Pasta Flaws and Defects

Causes and Solutions

Common Pasta Flaws and Defects

• White Spots
• Dark Spots
• Misshaped Pasta
• Stickiness
• Cracking
WHITE SPOTS
CAUSES SOLUTION

1. Presence of whitish particles in the  Ensure good quality of flour

flour that are difficult to hydrate

2. Irregular granulometry in the flour  Ensure good quality of flour

with large diameter particles
present alongside fine particles

3. Uneven kneading, too dry or not  Flour moisture must be within

enough kneaded, or unevenly range
moistened Maintain dough temperature
between 26-28oC
DARK SPOTS
CAUSES SOLUTION

1. Presence of foreign particles in the  Ensure good quality of flour

flour

2. Dirt and residue build up during  Thorough cleaning of the pasta

dough preparation or subsequent machine before operation
machine processing especially the mixer, extrusion
head, the die, screens, and sealing
plate
MISSHAPED PASTA
CAUSES SOLUTION

1. Uneven ventilation during the  Maintain dryer circulating fans and

drying phase inlet/exhaust air fans in good
condition

2. Insufficient pasta strength and weak
protein structure
 Flour with high protein content is
ideal in making pasta
Maintain cylinder cooling and
extrusion head temperature within
range

3. Excessively moist dough  Moisture content and water

absorption of the flour must be
within range
 Correct setting of the flour and
water feedrate must be maintained
STICKINESS
CAUSES
1. High moisture content of pasta
due to inefficiency in the pre-
drying and surface drying phases
2. High percentage of damaged
starches in the flour or a protein
structure that is weak or
quantitatively insufficient in the
dough
SOLUTION
 Maintain correct setting of the
hygrothermal process parameters
(temperature and relative humidity
of the air inside the dryers)
Maintain dough moisture at the
extrusion press within range
Maintain dryer circulating fans and
inlet/exhaust air fans in good
condition
 Ensure good quality of flour
CRACKING
CAUSES
1. Violent surface evaporation, in turn
caused by an incorrect ratio
between temperature and the
relative humidity of the ventilation
air
SOLUTION
 Maintain correct setting of the
hygrothermal process parameters
(temperature and relative humidity
of the air inside the dryers)
Maintain equipments and
accessories of the heating system in
good condition