Résumé
Conducted within the European InnofoodAfrica project, this study aimed to develop gluten-free pasta using climate-resilient African Crops to enhance nutrition and sustainability. Four cowpea-based pasta formulations, incorporating teff and/or amaranth leaves were formulated by linear programming, then processed through extrusion and low-temperature drying. These formulations were designed to meet the FAO's nutritional requirements for women, providing adequate protein (both in quantity and quality), fiber, iron, zinc, B9 vitamin and beta-carotene (in versions containing amaranth leaves).The absence of gluten and high fiber content (13-20%- in these flours prompted an investigation into their effects on pasta properties. To ths end, three control pasta samples made from durum wheat with increasing fiber content (4-16%) were developed. Replacing durum wheat entirely with gluten-free, fiber rich flours significantly altered the cowpea pasta's structure, leading to fibrous formulations that disrupted the protein network and resulted in lower covalent protein aggregation (disulfide bonds). Additionally, differences in starch composition and state were observed compared to traditional durum wheat pasta. These structural changes positively influenced nutritional aspects, maintaining or reducing the rapidly digestible starch fraction and preserving or enhancing protein digestibility. Notably, the type of protein (cowpea versus durum wheat) had a more substantial impact on the characteristics of peptides released during digestion than the fiber content. However, attention must be given to the potential allergenicity of these new cowpea-based pasta products.Overall, the study demonstrates that utilizing African crops like cowpea, teff, and amaranth leaves can produce gluten-free pasta with improved nutritional profiles, contributing to sustainable food solutions.