šereš, Meta Sterniša, Antun Jozinović (), Drago Šubarić, Đurđica Ačkar, Jurislav Babić and Sonja Smole Možina
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Jana Zahorec: University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology, Bulevar Cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Dragana Šoronja-Simović: University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology, Bulevar Cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Jovana Petrović: University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology, Bulevar Cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Zita Šereš: University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology, Bulevar Cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Meta Sterniša: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Biotechnology, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Antun Jozinović: Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, Franje Kuhača 18, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
Drago Šubarić: Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, Franje Kuhača 18, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
Đurđica Ačkar: Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, Franje Kuhača 18, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
Jurislav Babić: Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, Franje Kuhača 18, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
Sonja Smole Možina: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Biotechnology, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Pasta is a low-cost and easy-to-prepare food product. By using fresh pasta, the drying process is omitted, which represents significant energy and financial savings, but the durability of such pasta is very limited. The addition of plant materials (parsley, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, nettle, spinach, and carob) to the dough affects the microbiological stability and thus the durability of the fresh pasta, which can then be stored longer in the refrigerator without the need to freeze the product. With significant energy savings due to the omission of the drying and freezing processes, extending the shelf life of the pasta will contribute to the reduction of food waste and thus contribute to a more sustainable production system. The aim of this work was to examine the possibility of producing fresh pasta with the addition of plant materials from the perspectives of technological and sensory quality, as well as microbiological composition. The incorporation of plant materials (10 g/100 g) decreased water absorption and had no effect on optimal cooking time. Thyme-enriched pasta had significantly lower ( p < 0.05) cooking loss (3.34%) than the control sample (4.12%). In cinnamon-, spinach-, and parsley-enriched pasta, an appealing colour and pleasant smell and taste were achieved. Cinnamon and carob proved to have the most favourable effect on the microbiological quality (reduction in mesophilic, Enterobacteriaceae , and yeast counts), followed by spinach (reduction in mould count). For cinnamon-enriched pasta, the best technological (optimal cooking time of 3.23 min; cooking loss of 4.41%; firmness of 531.94 g) and sensory and microbiological quality were achieved; thus, cinnamon proved to be the preferred natural preservative for the production of enriched pasta.

Keywords: cooking properties; fresh pasta; microbiological quality; plant ingredients; sensory evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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