Biofortification of pasta with iron, zinc and selenium: results of PNRR OnFoods project

Triticum turgidum L. var. durum, which is widely used for pasta production, is low in micronutrients such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se)[1]. This study developed spaghetti containing wheat sprouts biofortified with these minerals and evaluated their chemical and sensory properties. Sprouts were grown in a hydroponic system and fortified with a solution of Fe-EDTA (0.5 g L-1), ZnSO4 (0.8 g L-1) and Na2SeO3 (0.06 g L-1), as previously applied in wheat biofortification studies[2,3]. Sprouts flours were added to a commercial durum wheat flour at 10% and 20% replacement levels, generating five pasta formulations. Control sprouts flour had a Swelling Volume of 2.60 g/g, while biofortified sprouts flour showed the highest Water Binding Capacity (1.90 g/g). Colorimetric analysis showed that increasing the amount of sprouts the pasta was darker, and also red and yellow hues increased (Figure 1). Biofortified sprouts increased total concentration of the three minerals in pasta (54.3% more in 20% biofortified pasta compared to control) and in addition they increased Total Phenolic Content in pasta samples (0.84 mgGAE/g in 20% biofortified pasta vs 0.37 mgGAE/g in control)[3]. 20% replacement level increased Cooking Loss (10.2%), and slightly reduced Swelling Index and Water Absorption (2.15 and 143.9% respectively). Panel test revealed stronger plant and fungal notes with a firmer texture compared to control, but overall liking did not differ significantly. These results indicate that biofortified wheat sprouts can improve pasta nutritional profile without compromising consumer acceptance. References [1] Alemu H. Review Paper On Breeding Durum Wheat (Triticum Turgidum L. Var. Durum) For Quality Traits. International Journal of Advanced Research and Publications 2017:448–55. [2] Ciccolini V, Pellegrino E, Coccina A, Fiaschi AI, Cerretani D, Sgherri C, et al. Biofortification with iron and zinc improves nutritional and nutraceutical properties of common wheat flour and bread. J Agric Food Chem 2017;65:5443–52. [3] Ranjbar A, Heshmati A, Momtaz JK, Vahidinia A. Effect of iron-enrichment on the antioxidant properties of wheat flour and bread. J Cereal Sci 2019;87:98–102. Fundings This research was funded by National Recovery and Resilience Plan, mission 4, component 2, investment 1.3, call n. 341/2022 of Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU for the project “ON Foods - Research and innovation network on food and nutrition Sustainability, Safety and Security - Working ON Foods”, project PE00000003, concession decree n. 1550/2022, CUP D93C22000890001