Peanut pasta was created by replacing a portion of the durum wheat flour with peanut flour in a basic pasta formulation. Pasta noodles were made using cold extrusion and forced-air oven drying. An improved formulation and approximate ranges for ingredients were determined through a series of functionality tests.Appropriate water percentage in the dough was found to be 40% for good handling characteristics. A hydrocolloid stabilizer, lambda-carrageenan, was useful at levels between 1.5 and 2.9% to enhance dough binding properties and allow the use of peanut flour in greater proportions. The maximum acceptable level for peanut flour replacing durum wheat flour was found to be 50%. Drying pasta to 8% moisture at different temperatures allowed direct comparison of drying temperature effect. Mechanical properties of dried peanut pasta improved with increasing levels of lambda-carrageenan in the formula. Peanut pasta containing lambda-carrageenan between 2.5 and 2.9% produced the best tensile strength. Pasta color lightness decreased with increasing drying temperature, as well as with increasing levels of peanut flour. An informal sensory evaluation of these products suggested that peanut pasta might be acceptable to consumers and has potential in health food and Asian food markets.
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