EFFECT OF FLAXSEED FLOUR AND PACKAGING ON SHELF LIFE OF REFRIGERATED PASTA

Abstract

ABSTRACT The effects of flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) flour (FF) and packaging conditions on microbial counts, lipid stability and cooking quality were determined for fresh pasta stored 7 weeks at 4C. Fresh pastas made from semolina or semolina blended with 15% (w/w) FF (FF-pasta) were packaged in metallized bags under three conditions: ambient air, nitrogen and vacuum. Packaging conditions did not affect aerobic or anaerobic plate counts. Mold and yeast counts were lower for pasta packaged under vacuum than under ambient air or nitrogen. Compared with traditional fresh pasta, FF-pasta had lower microbial counts during storage. Free fatty acid content in FF-pasta increased from 1.9 to 2.4% during storage. Lipid oxidation was lowest with vacuum-packaged pasta. Packaging conditions had little or no effect on cooking quality. Compared with traditional pasta, FF-pasta had lower cooked firmness and cooking loss. Cooked firmness was found to decrease only during the first week of storage; no further decrease occurred during the subsequent weeks. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This research would have practical applications to the fresh, refrigerated pasta industry. Although limited in scope, the results indicate that flaxseed flour (FF) has some bacteriostatic and fungistatic activity that may be useful in extending shelf life of fresh, refrigerated pasta/noodle products, and that further research to improve and maintain the cooking quality of FF-pasta during storage is needed.