Novel gluten-free pasta made with purple corn: Nutritional, technological and sensorial quality

Abstract

Gluten-free products, including pasta, are generally highly processed and low in antioxidant compounds, often with compromised organoleptic qualities. To overcome these limitations, a new gluten-free pasta was designed using purple corn, a variety rich in antioxidant polyphenols. Five pasta variations were developed—100 % wheat semolina, 100 % yellow corn, 90 % yellow corn+10 % rice flour, 100 % purple corn, and 90 % purple corn+10 % rice flour —and analyzed their chemical composition (particularly polyphenol content) as well as their physical, chemical, and sensory properties following extrusion and boiling. A number of new cyanidin and spermidine derivatives are reported for the first time in corn. Extrusion was effective in producing corn pasta, preserving polyphenol content and resulting in good physical and technological properties, whereas boiling reduced polyphenol levels by up to 80 % Sensonetrics analysis indicated some unwanted attributes associated with purple corn. Overall, purple corn pasta shows potential as a gluten-free alternative, rich in antioxidants and moderately resilient to production and cooking processes, though sensory attributes may require further optimization for higher consumer acceptance.