A Fast,Simple, and Reliable Method to Predict Pasta Yellowness

Pasta yellowness depends on the semolina carotenoid content, carotenoid degradation by lipoxygenase (LOX), and pasta processing conditions. In breeding programs, early generation lines are selected for high grain yellow pigment content with the intent to improve pasta color. This approach has been successful in increasing the grain yellow pigment of Canadian durum wheat in the last few decades. In recent years, however, a weak relationship between pasta yellowness (b*) as measured by a Minolta spectrophotometer and semolina yellow pigment content (r = 0.19–0.52) was noted in the Canadian durum wheat lines. Thus, total semolina yellow pigment content cannot effectively predict the yellowness of its pasta product. Therefore, a fast and simple method was developed to predict pasta yellowness by measuring semolina dough sheet color at different time intervals after sheeting (0.5, 2.0, and 24 hr). Spaghettis were processed from the semolina samples at two drying temperature cycles (70 and 90°C). There were significant correlations between dough sheet b* values at all three times and spaghetti b* values at both drying temperatures (r = 0.87–0.94). Semolina dough sheet can be easily prepared in 15 min and requires only 30 g of material. Shortly after sheeting (30 min), dough sheet b* values can be used to predict pasta yellowness without producing the end product (involving mixing, extrusion, and drying). In this study, we also found that dough sheet b* values increased significantly with time over the sampling intervals after sheeting for those breeding lines with superior pasta color. DNA analysis revealed that all those lines lacked the Lpx‐B1.1 duplication.     

Quality of Fiber‐Enriched Spaghetti Containing Microbial Transglutaminase

The effects of transglutaminase (TG) on the properties of semolina dough and pasta cooking properties in durum‐only and fiber‐enriched pasta were investigated. TG was blended at levels 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, and 1% of semolina weight with semolina and semolina‐pollard (60% w/w) and semolina‐guar gum (15%) mixtures. The addition of TG increased dough maximal resistance, making the dough inextensible at >1%. Optimum effects on dough strength were obtained at 0.5% TG; this dough gave the firmest and least sticky pasta. A more extensive and thicker protein matrix was observed in the TG pasta by confocal scanning laser microscopy, indicating more cross‐links were formed, a finding supported by measuring percentage of unextracted polymeric protein. TG was unable to overcome the negative effect of 60% pollard on cooking loss or 15% guar gum on stickiness. Gluten was generally more effective than TG in restoring the properties of pastas with added fiber.     

Durum Wheat Lipoxygenase Activity and Other Quality Parameters that Affect Pasta Color

Pasta yellowness is affected by different factors, the most important of which are intrinsic to the quality of semolina (natural carotenoid pigments, protein, ash, and lipoxygenase [LOX] activity) and processing conditions. Because all the parameters involved in pasta color are under the control of varietal and environmental factors, the role of the genotype, environment, and the interaction between genotype and environment on color expression were studied. Although the analysis of variance showed the genotype-by-environment interaction to be significant, a nonorthogonal analysis attributed a higher weight to genotype on parameters directly involved in color expression: β-carotene content, yellow index, and LOX activity. Furthermore, the loss of pigments and yellow index after milling and processing was evaluated and correlated with all the parameters involved in the determination of final pasta color. The phase mainly responsible for pigment loss was pasta processing. A decrease of 16.3% in semolina β-carotene content during pasta processing versus a 7.9% loss during milling was determined. The isoenzymatic forms LOX-2 and LOX-3, active at the pH of dough, were responsible for the loss of color in pasta products. Simple correlations and the linear multiple regression corroborated this finding. Hydroperoxidation activity at pH 6.6, bleaching activity, and ash content were responsible for 87% (R² adjusted) of total variance, with each variable accounting for 57, 61, and 22% of the variation, respectively. This confirms that LOX activity is the main factor involved in the loss of color, while a secondary and lesser role can be seen for ash content. Therefore, a high pigment content, located in the interior of the whole grain, and a lower LOX activity in semolina must be the selection characteristics by which breeding programs obtain a bright yellow pasta.     

Effects of Mixing Conditions on Pasta Dough Development and Biochemical Changes

Mixing of commercial durum wheat semolina with water was performed under different conditions in a Brabender micromixer equipped with pastamaking shafts. Semolina filling of the mixing chamber was 30.4–42.9% (v/v), shaft speed was 10–110 rpm, temperature was 10–40°C, and hydration level was 47–52.5% (db). The blend of water and semolina evolved from individualized hydrated particles (HP) to a dough product (DP) as a function of these conditions. Torque values (T) and the specific mechanical energies (SME) were recorded during mixing as a function of time. Terms from these curves were defined to characterize the mixing process: t_o (starting time of dough development), t_d (time to reach the maximum dough consistency), T_m (mean torque value after dough development), and SME_f (total energy applied to the dough during mixing). Transformation of HP into DP and the mixing temperature were the main parameters affecting t_o, t_d, T_m, and SME_f. Protein aggregate distribution was measured by size-exclusion HPLC, protein solubility in 0.01N acetic acid, free -SH content, soluble arabinoxylans, reducing sugars, ferulic acid, carotenoid content, and oxidase activities to characterize the biochemical changes that occurred during pasta dough formation. DP was characterized by lower amounts of insoluble glutenin aggregates, lower protein solubility in dilute acetic acid, lower free -SH content, ferulic acid, carotenoid content, and lower oxidoreductase activities as compared to HP. Once the dough was developed, the effects of mixing speed, temperature, or hydration level on the biochemical composition of the blend were null or low compared to the modifications that were observed when the blends changed from HP to DP. The t_o and SME_f were the most significant parameters in characterizing the pasta dough mixing process in relation to biochemical changes.     

Nutritional and Quality Traits of Pasta Made from SSIIa Null High‐Amylose Durum Wheat

Food products that are high in fiber and low in glycemic impact are healthier. Amylose is a form of resistant starch that mimics dietary fiber when consumed. A durum wheat (Triticum durum) line was created that lacks starch synthase IIa (SSIIa) activity, a key enzyme in amylopectin biosynthesis, by identifying a null mutation in ssIIa‐B following mutagenesis of a line that has a naturally occurring ssIIa‐A null mutation. Our objective here was to compare seed, milling, pasta, and nutritional characteristics of the SSIIa null line with a wild‐type control line. The SSIIa null line had increased amylose and grain protein with lower individual seed weight and semolina yield. Refined pasta prepared from the SSIIa null semolina absorbed less water, had increased cooking loss, had a shorter cook time, and was considerably firmer even after overcooking compared with the wild‐type line. Color of the SSIIa null cooked and uncooked pasta was diminished in brightness compared with the wild type. Nutritionally, the SSIIa null pasta had increased calories, fiber, fat, resistant starch, ash, and protein compared with the control line, along with reduced total and available carbohydrates. Pasta made from high‐amylose durum wheat provides a significant nutritional benefit along with enhanced end‐product quality via firmer pasta that resists overcooking.     

Influence of Durum Genotype on Whole Wheat and Traditional Spaghetti Qualities

This research was conducted to determine if genotypes selected for their superior traditional semolina pasta quality would also make the best whole wheat pasta. Results from 19 durum wheat cultivars and 17 breeding lines grown at 19 different environments in North Dakota showed that physical and cooking qualities varied differently for whole wheat and traditional spaghettis, respectively. Ward's clustering segregated the 36 genotypes into five groups based on whole wheat spaghetti quality. Groups 1 and 2 (21 genotypes) produced good to high‐quality whole wheat pasta that displayed high mean values for cooked firmness (4.3 and 4.1 g·cm), mechanical strength (31.3 and 31.0 g), and color (brightness, 34.92 and 34.54), respectively. Groups 4 and 5 produced poor quality whole wheat pasta that had low cooked firmness (both 3.5 g·cm) and high cooking loss (10.1 and 10.4%). Grain protein content (≥13.9%) was found with high quality of whole wheat spaghetti. Of the 36 genotypes evaluated, 21 and 3 genotypes produced good and poor qualities, respectively, of whole wheat and traditional spaghettis, and 12 other genotypes produced good traditional spaghetti but produced poor quality whole wheat spaghetti. These data indicate the need to select genotypes specifically for their whole wheat pasta quality.     

Pasta made from durum wheat semolina fermented with selected lactobacilli as a tool for a potential decrease of the gluten intolerance

A pool of selected lactic acid bacteria was used to ferment durum wheat semolina under liquid conditions. After fermentation, the dough was freeze-dried, mixed with buckwheat flour at a ratio of 3:7, and used to produce the "fusilli" type Italian pasta. Pasta without prefermentation was used as the control. Ingredients and pastas were characterized for compositional analysis. As shown by two-dimensional electrophoresis, 92 of the 130 durum wheat gliadin spots were hydrolyzed almost totally during fermentation by lactic acid bacteria. Mass spectrometry matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight and reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography analyses confirmed the hydrolysis of gliadins. As shown by immunological analysis by R5-Western blot, the concentration of gluten decreased from 6280 ppm in the control pasta to 1045 ppm in the pasta fermented with lactic acid bacteria. Gliadins were extracted from fermented and nonfermented durum wheat dough semolina and used to produce a peptic-tryptic (PT) digest for in vitro agglutination tests on cells of human origin. The whole PT digests did not cause agglutination. Affinity chromatography on Sepharose-6-B mannan column separated the PT digests in three fractions. Fraction C showed agglutination activity. The minimal agglutinating activity of fraction C from the PT digest of fermented durum wheat semolina was ca. 80 times higher than that of durum wheat semolina. Pasta was subjected to sensory analysis: The scores for stickiness and firmness were slightly lower than those found for the pasta control. Odor and flavor did not differ between the two types of pasta. These results showed that a pasta biotechnology that uses a prefermentation of durum wheat semolina by selected lactic acid bacteria and tolerated buckwheat flour could be considered as a novel tool to potentially decrease gluten intolerance and the risk of gluten contamination in gluten-free products.     

Effect of Drying Temperature on Physicochemical Properties of Starch Isolated from Pasta

Semolina from four durum wheat genotypes (cvs. Ben, Munich, Rugby, and Vic) were processed into spaghetti that was dried by low (LT), high (HT), and ultrahigh (UHT) temperature drying cycles. Starch was isolated from dried pasta and unprocessed wheat and semolina references. Pasta-drying cycles had no significant effect on the amylose content of starches. Significant increases in enzyme-resistant starch were observed in HT- and UHT-dried pasta (2.27 and 2.51%, respectively) compared with LT-dried pasta (1.68%). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) gelatinization characteristics of pasta starches showed a significantly narrow range (T_r), but no changes in onset and peak temperatures (T_o and T_p, respectively) and gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH₁) were observed. When compared with unprocessed reference samples (wheat and semolina), all pasta starches shifted to higher gelatinization T_o and T_p, with narrow T_r and no changes in δH₁. The second endothermic DSC peak indicated no increase in amylose-lipid complexation (δH₂) due to drying cycle. Starches isolated from LT and HT pasta exhibited lower peak viscosities than those from UHT-dried pasta. Genotypes Ben and Rugby demonstrated higher pasting temperature and lower peak and breakdown viscosities than Vic and Munich.     

Effect of Source and Proportion of Waxy Starches on Pasta Cooking Quality

Starches from the endosperm of three types of total‐waxy cereals (bread wheat, maize, and barley) were used in reconstitution studies of durum wheat semolinas to investigate the effect of waxy starch on pasta cooking quality. The chemical composition and the pasting and gelatinization properties of the starches used in this study were evaluated to define the functional properties of each waxy starch. The rheological properties of dough semolinas were evaluated by small‐scale mixograph. Spaghetti was prepared using a small‐scale pasta extruder and its cooking quality was assessed using a texture analyzer. Cooked pasta firmness, resilience, and stickiness were measured. The substitution of semolina starch with waxy starches from different sources changed the functional properties of dough and their pasta quality. A decrease in firmness was detected in all the semolinas reconstituted with waxy starches. An increase in stickiness was found when semolinas with waxy starch from wheat were evaluated. No improvement in pasta quality should be expected if the waxy character is introduced in durum wheat.     

Effects of Modified Processing Conditions on Oxidative Properties of Semolina Dough and Pasta

During pasta making, semolina is subject to various modifications that are mainly related to oxidative activities with relative effects on some of its components. To evaluate the involvement of hydroperoxidation and bleaching of lipoxygenase (LOX) and peroxidase (POD) activities on loss of pigments and ‐SH groups, their behavior in semolina and during processing was analyzed. Processing was done in standard and four experimental conditions, applying chemical (pH 5.0 and 8.0) and physical (10 and 40°C) treatments, during the mixing and extrusion phases, to study their effects on components. Results pointed out that treatments principally affected hydroperoxidation and bleaching activities of LOX rather than the POD. During pasta making, enzymatic activities showed the same trend in all cultivars, and this was reproducible in all the experimental conditions. Temperature effects on preservation of components were modest, whereas pH 8.0 improved the residual pigment and ‐SH group content in pasta, probably because of the concomitant reduction of oxidative enzyme levels. Finally, out of the four investigated wheat cultivars, Cosmodur showed the best performance in the experimental conditions applied. In fact, high pigment content and yellow index associated with low oxidative activity levels in semolina and in processing samples resulted in better pasta color. Such findings have confirmed that breeding and technological approaches may play an important role in the control of oxidative activities during pasta making, preserving the constituents that positively influence the final pasta color.     

Biotechnological production of vitamin B2-enriched bread and pasta

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were obtained from durum wheat flour samples and screened for roseoflavin-resistant variants to isolate natural riboflavin-overproducing strains. Two riboflavin-overproducing strains of Lactobacillus plantarum isolated as described above were used for the preparation of bread (by means of sourdough fermentation) and pasta (using a prefermentation step) to enhance their vitamin B2 content. Pasta was produced from a monovarietal semolina obtained from the durum wheat cultivar PR22D89 and, for experimental purposes, from a commercial remilled semolina. Several samples were collected during the pasta-making process (dough, extruded, dried, and cooked pasta) and tested for their riboflavin content by a high-performance liquid chromatography method. The applied approaches resulted in a considerable increase of vitamin B2 content (about 2- and 3-fold increases in pasta and bread, respectively), thus representing a convenient and efficient food-grade biotechnological application for the production of vitamin B2-enriched bread and pasta. This methodology may be extended to a wide range of cereal-based foods, feed, and beverages. Additionally, this work exemplifies the production of a functional food by a novel biotechnological exploitation of LAB in pasta-making.     

Characterization of Durum Wheat Semolina by Means of a Rapid Shear‐Based Method

A rapid shear‐based test (the GlutoPeak test, recently proposed by Brabender) was used to investigate gluten aggregation properties of durum wheat semolina and to relate them to pasta cooking behavior. Thirty semolina samples were characterized by means of the conventional approaches used for pasta‐quality prediction (protein content, gluten index, and alveographic indices). All samples were also analyzed by the GlutoPeak test, obtaining three parameters: maximum peak torque, maximum peak time, and area under the peak. The GlutoPeak indices were significantly correlated with protein content, gluten index, and W alveographic parameter. The cooking quality of pasta obtained from the 30 semolina samples was evaluated by sensory analysis in terms of stickiness, bulkiness, firmness, and overall quality. The GlutoPeak indices were significantly correlated with the sensorial parameters. In comparison with the alveographic test, which is presently the most used rheological approach for semolina characterization, GlutoPeak analysis presents some advantages represented by a smaller amount of sample (9 g), a shorter time (less than 5 min), and the possibility that untrained analysts can carry it out. In addition, following testing with larger sample numbers, the GlutoPeak test has the potential to be used instead of the gluten index as a rapid and reliable approach for medium‐quality semolina characterization.     

Fermented pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) ingredients in pasta products

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan var. aroíto) seeds were fermented in order to remove antinutritional factors and to obtain functional legume flour to be used as pasta ingredients. Fermentation brought about a drastic reduction of alpha-galactosides (82%), phytic acid (48%), and trypsin inhibitor activity (39%). Fermented legume flours presented a notable increase of fat and total soluble available carbohydrates, a slight decrease of protein, dietary fiber, calcium, vitamin B2, vitamin E, and total antioxidant capacity, and a decrease of soluble dietary fiber, Na, K, Mg, and Zn contents. No changes were observed in the level of starch and tannins as a consequence of fermentation. The fermented flour was used as an ingredient to make pasta products in a proportion of 5, 10, and 12%. The supplemented pasta products obtained had longer cooking times, higher cooking water absorptions, higher cooking loss, and higher protein loss in water than control pasta (100% semolina). From sensory evaluations, fortified pasta with 5 and 10% fermented pigeon pea flour had an acceptability score similar to control pasta. Pasta supplemented with 10% fermented pigeon pea flour presented higher levels of protein, fat, dietary fiber, mineral, vitamin E, and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity than 100% semolina pasta and similar vitamins B1 and B2 contents. Protein efficiency ratios and true protein digestibility improved (73 and 6%, respectively) after supplementation with 10% fermented pigeon pea flour; therefore, the nutritional value was enhanced.     

Phytochemical Profile and Antiproliferative Activity of Dough and Bread Fractions Made from Refined and Whole Wheat Flours

Phytochemical profile (phenolic acids, carotenoids, and tocopherols) and antiproliferative properties of bread processing fractions, including the dough, crumb, and upper crust made from refined wheat and whole wheat flours were analyzed for two wheat cultivars. Ferulic acid, lutein, and α‐tocopherol were the predominant phenolic acid, carotenoid, and tocopherol, respectively, extracted from all fractions. The levels of all phytochemicals in whole wheat samples were over eightfold higher than their corresponding refined wheat samples. The concentrations of total phenolic acids (soluble and insoluble bound) were higher in the upper crust of refined (∼60–90%) and whole wheat (∼15–40%) breads than their corresponding dough fractions. However, the dough of whole wheat had higher levels of tocopherols and carotenoids compared with the crumb and upper crust, suggesting that phenolic acids were relatively stable during baking, whereas tocopherols (∼25–80%) and carotenoids (∼20–80%), were partially degraded. The antiproliferative activity of whole wheat bread extracts against HT‐29 cancer cells was weakly correlated with total phenolic acids but showed no correlations with total carotenoid and total tocopherol contents.     

Quality of Spaghetti Made from Full and Partial Waxy Durum Wheat

The waxy character is achieved in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) when the granule‐bound starch synthase activity is eliminated. The result is a crop that produces kernels with no amylose in the starch. The presence of two Waxy loci in tetraploid wheat permits the production of two partial waxy wheat genotypes. Advanced full and partial waxy durum wheat genotypes were used to study the effect of waxy null alleles on pasta quality. Semolina from full and partial waxy durum wheats was processed into spaghetti with a semicommercial‐scale extruder, and pasta quality was evaluated. Cooked waxy pasta was softer and exhibited more cooking loss than pasta made from traditional durum cultivars. These features were attributed to lower setback of waxy starch as measured with the Rapid Visco Analyser. High cooking loss may be due to the lack of amylose‐protein interaction, preventing the formation of a strong protein network and permitting exudates to escape. Waxy pasta cooked faster but was less resistant to overcooking than normal pasta. Partial waxy pasta properties were similar to results obtained from wild‐type pasta. This indicates that the presence of a single pair of functional waxy genes in durum wheat was sufficient to generate durum grain with normal properties for pasta production. Waxy durum wheat is not suitable for pasta production because of its softening effect. However, this property may offer an advantage in other applications.     

Spectrophotometric determination of yellow pigment content and evaluation of carotenoids by high-performance liquid chromatography in durum wheat grain

The so-called "yellow pigment" content of durum wheat has been used for a long time as an indicator of the color quality of durum wheat and pasta products. For decades the chemical nature of these pigments has been assigned to carotenoids, mainly to the xanthophyll lutein and its fatty acid esters. The chemical composition of the yellow pigments of eight German durum wheat cultivars was studied. Grains were milled on a laboratory mill. Pigment extraction of millstream fractions was performed according to the optimized ICC standard method 152 procedure, and the chemical composition of the extract was analyzed by isocratic reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography. all-trans-Lutein ranged from 1.5 to 4 mg kg(-1), and zeaxanthin was found in traces. No lutein esters and carotenes were detected. Surprisingly, the fraction of carotenoids of the complete yellow pigment content amounted to only 30-50% of the yellow pigment quantities, so there are still compounds in durum wheat not yet identified that contribute considerably to the yellow color of the grain extracts. The isolation and chemical identification of those pigments are under investigation.     

Pasta Production: Complexity in Defining Processing Conditions for Reference Trials and Quality Assessment Methods

Pasta is a simple food made from water and durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum ) semolina. As pasta increased in popularity, studies endeavored to analyze the attributes that contribute to high‐quality pasta. Despite being a simple food, the laboratory‐scale analysis of pasta quality is a complex process. Spaghetti is the most commonly studied form of pasta because its long, uniform shape lends itself well to analysis. Pasta production at a laboratory scale is not standardized, leading to large amounts of variation owing to differing equipment and protocols. Pasta production protocols vary in their target moisture content, mixing profile, extrusion die material, and spaghetti diameter. Once pasta is extruded, the equipment and protocols used to dry the pasta at the laboratory scale are far from consistent. Measurement of pasta quality parameters is also lacking in updated standardized methods, making it difficult to compare pasta quality data among laboratories. AACC International is actively working to develop an improved method for laboratory‐scale pasta production and analysis via the Pasta Products Analysis Committee. This review summarizes the equipment, protocols, and methods utilized in pasta quality studies.     

Estimation of color of durum wheat. Comparison of WSB, HPLC, and reflectance colorimeter measurements

Color is an important parameter involved in the definition of semolina and pasta quality. This character is mainly due to natural pigments (carotenoids) that are present at different levels in cereals and cereal products, due to botanical origin, growing conditions, distribution in the kernel, and technological processes. In food industries, color measurements are usually performed by means of automatic instruments that are rapid and safe, as alternatives to the chemical extraction methods. In this study, automatic measurements (CIE, color-space system L, a, b), water-saturated butanol (WSB), and HPLC determinations have been applied to evaluate the carotenoid content in whole meals and respective semolina samples produced from wheat cultivated in the years 2001 and 2002. In whole meals, total carotenoids, determined by HPLC, were about 3.0 microg/g (2001) and 3.5 microg/g (2002) calculated on dry weight (dw) and about 3.0 and 3.2 microg/g dw in corresponding semolina samples. The b values for the same period were 19.78 and 15.75, respectively, in raw materials and 20.03-21.67 in semolina. Results have confirmed lutein and beta-carotene as the main components mainly responsible for the yellow color in wheat grains. The ability of the index b to express natural dyeing was dependent on sample characteristics as demonstrated by the relationships found between this index and pigments, although the best correlation resulted between HPLC and WSB.     

Variation and Correlation of Protein Molecular Weight Distribution and Semolina Quality Parameters for Durum Genotypes Grown in North Dakota

This research assessed variation of protein molecular weight distribution (MWD) parameters and their correlations with quality characteristics of semolina samples that were obtained from durum genotypes grown in North Dakota. Sodium dodecyl sulfate buffer extractable and unextractable proteins in semolina were analyzed for MWD by size‐exclusion HPLC with a microbore column. ANOVA indicated that quantitative variations of all the HPLC protein fractions were significantly (P < 0.001) influenced by growing environments. The extractable and unextractable gluten proteins correlated differently with semolina gluten characteristics. Both gluten index and mixograph classification showed positive correlations (P < 0.05) with unextractable polymeric proteins and negative correlations (P < 0.05) with extractable gliadins and polymeric proteins. Quantitative variations of gluten proteins greatly influenced spaghetti cooking characteristics. Specifically, cooked spaghetti firmness (CSF) had high and positive simple linear correlations (P < 0.001) with quantity of gluten proteins in both extractable and unextractable fractions. However, a qualitative MWD parameter, percentage of the extractable gliadins in total protein, had a negative genotypic correlation with CSF (r = –0.81, P < 0.01), whereas percentage of the unextractable polymeric proteins had a positive genotypic correlation (r = 0.75, P < 0.01). Those two MWD parameters also showed significant (P < 0.05) variations for genotypes, indicating that they might be useful for screening durum genotypes for pasta cooking quality.     

Influence of Arabinoxylans and Endoxylanases on Pasta Processing and Quality. Production of High‐Quality Pasta with Increased Levels of Soluble Fiber

As part of a general study aiming to clarify the role of arabinoxylans (AX) in pasta processing and quality, AX were modified by the addition of endoxylanases during pasta processing. The influence on processing parameters and quality were determined. Pasta (800 g) was produced from two commercial semolinas (semA and semB) using dosages of Bacillus subtilis (XBS) and Aspergillus niger (XAN) endoxylanases of 0–0.225 Somogyi units/g of semolina. Increased dosages resulted in a drop of extrusion pressure. The endoxylanase treatments had no great effect on the resulting pasta quality (color of dry products and surface condition, viscoelastic index, and resistance to longitudinal deformations of cooked products). High dosages of XAN and XBS resulted in high levels of solubilized AX (as an extra source of soluble dietary fiber) of low molecular weight which were expected to easily leach out during the cooking process of pasta. Surprisingly, only low levels of AX were found in the cooking water, even with extremely high dosages of endoxylanases used and cooking beyond optimum time. A method is provided to obtain high‐quality pasta with increased levels of soluble fiber.