Optimization of Gluten-Free Pasta Formulation Enriched with Pulse Protein Isolates

ABSTRACT Much of pasta’s properties come from gluten; however, many have an adverse reaction to its consumption. The objective of this work was to optimize the formulation of a protein enriched gluten-free pasta. A mixture design of experiments (MDOE), using isolated protein from pea (PPI) and fava (FPI) as the protein sources, was used to optimize the pasta formulation. Formulations were tested for extrusion feasibility, optimal cooking time, cooking loss, swelling index, color, and hardness. Two optimized protein ratios, 30:70 and 43:57 PPI:FPI, resulted from the MDOE analysis. The optimized formulations were compared to semolina pasta for the same properties. Hedonic sensory evaluation of the optimized formulations, semolina, and whole wheat pastas was conducted: glutenous pastas showed higher liking scores. This study shows that by using PPI, FPI and MDOE it is feasible to formulate protein enriched gluten-free pasta, while further optimization is needed to fully mimic their regular glutenous counterparts.