The best brands of durum wheat pasta. Pasta and pasta from durum wheat: what are the benefits, features of choice

Today, pasta can be found in every home. They are added to salads, served with bolognese, bechamel or carbonara sauce, create hearty lasagna and put in soup. The range of brands, varieties and types is amazing, and the buyer will have to make a difficult choice in the supermarket. Let's analyze the pasta market and see how it develops and what changes can be expected in the near future.

Pasta: pasta or macaroni?

Pasta or pasta is all pasta. A study of the pasta market shows that the difference exists in the mind of the consumer. If the buyer calls pasta pasta, then this, first of all, indicates familiarity with European cuisine and above average income. On the table of this buyer you can find tagliatelle pasta with bolognese sauce or farfalle with pesto sauce. Such a consumer would rather prefer Italian brands such as Barilla than local brands. However, this category of consumers is in the minority. These are, first of all, residents of cities with a million-plus population with an income above the average. The main category buys pasta or cones without regard to wheat varieties or country of origin.

How much pasta is eaten in Russia?

Pasta is one of the most popular foods in the world. The charity Oxfam conducted research in 17 countries. Pasta or, more familiar to Russians, macaroni is equally loved in all countries. Pasta took away the palm even from meat and rice. Of course, according to research, Russians can't keep up with the true fans of pasta - Italians, who easily eat 27 kg per person per year. Latin Americans also love to eat pasta. Russians eat only about 6 kg of pasta per year. About the same amount of pasta is consumed by Turks and Czechs.

What does the pasta market look like in Russia today?

Let's figure out together what kind of pasta Russians prefer and how much locally produced pasta is represented in the Russian Federation.

Pasta—garnish of the year. According to the RusKhleb brand manager, pasta is gradually taking the lead when it comes to choosing a side dish. This is not surprising, because the prices for such products as rice, buckwheat, potatoes are increasing. Pasta doesn't change much in price.

  • three price segments. The low and middle price segments have already established themselves in their category, the premium segment is somewhat behind. If we consider brands of the middle price category, it is noticeable that they are well recognizable among competitors. Pasta products at a low price are mainly offered by large retail chains that produce them under their own brand. The RusKhleb manufacturer offers several types of products, including feathers, filling for soups and cones of various sizes. The most popular are all kinds of horns.
  • Up to 50 types of pasta from the manufacturer. It is curious that in Soviet times the pasta market was one step ahead. About 8 kg of pasta per person per year, although the choice at that time was modest. The production of pasta in Russia is growing, manufacturers note the demand for products, therefore they are constantly expanding the range, offering the consumer many types of pasta.

Pasta market in Russia 2017: demand?

Macaroni is increasingly bought by people with incomes below the average. They prefer products from the low price range, which are made from baking flour.

Overview of pasta market 2017 shows that consumers are more likely to distinguish between pasta and pasta. The buyer can independently identify products from soft wheat varieties (group B) and hard wheat (group A).

  • Soft varieties of wheat can be partially represented in pasta or pasta is completely made from them. Bread flour is made from varieties of group B;
  • Durum wheat varieties (group A)- standard for pasta. This product is called pasta and is prepared as an independent dish.

Of course, the type of pasta plays a role for the Russian consumer, but the price influences the consumer's choice more. The market for flour products of the middle price segment is kept in the range of 20-27 rubles.

How do consumer preferences differ in Russian cities?

A review of the pasta market showed that Russians prefer different types of products. For example:

  • Moscow's choice. In the capital, large-format pasta, which can be stuffed, and the well-known “wave” are popular.

  • Choice of Krasnodar. Residents of Krasnodar most often choose "feathers".

Marketing research of the market made it possible to identify consumer preferences. If we summarize the tastes of the inhabitants of the Russian Federation, then the leading positions are occupied by “horns” (about 18%) and spaghetti (about 15%), while “feathers” are popular with 13%.

What brands are represented in major retail chains?

Pasta production is a business that responds quickly to customer requests. TM "Uvelka" can be attributed to the brands of the middle price category. But the most popular TM with a wide range remains "Makfa". Regional producers are gaining popularity, such as Ulyanovsk TM "Verola" and "Petrovskie Niva". The price for products of these TMs is from 15-17 rubles. In the assortment of large retailers you can find TM Makfa, Tsar, Smak, Grand di Pasta, Extra M, Soyuzpischeprom, Verola. Among Russian manufacturers, it is worth noting the leader in its segment - the Makfa trademark. There are more than 50 items, there are products with the addition of additional ingredients, such as spinach.

An analysis of the pasta market in 2016 shows that premium-segment pasta costs from 60 rubles per packaged package. The average cost per 1 kilogram of durum pasta in 2017 was approximately 68.2 rubles. Manufacturers have to quickly respond to market changes, conduct research in the field of national consumption.

Import and export of pasta in 2016 - 2017

Export and import of pasta in Russia is well established. A large share of exports falls on Kazakhstan (39%), Belarus (17%), Tajikistan (8.9%), Uzbekistan (7.9%). Export to Kazakhstan for the period October 2016 - October 2017 amounted to $41.2 million, with a total weight of 27.9 thousand tons. Preference is given to products without filling (about 99%), products with filling occupy only 1%.

Products are imported mainly from Italy (41%) and Vietnam (21%). Imports from Italy for the period October, 2016 - October, 2017 amounted to $32.5 million, with a total weight of 29.8 thousand tons. Imports from Vietnam for the same period amounted to $2.3 million, with a total weight of 1.99 thousand tons.

Packaging design plays a key role in choosing a product in a retail chain. Packaging attracts attention, highlights the branded product and reinforces the brand positioning. Fonts and colors play an important role. Packaging helps to establish communication with the consumer. You can emphasize the naturalness of the ingredients using yellow and green tones, emphasize the status with the help of blue and burgundy colors. Pasta manufacturers often place ears of wheat or field on the packaging. A popular design solution is transparent windows in the packaging through which you can see the product.

For example, TM "Makfa" uses in its packaging colors that are associated with the natural origin of the product. Usually it is yellow, green and red, which successfully complement each other. Major international players spare no expense to develop expensive creative packaging that is sure to grab the attention of consumers.

Branding agency KOLORO will develop a beautiful and effective packaging design. you can see our work.

The following trends in pasta packaging design can be traced:

  1. The color of the packaging emphasizes the natural color of the pasta.
  2. Film packaging based on polypropylene, through which the product is visible, remains traditional.
  3. Premium pasta is presented in cardboard packaging.

Forecast for the development of the pasta market in Russia for 2018

An increase in demand for premium pasta and a steady strengthening of brands that are represented in the middle price range. formed on the basis of demand.

Demand is primarily influenced by:

Pasta market in Russia 2016 amounted to 68.7 billion rubles. The figures are 5.3% higher than last year. Pasta market in Russia 2017 fixed producer prices for noodles and they settled at 34,827.9 rubles/ton.

Market development prospects are bright. Manufacturers are flexible and offer distributors three price categories - low, medium and premium, covering all segments of the population. With the growth of the exchange rate, an increase in imported pasta is expected. An increase in the price of imported products stimulates Russian manufacturers to constantly expand their range and improve product quality.

Specialists of the KOLORO branding agency will develop for you which will look advantageous against the background of competitors. We know how to create a successful brand!

Russian spaghetti may well compete with the reference Italian pasta - products under the trademarks MAKFA (Russia), De Cecco (Italy), Shebekinskie (Russia), HORECA select (Italy), 3 GLOCKEN (Germany), Fine Life (Russia) are recognized as high-quality pasta , Barilla (Russia)

As statistics show, 20% of the market is occupied by classic pasta - spaghetti. The Russian Quality System (Roskachestvo) conducted a large-scale study of the quality of this type of durum wheat pasta, popular among Russians. Pasta was examined for the presence of impurities, pesticides, various types of mold, the proportion of flour from soft wheat varieties, the level of moisture and the mass fraction of protein, which allows determining the use of low-grade raw materials in the product, were studied.

As part of the rolling study of Roskachestvo, 21 brands of spaghetti made from durum wheat flour (3GLOCKEN, Baisad, Barilla, Bio Granoro, De Cecco, Federici, Fine Life, Gallina Blanca, Grand Di Pasta, Granmulino, HORECAselect, La Molisana, MAKFA, Maltagliati, Olliani , Pasta ZARA, Don Gusto, LENTA, Rollton, The Seventh Continent, Shebekinskiye) was tested on 30 quality and safety indicators. The study was conducted in cooperation with Rospotrebnadzor, in whose subordinate laboratory the tests were carried out.

According to Maxim Protasov, head of Roskachestvo, “in Italy, only products made from durum wheat can be considered pasta. Therefore, it was important for us, firstly, to explore the entire range of spaghetti sold in our country, made from durum wheat, and, secondly, to compare domestic products in this category with goods from Italy and other European countries. The results of the study indicate a high level of quality of goods in this category - a third of pasta on the Russian market meets the increased requirements for potential recipients of the State Quality Mark.

According to the Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation Alexander Tkachev, “In recent years, thanks to state support for the industry in Russia, it has been possible to increase the production of grain crops. At the end of 2015, we became world leaders in the export of wheat, sending 24.5 million tons of grain abroad. We plan not only to maintain leadership and increase wheat supplies this year, but also to start exporting processed grain products in the near future. For example, Russia began to produce high-quality durum pasta. I am sure that soon we will conquer this niche on the foreign shelves.”

In the course of laboratory tests of Roskachestvo, conducted by specialists from one of the best laboratories in the country specializing in testing pasta, the Chelyabinsk Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, only four out of 21 products were found to have violations. These are products under the trademarks Seventh Continent, Granmulino, Federici, Gallina Blanca. Pasta Seventh Continent, Granmulino could not meet the GOST stated on the package in terms of dry matter transferred to the cooking water, which may indicate the presence of softer wheat flour from which the product was made. In samples under the brand name Seventh Continent, Gallina Blanca and Federici, experts noted an uneven spaghetti color with traces of poor kneading.

All other products were found to meet all basic standards and requirements.

Earlier, Italian nutritionists from the Neuromed Institute debunked the myth about the dangers of spaghetti. According to the results of their study, pasta made from durum wheat not only does not contribute to the appearance of excess weight, but even reduces the likelihood of developing obesity. In Russia, when making spaghetti from durum wheat, it is allowed to mix up to 15% of other types of flour, however, some manufacturers add more affordable soft wheat to the composition in order to reduce the cost of the product. As Irina Makhanova, head of the food research department of the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor for the Chelyabinsk Region, noted, “it is impossible to notice this visually, moreover, special equipment and consumables are used even for qualitative determination, not to mention the quantitative content of soft flour. wheat in pasta. The presence of soft wheat flour in the pasta sample is confirmed by the precipitation of a flocculent precipitate due to the different solubility of β-sitosterol palmitin in acetone at different temperatures. In its absence, pasta is made from durum wheat flour or with an admixture of soft wheat flour of not more than 10%. The GOST standard in pasta from durum wheat allows the content of other types of flour up to 15%. The standard of the Russian quality system is stricter in this regard and allows no more than 10%.

Only 4 samples could not meet the increased standard of the Russian quality system for this indicator: Don Gusto, Lenta, Baisad, Rollton. You can also indirectly judge the amount of soft wheat flour that the manufacturer added by the amount of protein. The more it is, the higher the quality of pasta and the less chance that it contains “impurities” of flour of a different variety. According to the mass fraction of protein, more than half of the studied products correspond to the increased standard of the Russian quality system. Thus, an important consumer myth that most manufacturers falsify their products by replacing hard varieties with soft varieties can be considered unjustified.

The best spaghetti on the Russian market were MAKFA (Russia), De Cecco (Italy), Shebekinskie (Russia), HORECA select (Italy), 3 GLOCKEN (Germany), Fine Life (Russia), Barilla (Russia). Among them, the following domestic products will be able to apply for the State Quality Mark: MAKFA, Shebekinskiye, Fine Life and Barilla. Interestingly, the potential recipient of the Russian Quality Mark was one of the world leaders in the production of pasta - the Italian company Barilla, which transferred the production of some of its products to Russia.

Pasta is divided into:

  • Group A, which includes only durum wheat;
  • Group B - from soft wheat;
  • Group B - from baking flour.

Subject to all production technologies, products of group B can seriously compete with products from durum wheat.

The debate about the benefits and harms of pasta does not stop. It is customary for Italians to attribute this product (especially from durum wheat) to the lightest and most natural food. They even used pasta in the Mediterranean diet. However, not all nutritionists share this opinion and advise people with weight problems to treat pasta with caution.

Pasta - myths and legends

There are many myths about the appearance of the name of this product. The scientific community, far from legend, based their theory on facts and settled on the most plausible option. To honor the memory of the dead, in the Mediterranean countries they served barley broth with the Greek name μακαρία, which meant “blessed dead”. This phrase originates from μακάριος. And the original word μάκαρ or Makar, as we hear and write it, is translated as “happy” or “blissful”.

Durum wheat is so valuable that it is the only product in the European Union that is subject to export duties. It was selected by selection from wheat growing in the Middle East and Central Europe more than 7,000 years ago.

Such wheat and semolina from it are common ingredients in the cuisine of North Africa and some countries of the eastern Mediterranean. They are the basis for the preparation of soups, cereals, puddings and cakes. Semolina couscous is a very popular dish there. In Cairo in the early 10th century, Ibn Wakhshiya first described the use of wheat for pasta.

Durum wheat pasta is known far beyond the borders of Italy and is popular all over the world - from North America to Great Britain. The financial center of Hong Kong, the former Portuguese colony of Macau, Singapore, Malaysia - these and other areas densely populated by the Chinese were open to Western cultural influence. They adapted European cuisine to Chinese style and made pasta one of its ingredients. It is useful to know that pasta gained its popularity in Russia much later than in Europe or Asia.

Properties of pasta from durum wheat

Technologies allow the production of pasta in accordance with regulatory documentation. They are first dried at a high temperature and then cooled to keep their shape.

Durum pasta is distinguished by:

  • glossy surface with a smooth glassy cut;
  • slight bitterness is acceptable;
  • yellowish or saturated yellow;
  • lack of foreign taste;
  • they retain their shape when cooked.

Features of pasta storage

  • Store in a dry place to prevent mold.

Attention! Humidity should not exceed 16%.

  • This product is not afraid of unheated rooms and low temperatures.
  • Avoid sudden temperature fluctuations. This can lead to unwanted condensation.
  • Depending on the additional components, pasta can be stored from 2 to 12 months.
  • To prevent absorption of moisture and odors, store pasta in dry glass or plastic containers.

Control purchase or QCD

Test purchases and the opinions of ordinary buyers and experts helped to determine the best durum wheat pasta producers.

Six packages of products from different manufacturers were selected at the same price:

  1. Baisad.
  2. Gallina Blanca.
  3. Granmulino.
  4. Limak.
  5. Federici.
  6. Shebekinskie.

Buyers, acting as members of the jury, noted only three samples. Taste, color and consistency turned out to be better, in their opinion, in the products of Baysad, Granmulino and Federici. The rest of the pasta seemed to many people an unattractive gray color, stuck together or tasteless.

All six samples of products from different companies were subjected to a set of laboratory tests. They turned out to be worthy competitors and could continue the rivalry together. The products were not infected with pests, and the cooking time indicated on the packaging fully corresponded to the actual time. After cooking, the pasta did not crunch, did not stick together and retained its color.

Advice. Pasta from durum wheat after cooking do not rinse with water! This will preserve trace elements and vitamins.

All samples also passed the strength test. The longer they retain their integrity under the influence of the load, the more accurately the production technologies are observed.

The winner of the test purchase was the product that contains the highest amount of protein. After all, the more proteins - the higher the quality. After measuring its mass fraction, Baisad durum wheat pasta became the No. 1 product.

Durum wheat pasta: video

24.07.2017

good pasta or pasta, consist only of durum wheat flour and water.

Since about the 14th century, the main difference between pasta is its division into fresh (pasta fresca) and dry (pasta secca).

Fresh pasta is prepared at home or in restaurants. Eggs, spinach, beets and other ingredients can be added there.

Such pasta is not stored for a long time, but is usually boiled and eaten immediately after preparation.

Dry pasta is produced on an industrial scale. They have a long shelf life. Such pasta can be bought in almost any store.

But in order to purchase a quality product that will benefit you, and not extra pounds, you need to know how to choose the right pasta.

I will not consider pasta with the addition of eggs, buckwheat or rice flour. The information below only applies to classic pasta made from wheat flour.

In short, here are the points by which you can determine the quality of pasta before buying it in the store:

  • The label contains one of these options:
    • "Group A"
    • "1 class" (high grade flour),
    • "durum"
    • "hard wheat"
    • semolina di grano duro
  • The protein content is not less than 12 g per 100 grams of pasta. The bigger, the better;
  • Pasta should have a smooth surface, as well as smooth and glassy edges;
  • Color yellow, gold or amber;
  • In the package are absent or present at all minimum the amount of crumbs and broken pieces of pasta.

Now more about the quality of pasta.

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Flour groups from which pasta is made in Russia

To choose the right pasta, you first need to study the composition on the pasta label. The composition should contain only durum wheat flour and water.

Flour, which is used for the production of pasta in Russia, divided into 3 groups. Groups are designated by Russian letters A, B, C.

A - durum wheat flour or durum (durum)

Group A flour pasta has a low glycemic index and is rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Water after cooking such pasta remains almost transparent. The pasta itself does not stick together during cooking and keeps its shape well after.

On the packaging as part of the ingredients, such flour may be called:

  • group A;
  • 1 class (flour of the highest grade);
  • "durum";
  • durum wheat;

On packages of pasta that were exported from Italy, they usually write:

  • "semola di grano duro";
  • "farina di grano duro";
  • semola di frumento duro.

B - soft glassy wheat flour

Pasta made from class B flour contains a large amount of starch. Such a product contains a smaller amount of beneficial nutrients for the body. The water will become cloudy during cooking. During and after cooking, such pasta will stick together.

  • group B (soft flour);
  • flour of the first and highest grade;
  • Grade 2

B - soft bread flour

Pasta made from flour group B white. They are very fragile, so the package will contain a lot of broken pasta, their fragments and crumbs. When cooked, they are very soft. By eating such pasta, you can quickly gain weight.

On the packaging in the composition, such flour can be called:

  • group B;
  • soft wheat flour;
  • baking flour.

After you have found information on the packaging of pasta that they are made from durum flour, the next thing you need to find is the amount of protein in the product.

You can indirectly determine the amount of soft flour in pasta by the amount of protein. The more it is, the higher the chance that in durum pasta there is no admixture of flour of another grade.

Good pasta contains minimum 12 g protein per 100 g pasta. The higher the score, the better the pasta.

If the protein value on the packaging is below 11 g per 100 grams of pasta, then most likely flour of lower grades was added to group A flour. This means that most likely you have a low-quality product.

According to the President of the Russian Grain Union of the Russian Federation Arkady Zlochevsky, the mass fraction of protein in pasta indirectly suggests that low-grade raw materials were used in production. Protein is a parameter that is associated with the growing conditions of wheat. Hot and dry weather without drought contributes to the high protein content of the grain. Frosts and rains, on the contrary, lead to its decrease.

Glycemic index (GI) of pasta

Vegetables, fruits, legumes, brown rice, buckwheat, and durum pasta (cooked “al dente”) are classified as low glycemic foods. They give their energy to the body gradually.

The figures are indicative. The amount of GI depends on the specific type of pasta.

It is worth noting that the glycemic index is not related to calories. A low GI food may be high in calories. If you are on a diet, keep this in mind.

Calorie content, composition and BJU of pasta

The calorie content of pasta and nutritional value, namely the amount of BJU (proteins, fats, carbohydrates), may vary. For example, I will take 3 packages of spaghetti of different brands, which are made from different types of flour.

Calorie content of durum wheat pasta, durum, Group A or Premium*:

Spaghetti brand "Makfa" from durum wheat (GOST 31743):

Calories: 344 kcal

Spaghetti n.5 brand "Barilla". Group A. Top grade. (TU 9149-012-48774716-14):

Calories: 359 kcal

Energy value: 1502 kJ

Spaghetti brand "Schebekinskie" Group A. Premium. (GOST 31743-2012)

Calories: 350 kcal

Energy value: 1464 kJ

Soft flour pasta calories, group B* :

– Spaghetti Ameria No. 3, made from all-purpose wheat flour type M55-23. Group B (GOST 31743-2012)

– Spaghetti №4, Extra-M. Group B top grade (GOST 31743-2012)

– Saomi Vermicelli long, spaghetti. In the highest grade (GOST 31743-2012)

These pastas made from group B flour have the same BJU and calorie values:

Calories: 344 kcal

Energy value: 1439 kJ

*according to the data of the Utkonos online store (23.07.17), which are indicated in the card of pasta products.

Let's compare the average calorie and BJU values ​​​​of pasta from durum wheat of group A and the indicators of pasta from soft flour of group B:

For durum pasta and pasta made from soft flour, the indicators are not very different. The table shows that durum pasta has a large amount of protein, fat and calorie content. Carbohydrate indicators in varieties are approximately equal. The number of calories in pasta made from soft flour is less.

The advantage of durum wheat is that it has a lower starch content. Therefore, you will get less benefit from pasta made from soft flour, and a greater chance of gaining excess weight.

Pasta structure

The presence of dark and dark yellow dots on the surface of pasta is the result of grinding whole grains. This means that such pasta will have more beneficial nutrients.

White dots and roughness on pasta are a sign of poor-quality flour from which they were prepared. It may also indicate a violation of technology or poor kneading of dough in production.

The shelf life of pasta directly depends on humidity characteristics. The moisture content of the product must be balanced. This means that if the pasta is too dry, then it will break in the package even at the stage of transportation to the store, and if it is too wet, then there is a chance of mold.

GOST requires producers to observe the moisture content of pasta no more than 13%, and in products for baby food no more than 12%.

Also affects the shelf life acidity product. The higher it is, the less pasta will be stored.

Increased acidity of pasta may be a consequence of a violation of the drying regime, as well as the use of low-quality flour in the batch. Acidity should be no more than 3.5-4.

Usually shelf life of pasta from durum wheat is from 24 to 32 months. Subject to storage conditions (temperature not more than 40'C and relative humidity not more than 75%).

Colored pasta

On the shelves of stores you can find pasta not only in different shapes and sizes, but also in different colors.

The manufacturer paints pasta in red, green, black and other colors. Thus, in addition to color, such pasta receives the aroma and delicate taste of natural dyes, such as:

  • carrot juice
  • beetroot juice
  • Spinach
  • Cuttlefish ink, etc.

Such products may differ from simple ones by a reduced shelf life, otherwise they are the same pasta. But again, read the ingredients. If it contains additives with the code "E", leave such a product on the shelf.

How to choose high-quality durum wheat pasta?

After you read the composition and found durum flour there, as well as the amount of protein above 12 grams, then you should look at the pasta itself. Most manufacturers sell their product in translucent packages, so it's not difficult to identify quality pasta.

Durum wheat pasta have the following properties:

  • Color golden, yellow, amber;
  • The surface is smooth;
  • glassy edges;
  • There are no fragments and crumbs in the package, or a minimum of them.

Soft wheat pasta can be determined according to the following criteria:

  • The color is white, pale yellow or vice versa poisonous yellow;
  • The surface and fracture of pasta is rough;
  • White dots on pasta due to unmixed dough;
  • There are a lot of pasta pieces and crumbs in the package.

Irina Makhanova, head of the food research department of the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor for the Chelyabinsk Region, notes that the presence of crumbs and scrap in the package helps to further characterize pasta, both from a qualitative and aesthetic point of view. Strength directly depends on the quality of the flour and the drying mode. The number of broken pasta in the package is an indicator of compliance with technological processes in production.

You can check the quality of pasta at home when you have already bought it.

If you purchased, for example, spaghetti, then you can check their quality by the following indicators:

  • elastic. Spaghetti made from soft varieties or a mixture of flour will break easily with your hands, hard spaghetti will be elastic and will bend to the last.
  • Do not stick together. Good pasta does not stick together into lumps during cooking and does not boil too much.
  • Don't stir up. The water should not be cloudy. White and sticky water after cooking pasta indicates their low quality pasta, they have a lot of starch.
  • Do not change color. After cooking, the pasta remains golden yellow.
  • keep their shape. Even if you leave them in water for an hour, they will not swell several times and will keep their shape.

Pasta after cooking should retain its appearance and the same shape. what they had in the package.

If we take boiled spaghetti as an example, then cut ends and diameter differences along the length of the pasta will mean poor product quality.

Pasta made from soft flour during cooking is very soft, and then sticks together and does not hold its shape well.

High-quality pasta made from durum wheat is practically devoid of these shortcomings. It is enough to mix them several times during cooking, and then add a little oil to the finished pasta.

High quality durum wheat pasta do not sell by weight. They are always offered in individual packages. So they retain their useful properties longer and do not deteriorate under the influence of air and moisture.

If the paste is made in Europe or the USA, then the words on the label can be trusted, unless of course it is a fake. They have stricter food quality control. Most offer you a quality product from good wheat. But check the ingredients on the label before buying. Import is not a panacea.

Good pasta made from group A flour and high in protein always will cost more pasta made from flour of groups B and C. But an unscrupulous manufacturer or store can artificially increase the price for a brand, packaging or imported products. So always read the ingredients before buying. Don't let yourself be fooled.

High-quality pasta is unlikely to cost less than 50-60 rubles. For a lower price, you are most likely offered pasta made from a mixture of flour of different varieties or unformatted. Good pasta costs even more, and very good pasta can be offered for 150-250 rubles.

Doubt. Check it out yourself. Buy 2 packs of spaghetti. One from the segment 20-40 rubles, and the other from 100-150 and try to cook them at home. I am sure you will feel the difference.

I usually buy pasta from the supermarket closest to my house. But sometimes it is a pity to spend time shopping. I would love to order products with delivery, but in Yekaterinburg everything is sad with this matter. But if you are from Moscow, you can buy pasta and other products in the Instamart online store with delivery. If there was a similar service in my city, I would gladly use it.

Harm and benefits of pasta

Macaroni is a flour product. Like other flour and baked goods, pasta is low in nutrition, has a relatively high glycemic index (especially soft varieties), and is high in carbohydrates.

Pasta can harm the digestive system and the body. For example, pasta is contraindicated for people with acute pancreatitis. A strict diet does not allow them to eat flour products.

In chronic pancreatitis, you can eat pasta, but with restrictions. The fact is that products made from durum wheat flour give an additional load on the pancreas and pushes the body to secrete more bile. If intestinal motility is increased, then pain may occur, and after a violation of the stool.

To eliminate these negative aspects for people with pancreatitis and disorders in the digestive tract, you need to cook pasta as follows:

  • Cook to the end and even a little overcooking to remove most of the starch. Forget al dente;
  • It is advisable not to fry the ingredients and the pasta itself in oil, and also to avoid a strongly fried crust when baking or frying;
  • Add only a small amount of oil to the finished pasta;
  • Avoid spicy and salty sauces.
  • It is also recommended to eat pasta in the morning. For dinner, pasta can become too heavy a meal.

For those who follow the figure, you should simply combine pasta with stewed vegetables and sauces based on them. This way you will increase the benefits of pasta and not get a lot of calories.

In general, in terms of weight loss, there is not much difference what kind of pasta you eat. More importantly, what else do you eat in addition to pasta, and what is the total amount of your calories per day.

If we consider pasta from the point of metabolism, then it is better to buy pasta from whole grain durum wheat.

Good quality durum wheat pasta that has been cooked al dente and seasoned with a little olive oil is perceived by the human body as bran. Such pasta stimulates the intestines and pushes the digestive system to create more bile for better digestion.

Durum wheat pasta with a high protein content is on the list of healthy foods and is recommended for use in many diets.

According to its composition, pasta is highly concentrated fiber and complex carbohydrates. Fiber is almost not absorbed by the body. It helps to remove toxins from it. And while this process is going on, it creates a feeling of satiety.

Pasta also contains minerals and vitamins, such as potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin B3, B6, B12, E, etc.

Pasta contains "good carbs" that deliver sugar slowly to the body. Carbohydrates are consumed by the body gradually and almost completely. The process is slow, so the appearance of problems associated with the regulation of blood sugar levels is minimized.

The amino acid tryptophan, which pasta contains, stimulates the production of serotonin in the body. It is a neurotransmitter of good mood, or as it is also called the "hormone of happiness."

Features of durum wheat or durum. Comparison of hard and soft flour

Wheat has thousands of varieties, but among this variety, 2 large groups stand out, soft and durum wheat.

Soft wheat varieties are mainly grown in climates with high humidity. Such wheat occupies a large part of the market. The main producers are located in Russia, Ukraine, Western Europe, Kazakhstan and the CIS, as well as in Australia.

Durum wheat varieties are grown where the climate is drier. In the USA, Argentina, Asia, North Africa and some regions of Russia.

In Russia, durum wheat is mainly represented by spring species. Such wheat needs about 100 warm days to fully ripen. The crop is usually harvested when the moisture content of the grain reaches 13%.

Not every climate is suitable for growing durum wheat. Spring durum wheat is sown and harvested mainly:

  • In the Urals. In the forest-steppe part of the Chelyabinsk and Kurgan regions;
  • On South. In the Krasnodar Territory and Stavropol Territory.
  • In the southeast. In the Volgograd, Saratov and Orenburg regions.
  • In the Altai Territory and Omsk Region

According to the head of the Information and Analytical Department of the Russian Grain Union, Sergei Shakhovets, there are no exact data on the amount of durum wheat. Specially such varieties are not customary to single out and take into account. Such statistics are usually kept at the regional level. This is most likely due to the fact that durum wheat is grown under the order of large processing enterprises that produce pasta.

Durum wheat is in many ways similar to soft wheat, but has its own characteristics.

Features of durum wheat:

  • Long and dense spike.
  • The grain is elongated, hard and has a small size. It is enclosed in a flower film, which prevents excessive shedding.
  • The grain color is the same. Burgundy or yellowish.
  • Flour from such wheat absorbs liquid well and does not stale for a long time.

The best semolina and pasta are obtained from such wheat.

Representatives are, for example, varieties of spring durum wheat Lilek and Nikolasha, bred by the Research Institute of Agriculture of the South-East.

Features of soft wheat varieties:

  • The ear has thin walls and more empty space in the culm.
  • The grains are larger and softer.
  • The color of the grain can be white, yellow, burgundy.
  • Flour from such wheat absorbs liquid worse and is subject to rapid staling.

Flour from such wheat is mainly used for the preparation of bakery and confectionery products.

Representatives are, for example, varieties of winter soft wheat Gubernia and Kalach 60, bred by the Research Institute of Agriculture of the South-East.

If you "look inside", then the structure of soft and durum wheat is also different.

In durum pasta, starch has a crystalline structure, in soft varieties it is viscous. So when cooking the latter, a large amount of dry substances and starch pass into the water, which make the water cloudy.

The current GOST allows no more than 6% of dry substances that pass into water.

Leading expert of the Institute for Agricultural Market Studies (IKAR) Igor Pavensky believes that the production of grain is directly proportional to the consumption of processed products. And the amount of durum wheat that was grown in Russia can be calculated using data on the production of durum flour. To do this, you need to apply in the calculations the coefficient of conversion of the produced flour into grain, which is approximately equal to 1000 kg of flour from 1330 kg of grain.

Current GOST for pasta. Pasta production in Russia

GOST 31743-2012. Pasta products. General specifications.

This standard applies to pasta made from wheat flour and water, including egg and vegetable pasta (with vegetable powders).

Publication date: 06/17/2013

Update date: 05/05/2017

Pasta is a familiar and popular product for Russians. It is used in almost every family. Pasta is loved for its ease of use, satiety, pleasant taste and affordable price.

Pasta is a commodity of daily demand. According to ROMIR Monitorin, in 2014, 94% of the population over 18 purchased pasta from stores. On average, pasta consumption in Russia is about 7 kg per person per year.

The most preferred type of pasta in Russia is spaghetti. Their sales reach 20% of the market of all pasta.

According to 2015 data, about 150 enterprises produce pasta in Russia. If we take all the production of pasta in Russia, then the geographically maximum production capacities are distributed as follows:

  • Central Federal District - 40%;
  • Ural region - 17%;
  • Privolzhsky region - 16%;
  • The rest - 27%.

The volume of durum wheat obtained in Russia is insufficient for all producers, since the harvest directly depends on the weather in summer and on the quality of the land.

In Russia, there is a problem of shortage of flour from durum wheat. There is a temptation for manufacturers to save their money by diluting expensive durum flour with cheaper soft flour during the production process. That is, when buying pasta from durum varieties of a domestic manufacturer, there is a small chance of purchasing low-quality goods.

The trouble is that, according to current standards, unscrupulous manufacturers can hardly be caught cheating. The existing GOST implies only one outdated method for determining the admixture of soft flour. It allows you to identify more than 10% or less than 10% of soft flour contains a product. In GOST there are restrictions on the content of such flour at 15%, but it is physically impossible to measure it.

Another way to check in the laboratory, allows you to check the proportion of soft flour by the content of protein and dry matter that has passed into the water. But the data obtained is not entirely accurate.

That is, it is difficult to check an unscrupulous manufacturer. What some people use.

Doctor of Biological Sciences Vladimir Duharev believes that in Russia there is a problem with the uncontrolled use of soft flour of groups B and C in the production of pasta from durum wheat flour. Usually not the largest or well-known manufacturers sin with this. But still, according to various estimates, the share of such products is 30-40% of the market.

But it's not all bad. I recommend that you familiarize yourself with a large-scale study in assessing the quality of spaghetti in the Russian market, which was conducted by Roskachestvo and Rospotrebnadzor. A fan study showed that the domestic spaghetti market can be called high-quality and highly competitive. Russian manufacturers, for the most part, are not inferior in quality to eminent Italian brands.

I have tried many different brands and types of pasta. Over time, I reduced to 5 the number of pasta manufacturers that I like more than others.

For my recipes, I buy the following brands of pasta in stores:

  1. barilla
  2. Shebekinskiye
  3. LEVANTE
  4. Agnesi
  5. Trattoria di maestro Turatti

These pasta do not boil soft, do not stick together during cooking, and then remain elastic. They contain a large amount of protein (from 12 g), look good and taste good.

In part, this choice helped me to make supermarkets within walking distance from home. Since I am limited in their range. But the choice is still not bad. The cost also plays a role. Usually I do not take pasta more expensive than 120 rubles per 0.5 kg. Only if they have some unusual shape of pasta that I have not cooked yet or interesting packaging.

This is my subjective choice of pasta based on culinary experience and 3 years of running a pasta mania website.

You can write your favorite brand of pasta in the comments. If I see it in the store, I'll take it for a test.

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