Evaluación de la calidad de cocción y calidad sensorial de pasta elaborada a partir de mezclas de sémola de trigo y harina de quinua.

La pasta es un alimento de consumo masivo que posee varias ventajas: larga vida útil, aporta energía en la dieta y amplia aceptación por parte del consumidor. La quinua (Chenopodium quinoa willd) es un pseudo-cereal cuyo aprovechamiento se promueve por su buena calidad nutricional, por el potencial de producción y el fácil desarrollo del cultivo bajo diferentes condiciones ambientales con tecnologías sencillas. La pasta sustituida parcialmente con quinua puede representar beneficios sobre la salud y la nutrición de los consumidores, ya que éstas tendrían una mejor calidad nutricional comparada con la pasta comercial de 100% sémola de trigo. El presente estudio incluye el desarrollo tecnológico de productos con dos niveles de sustitución del 10% y 30%, con dos harinas de quinua correspondientes a las variedades Aurora y Blanca Jericó, cultivadas en Colombia, así como el análisis de la adición de dos agentes estructurantes: Carboximetil Celulosa (2%) y almidón de maíz pregelatinizado (9%). Las variables de respuesta en las pastas elaboradas fueron calidad de la pasta cruda (color, valor nutricional proximal, dureza/fracturabilidad y calidad microbiológica), calidad en la cocción (tiempo óptimo de cocción y degradación por liberación de almidón) y calidad de la pasta cocida (evaluación sensorial, propiedades mecánicas y biológicas). Los resultados mostraron que las pastas cumplen con los estándares tecnológicos exigidos en la legislación nacional y que son comparables con pastas comerciales de 100% sémola de trigo, ofreciendo una buena calidad nutricional y una buena calidad microbiológica. No se pudieron establecer diferencias en la calidad de las pastas elaboradas entre las dos variedades de quinua utilizadas, sin embargo, ciertas características mecánicas alcanzadas en las pastas elaboradas con quinua Blanca Jericó y carboximetil celulosa como agente estructurante, hacen considerar que estas variedades dulces cultivadas en Colombia resultan altamente promisorias. Definitivamente la calidad en la cocción y propiedades mecánicas son inferiores a las de pastas no sustituidas, con mayor liberación de almidón durante la cocción, pero con tiempos de cocción óptimos menores, sin embargo se mantienen en un nivel aceptable para su preparación. Aunque los indicadores bioquímicos evaluados en los pacientes no aumentaron ni descendieron, este estudio exploratorio indica que estas pastas sustituidas con quinua pueden ser utilizadas en dietas especiales, como en el caso de pacientes diabéticos./Abstract. Pasta is a staple food with some quality advantages like long shelf life, nutritional value at energy intake in diet and wide acceptance in market. Quinoa is a pseudo-cereal that resurged from ancestral customs, due to its good nutritional quality and its potential given by an easy development of the crop under different environmental conditions with simple technologies. Pasta replaced with quinoa can represent benefits on consumer health and nutrition, as it will have a better nutritional quality compared to the market pasta from 100% wheat semolina. This research includes study of technological products with two levels of replacement of 10% and 30 %, analyzing the sustitution with two varieties Aurora and Blanca Jericó, cultivated in Colombia, as well as the analysis of addition of two substitutes gluten as Carboximetil Cellulose (2%) and pregelatinized corn starch (9%). The quality of prepared pasta was assessed on uncooked pasta (colour, nutritional value proximal, hardness/fracturability and microbiological quality), on cooking (optimum time of cooking and degradation by release of starch) and on cooked pasta (sensory evaluation, mechanical and biological properties). Results showed that pasta had technological standards required in the national legislation and are comparable with commercial pasta 100% wheat semolina, offering a nutritional quality improved product and a good microbiological quality. Differences were unclear among treatments, although pastas prepared with quinoa Blanca Jericó and carboxymethyl cellulose as gluten substitute exhibited better mechanical properties. Even though quality of cooking and mechanical properties are lower in pastas with quinoa flour compared to pastas with wheat semolina, pastas with quinoa flour exhibited promissory characteristics for special diets.Abstract: Pasta is a staple food with some quality advantages like long shelf life, nutritional value at energy intake in diet and wide acceptance in market. Quinoa is a pseudo-cereal that resurged from ancestral customs, due to its good nutritional quality and its potential given by an easy development of the crop under different environmental conditions with simple technologies. Pasta replaced with quinoa can represent benefits on consumer health and nutrition, as it will have a better nutritional quality compared to the market pasta from 100% wheat semolina. This research includes study of technological products with two levels of replacement of 10% and 30 %, analyzing the sustitution with two varieties Aurora and Blanca Jericó, cultivated in Colombia, as well as the analysis of addition of two substitutes gluten as Carboximetil Cellulose (2%) and pregelatinized corn starch (9%). The quality of prepared pasta was assessed on uncooked pasta (colour, nutritional value proximal, hardness/fracturability and microbiological quality), on cooking (optimum time of cooking and degradation by release of starch) and on cooked pasta (sensory evaluation, mechanical and biological properties). Results showed that pasta had technological standards required in the national legislation and are comparable with commercial pasta 100% wheat semolina, offering a nutritional quality improved product and a good microbiological quality. Differences were unclear among treatments, although pastas prepared with quinoa Blanca Jericó and carboxymethyl cellulose as gluten substitute exhibited better mechanical properties. Even though quality of cooking and mechanical properties are lower in pastas with quinoa flour compared to pastas with wheat semolina, pastas with quinoa flour exhibited promissory characteristics for special diets.Maestrí