Nutritional and Chemical-Physical Characterization of Fresh Pasta Gnocchi Prepared with Sea Water as New Active Ingredient

This study shows the chemical-physical and nutritional results obtained using food-gradesea water for the preparation of fresh pasta Gnocchi with respect to those prepared with tap water.Gnocchi obtained by mixing the flour with seawater (GSW) were compared with traditional Gnocchimade with tap water (GTW). The contents of sodium chloride, macro and micro elements, volatilemolecules profile, thermal properties, and morphological analysis were investigated in both Gnocchitypes. The analysis of chlorides showed that the samples prepared with sea water had a significantlylower NaCl content after cooking in comparison with those prepared with tap water. These resultswere also confirmed by the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis for sodium content. Theprofiles of the volatile molecules acquired by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)evidenced significant differences between the groups of aromatic molecules of the two typologies ofsamples. Morphological analysis evidenced that both raw and cooked GSW Gnocchi were structurallytightened whereas GTW Gnocchi showed a labile and weak macromolecular network. In addition,GSW Gnocchi was more thermally stable than GTW Gnocchi, as evidenced by thermogravimetricanalysis (TGA).