2.5.4. Texture Analysis

Mechanical properties of pasta were analyzed using a texture analyzer, Texture analyzer FRTS-100N, (Imada, Toyohashi, Japan) equipped a 10 kg load cell and a cylinder probe FR-HA-50J. For the analysis, pasta samples were cooked until the OCT, rinsed with water at 25 °C and placed into a beaker (about 30 g), filled to about half volume. The following settings were used: test speed 1 mm/s, 30% deformation of the sample, and two compression cycles. Each measurement was performed in 3 replicates obtained in different batches and the parameters evaluated were hardness (expressed as the maximum force at first compression), cohesiveness (ratio of the areas of the second and the first compression peak), springiness (height of the product on the second compression divided by the height of the first peak), and chewiness (hardness × cohesiveness × springiness).