Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) flour as a functional ingredient in fresh wheat pasta: Effect on its technological and sensory properties, oral processing and in vitro health benefits

This study evaluated the potential of incorporating carob flour into fresh wheat pasta to enhance its functionality and health benefits. Wheat flour was substituted with carob flour at varying ratios. The research examined the pasta's proximate composition, cooking quality, texture, and colour properties in both uncooked and cooked pasta. Additionally, the impact of carob flour on oral processing, bolus texture, expected glycaemic index, total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents, antioxidant activity, and D-pinitol levels was assessed. The results showed that the firmness of uncooked samples increased as the carob flour level rose, possibly due to higher fibre content. Larger amounts of carob flour significantly increased both the number of chews and the chewing time during oral processing, as well as the hardness and cohesiveness of pasta boluses, while lowering the expected glycaemic index of tagliatelle pasta. Its incorporation also improved the antioxidant activity and bioactive properties of the pasta after in vitro digestion, with very significant D-pinitol concentrations observed in formulations containing 30 % carob flour. Finally, the sensory analysis showed good overall acceptability for carob-enriched pasta when tasted plain, and even better results when served with carbonara or tomato sauce. These results demonstrate carob flour's potential use as a promising ingredient to develop new products with enhanced functionalities and health-related benefits for the general population.