Résumé
The effects of drying on pasta structure, starch and protein digestibility and potential allergenicity were investigated. Pasta was dried at low (55 °C, LT), high (70 °C, HT) and very high temperature (90 °C) applied either at the beginning (VHT) or at the end of the drying profile (VHT_LM). Changes in dried and in cooked pasta structure were determined regarding protein solubility, thermal properties of starch, microscopic and rheological measurements. Changes were moderate up to 70 °C and increased at higher temperatures and especially for VHT_LM drying. VHT_LM drying tended to decrease starch digestibility and significantly decreased protein digestibility of cooked pasta by 10% probably due to the formation of highly-aggregated proteins linked by very strong covalent bonds. None of the drying profiles were found to remove the allergenic properties of pasta. IgE-reactive peptides from prolamins and albumins/globulins fractions were found in all digestion juices; VHT-LM drying increased the latter.