The present invention concerns an alimentary composition, an alimentary functional pasta derived therefrom and process for the production thereof.

More particularly, the invention refers to an alimentary composition suitable to be used as flour for preparing a functional alimentary pasta with high content of alimentary fibre, high content of proteins, low content of carbohydrates available such as, for example, amide and other glucides, with low caloric contribution, with good organoleptic and cooking qualities.

Pasta is an alimentary product that is widely and frequently employed in our diet and that has met with the consumer approval due to use easy and simplicity relevant to the manipulation, transportation, cooking and storage operations.

In the recent years, pasta became even more popular for its dietetic-nutritional properties due to the low glycemic index.

For the above mentioned reasons, pasta is an alimentary product that can be perfectly used as carrier of compositions/substances with functional and dietetic properties such as alimentary fibre, high biologic value proteins, minerals, vitamins.

Valid scientific tests exist demonstrating that presence in the diet of suitable amount of alimentary fibres, particularly of its components, remarkably reduces risk of the so called"civilisation diseases", such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, alimentary system pathologies.

Beside having the function of preventing the occurring of the above mentioned pathologies, alimentary fibres have also other bioactive properties. For example, inulin, a polysaccharide belonging to the soluble fraction of the fibre, stimulates the growing of probiotic organisms in colon, such as bifid bacteria and lactobacilli, thus acting as probiotic agent. Guar and acacia fibres has hypocholesterolemic and hypolipidemic functions. Analogous action is recognised to p-g ! ucans, acting binding or trapping cholesterol and bilious acids at the intestinal level in such a way to reduce the entheropatic recycle, obliging liver to increase the use of LDL (low density lipoproteins) for synthesis of new

bilious acids, with the consequent reduction of cholesterol for acceleration of catabolic process.

Among the components of insoluble fraction, chitosan, polysaccharide derived from chitin of crustaceans shell, is able to exert an inhibition action at intestinal level when absorbing fats and cholesterol.

Generally speaking, diet in the industrialised countries, as Italy, is rather poor of alimentary fibre, and therefore, often it is necessary make up to said lack, mainly for more risk persons.

By the combination of beneficial effects of pasta, such as, for example, low glycemic index, and those of alimentary fibre, it is possible to develop new functional alimentary products associated with prevention and treatment of certain pathologies.

Functional food products are food products characterised by positive effects due to the presence of components, preferably not nutrient components, interacting in a more or less selective way with one or more physiological functions of the organism (bio modulation).

Positive effects on health care and/or prevention of diseases, such as cardiovascular pathologies, arteriosclerosis, epatopathia, gastrointestinal diseases, osteoporosis are due to said functional properties.

Different flour compositions are known for dietetic food products, such as pasta, to be employed for cure and prevention of obesity. An example of said flour compositions comprises a high content of proteins, at least 50% in weight, vegetable fibres, between 35 and 50% in weight, and a low content of carbohydrates, less than 15% in weight (Italian Patent N° 01304148).

However, pasta prepared by employing known dietetic flour usually has not satisfying organoleptic properties, and when cooked is tacky, gathered, with a poor consistency when masticated and few or not desiderable.

In view of the above, it is well evident the needing of having new functional alimentary compositions, particularly dietetic compositions, to be employed as flour for preparation of pasta, solving the above mentioned drawbacks.

The inventor of the present invention has now surprisingly found an alimentary composition comprising soy-bean flour or durum

wheat bran mixed in suitable dosage with soluble and insoluble vegetable fibres to be advantageously employed for the preparation of a functional pasta not having drawbacks of the know products.

Specifically, the invention relates to a formulation for the preparation of an alimentary pasta integrated with high biological value proteins, realised as carrier of optimum amounts of different components of the alimentary fibres, with peculiar functional and dietetic properties and, at the same time, characterised by optimum chemical-physical and organoleptic properties.

It is therefore specific object of the present invention an alimentary composition comprising between about 45% and about 60% in weight of soy-bean flour or durum wheat bran, between about 20% and about 50 % in weight of proteins, between about 10% and about 20% in weight of soluble and insoluble alimentary fibres, at least 50% in weight of the alimentary fibres being soluble fibre.

Preferably, alimentary composition according to the invention comprises between about 55% and about 60% in weight of soy-bean flour or durum wheat bran, between about 25% and about 38% in weight of proteins, between about 10% and about 20% in weight of soluble and insoluble alimentary fibres, at least 50% in weight of the alimentary fibres being soluble fibre.

Soy-bean flour or durum wheat bran are chosen among flours and brans with very high technological quality and can be ground again or not.

Proteins are chosen from the group comprising durum grain gluten proteins, common wheat gluten proteins, leguminous proteins such as, for example peas and soy-bean, lacto proteins and rice proteins.

Preferably, durum wheat gluten is gluten that can be obtained by under vacuum and low temperature extraction processes from bran, allowing to avoid denaturation of gluten proteins and thus to leave completely unmodified all the chemical, physical and functional properties, typical of the durum wheat gluten.

Soluble alimentary fibres are chosen in the group comprising inulin, guar soluble fibre, acacia soluble fibre, ß-glucanes.

For example, among the insoluble fibres it is possible to use chitosan, (obtained from crustaceans), common wheat insoluble fibre,

leguminous insoluble fibre such as, for example, peas and soy-bean, oat, bamboo, carrot, lemon, apple, mixed fruit, maize, durum wheat.

Constituents of insoluble and soluble fibre can be mixed in an optimum mixture and then added in a reasoned amount to an alimentary product that consequently will take functional and dietetic properties proper of the alimentary fibre in general and specific properties in function of the components present.

Preferably, the composition according to the present invention comprises between about 50% and about 57% in weight of flour of soy-bean or of durum wheat bran re-ground, between about 11 % and about 18% in weight of durum wheat gluten, between about 1 % and about 2% in weight of common wheat gluten, between about 3% and about 5% in weight of peas, between about 1% and about 2% in weight of soy-bean protein, between about 1 % and about 2% in weight of common wheat insoluble fibre, between about 1 % and about 2% in weight of soy-bean insoluble fibre, between about 1 % and about 3% in weight of pea insoluble fibre, between about 1 % and about 2% in weight of chitosan, between about 0,5% and about 1% in weight of guar insoluble fibre, between about 2% and about 4% in weight of acacia soluble fibre, between about 2% and about 4% in weight of inulin.

It is further object of the present invention the use of the alimentary composition described in the above for preparation of a functional alimentary pasta.

Therefore, it I further object of the present invention a functional alimentary pasta obtained by the use of the alimentary composition described in the above. Particularly, chemical composition of the pasta prepared by using said flour is the following : humidity 10- 12%, proteins more than 30%, available glucides 30-40%, alimentary fibre more than 15%, lipids 1,5-2%, mineral salts 1-1,5%.

Nutritional values of the pasta according to the present invention are the following : between 25% and 40% in weight of proteins, between 10% and 20% in weight of fibres, between 30% and 40% in weight of carbohydrates.

It is further object of the present invention a process for preparing the functional pasta comprising the following steps:

a) mixing the ingredients of the composition according to the invention adding about 10% of water at the temperature of about 25-20°C, at a pressure of grinding machine of about 110- 150 mbar, at the speed of kneading machine of about 52,3 rpm and temperature of the tank of about 24-35°C, with a impasto formation time of about 8-15 minutes; b) extrusion of the impasto obtained in step a) with a temperature of the extrusion channel of about 25-35°C, extrusion rate of about 55,9 rpm, pressure during the extrusion step of about 10 mbar and extrusion pressure of about 70-90 bar; and c) drying for about 7 hours, at the temperature of the inlet air of pasta of about 40°Cand relative humidity (R. U. ) at the inlet of pasta of about 70%, said step comprising three sub-steps: I step carried out at about 80-85°C, with R. U. of about 80% and lasting 1 hour ; II step carried out at about 60-80°C, with R. U. of about 80% and lasting 4 hours; III step carried out at about 40- 60°C, with R. U. ofabout 75% and lasting 2 hours.

Technical process described in the above has been realised with suitable process parameters such as, for example, quality and temperature of impasto water, kneading time, extrusion conditions and drying diagram, to obtain a final product, pasta, characterised by optimum chemical-physical and organoleptic properties.

The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, in the following examples.

EXAMPLE 1: Soy-bean flour 57% Durum wheat gluten 20% Pea proteins 5% Pea and soy-bean fibres 8% Chitosan 2% Acacia fibre 4% Inulin 4% Nutritional values of this kind of pasta resulting from the analysis are the following : proteins about 46%, total amount of fibres about 18%, carbohydrates about 25%, water about 11 %.

EXAMPLE 2: Soy-bean flour 51 % Durum wheat gluten 20% Pea proteins11% Pea and soy-bean fibres 8% Chitosan 2% Acacia fibre 4% Inulin 4% Nutritional values of this kind of pasta resulting from the analysis are the following : proteins about 47%, total amount of fibres about 18%, carbohydrates about 25%, water about 10%.

EXAMPLE 3 : Soy-bean flour 57% Durum wheat gluten 23% Pea proteins 10% Pea and soy-bean fibres 4% Chitosan 1 % Acacia fibre 3% Inulin 2%

Nutritional values of this kind of pasta resulting from the analysis are the following : proteins about 54%, total amount of fibres about 10%, carbohydrates about 25%, water about 11 %.

EXAMPLE 4: Soy-bean flour 52% Durum wheat gluten 20% Pea proteins 8% Pea and soy-bean fibres 7% Chitosan 3% Acacia fibre5% Inulin 5%

Nutritional values of this kind of pasta resulting from the analysis are the following : proteins about 45%, total amount of fibres about 20%, carbohydrates about 24%, water about 11%.

EXAMPLE 5: Soy-bean flour 57% Durum wheat gluten 20% Pea proteins 5% Pea and soy-bean fibres 8% Chitosan 2 % Acacia fibre 4% Inulin 4% Nutritional values of this kind of pasta resulting from the analysis are the following : proteins about 33%, total amount of fibres about 18%, carbohydrates about 39%, water about 10%.

EXAMPLE 6: Soy-bean flour 51 % Durum wheat gluten 20% Pea proteins 11 % Pea and soy-bean fibres 8% Chitosan 2% Acacia fibre 4% Inulin 4%

Nutritional values of this kind of pasta resulting from the analysis are the following : proteins about 36%, total amount of fibres about 18%, carbohydrates about 36%, water about 10%.

EXAMPLE 7: Soy-bean flour 57% Durum wheat gluten 23% Pea proteins 10% Pea and soy-bean fibres 4% Chitosan 1 % Acacia fibre 3% Inulin 2%

Nutritional values of this kind of pasta resulting from the analysis are the following : proteins about 40%, total amount of fibres about 10%, carbohydrates about 40%, water about 10%.

EXAMPLE 8: Soy-bean flour 52% Durum wheat gluten 20% Pea proteins 8% Pea and soy-bean fibres 7% Chitosan 3% Acacia fibre 5% Inulin 5%

Nutritional values of this kind of pasta resulting from the analysis are the following : proteins about 35%, total amount of fibres about 20%, carbohydrates about 38%, water about 7%.

EXAMPLE 9: Process employed for preparing dietetic alimentary pasta starting from the compositions according to the examples 1-8 provides the following steps: a) mixing the ingredients of the compositions adding about 32% of water at the temperature of about 30°C, at a pressure of grinding machine of about 110 mbar, at the speed of kneading machine of about 52,3 rpm and temperature of the tank of about 28, 8-30°C, with a impasto formation time of about 12 minutes; b) extrusion of the impasto with a temperature of the extrusion channel of about 28, 8-30°C, extrusion rate of about 55,9 rpm, pressure during the extrusion step of about 10 mbar and extrusion pressure of about 78 bar; and c) drying for about 7 hours and 5 minutes, at the temperature of the inlet air of pasta of about 40°Cand relative humidity (R. U.) at the inlet of pasta of about 70%, said step comprising three sub-steps: I step carried out at about 80-85°C, with R. U. of about 80% and lasting 1 hour; II step carried out at about 60- 80°C, with R. U. of about 80% and lasting 4 hours; III step carried out at about 40-60°C, with R. U. of about 75% and lasting 2 hours.

Water content of dried pasta ranges between about 11,5% and about 12,3%.