The integration of high-amylose wheat (HAW) into pasta offers promising nutritional benefits due to its high resistant starch content. However, its impact on pasta quality and molecular structure remains insufficiently understood. This study systematically evaluated the influence of increasing HAW content (0-100%) on the cooking quality, texture, thermal properties of starch, protein secondary structure, intermolecular interaction forces, and water molecular states of cooked pasta. Results showed that higher HAW proportions enhanced ionic interactions within the starch-protein matrix, reduced water mobility, and delayed protein secondary structural transitions during cooking. These modifications corresponded with longer optimal cooking times leading to elevated cooking loss, and distinct molecular rearrangements (such as reorganisation of hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions in protein, reduced enthalpy in starch), particularly at substitution levels more than 50%. The light microscopy images showed a discontinued protein structure and less homogeneous matrix in 80% and 100% HAW pasta. The findings underscore the critical role of HAW incorporation in modulating pasta quality attributes and provide a foundation for developing functional pasta products with improved health-promoting properties. • Pasta with higher HAW content shows longer optimal cooking time. • Cooking loss increases in HAW pasta. • Protein structural transition is delayed in HAW pasta during cooking. • Water migration is reduced in HAW pasta.
Jia et al. (Sun,) studied this question.