Effects of preheating temperature, moisture, and sodium metabisulfite content on quality of noodles prepared from maize flour or meal / Efecto de la temperatura de precalentamiento, humedad y contenido de metabisulfito de sodio en la calidad de fideos de harina o de sémola de maíz

Abstract

Preheating temperature, maize flour particle size, and levels of water and sulfite were tested during preparation of maize noodles. Heating a mixture of maize flour and water (43-45 % moisture) at 90-95 °C was required to extrude maize noodles using a pasta maker. Maize flour with smaller par ticle size yielded better noodles than did maize meal. Addition of sulfite enabled production of noodles at lower processing temperatures, however, cooking losses increased. Addition of more water yielded noodles that required longer cooking time, but decreased cooking losses. Functionalities of starch and protein in raw ingredients and in products were determined. Starch gelatinized and retrograded during processing of maize extrudates, as indicated by changes in pasting viscosity curves. Above 40 °C, maize proteins increased mixing viscosity of dough. Increased integrity of cooked maize noodles, however, corresponded to increased amounts of gelatinized and retrograded starch.