The Pasta Industry Fabbri in the scientific journal Tecnica Molitoria International

“The product suitability for organic market was verified by furnishing “semolato” from the two selected cultivars to the Pasta Industry FABBRI (Strada in Chianti – Firenze)”

Tecnica Molitoria International  – supplemento al n°2 – 2009 – Productions systems for increasing the Market Value of durum wheat organic pasta (Read the original article in PDF Here»»)

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“In this paper a chain model for organic durum wheat pasta was presented; in particular, the variety and grain processing technologies more appropriate for improving the end product qualitative traits were assessed. The durum wheat varieties were selected through agronomical trials in that demonstrated to be well adapted to the organic farming in the chosen growing area. The pasta products, particularly suggested for the short production and distribution systems, were obtained by using a single durum wheat variety.

In the last years the demand of organic foods at worldwide level has been continuously in growth and, at present, organic farming is one of the fastest-growing segments of Europe and United States agroindustry.

The actual presence on the market of “monovarietal” pasta is limited; the pasta industry, in fact, prefers to use semolina blends that guarantee homogeneity and stability to product quality characteristics.

Organic pasta production with “monovarietal” brand, responding to the main reasons for organic food consumer – i.e. perception of natural and safe raw material, good organoleptic attributes, adequate whole process information – could favour the increase of organic pasta consumption both for occasional and regular organic buyers as well as provide a new market opportunity for farmers and for the other organic channel actors.

The product suitability for organic market was verified by furnishing “semolato” from the two selected cultivars to the Pasta Industry FABBRI (Strada in Chianti – Firenze).

In order to produce pasta (spaghetti shape), the technological process was performed in old traditional conditions at 35°C drying temperature for a long time.

In relation to cooking quality characteristics (…) is reported the final value of the global cooking assessment obtained by averaging the score of three experts which on cooked pasta evaluated surface stickiness (amount of substances adhering to pasta surface), firmness (resistance to chewing) and (high or low tendency of pasta to remain in a massa).

As it is shown the experts indicated a good global quality in particular by estimating the firmness to be optimum. These results were confirmed by a consumer acceptance test carried out with a group of untrained consumers (about 30 volunteer consumers) and by a panel of expert tasters, which expressed a very good assessment on the sensory characteristics of both organic pasta.”