Characterization and Optimization of Garlic-Incorporated Pasta: Physicochemical, Functional and Textural Properties

Pasta is one of the most demanding foods all over the world by all age groups, mainly made from durum wheat semolina and water, prepared by several unit operations. It provides carbohydrates as a major nutrient. Garlic is richest source of organosulfur compounds and rich in other major nutrients, namely phenols, flavonoids, proteins, and minerals. Nowadays, people are shifting towards functional instant foods prepared from natural sources with high nutritional value. Therefore, in this study aim to develop dried garlic incorporated pasta with variations in garlic forms (grit and powder), garlic quantity (0.0-2.0%), and drying temperature of prepared pasta (50-80ºC). Nutritional composition, allicin content, antioxidant activity, cooking quality (optimum cooking time, gruel loss, water absorption capacity, swelling index), and uncooked and cooked textural properties were measured for the prepared pasta. A three-way ANOVA test was performed for the measured parameters at the significant levels of 1%, 5%, and 10%. The allicin content showed an insignificant difference when adding the same quantity of garlic forms (powder or grit). It decreased insignificantly at lower drying temperatures (50 and 60°C) and exhibited higher losses at 70ºC (17.58-20.02%) and 80°C (30.62-31.40%). The antioxidant activity decreased by 16.32% and 34.86% at 70 and 80°C drying temperatures, respectively, but negligible differences were observed at lower temperatures (50 and 60ºC) under the same conditions. The optimum cooking time of pasta samples increased with an increase in drying temperature (50°C to 80°C) and quantity of dried garlic (0.5% to 2.0%) but decreased with garlic grits instead of garlic powder compared to control pasta. The firmness of cooked pasta was found to be higher at 60°C than when dried at 50, 70, and 80°C. The gruel loss was found to be maximum at the 50ºC drying temperature of prepared pasta. Based on the measured parameters, the best garlic-incorporated pasta was found to be 1.5% garlic powder incorporated and dried at 60°C.