Pastazym is an all-round flour improvement product - new enzyme compound delivers perfect pasta, irrespective of wheat quality - coloured version simplifies manufacturing operations

Volatile prices and limited supplies of durum wheat (triticum durum) make life difficult for manufacturers aiming to produce top quality pasta. The new Pastazym combination of enzymes and active ingredients from flour improver specialist Mühlenchemie enhances the quality of pasta made from durum wheat (Triticum durum), hard wheat and soft wheat (both Triticum aestivum), or mixtures of the three. This results in appreciable cost savings and makes manufacturers less vulnerable to commodity market swings. This multifunctional enzyme compound also has the advantage of making the surface of the dried pasta look better, and gives pasta greater mechanical stability. If permitted in the country of destination, colourants and vitamins can be added to the compounds. They can be added safely to the dough in a single easy operation to produce a rich yellow shade, for example. The global market for pasta and noodles is growing strongly. In particular, pasta and convenience products are becoming increasingly popular. However, extremely volatile commodities markets, high prices and limited supplies of raw materials are making life difficult for users of wheat, especially durum wheat. Even if pasta producers have good technical equipment and skilled staff with appropriate know-how, it is very hard to compensate for the deficits of lower grades of wheat. For this reason, the flour improvement experts at Mühlenchemie have further enhanced their Pastazym enzyme compound. By using Pastazym, pasta manufacturers can switch to cheaper varieties of wheat if necessary and thus keep their input costs down. Pastazym is a real all-rounder - this economical, high-grade solution lends itself to a wide range of applications and doughs of durum, hard or soft wheat or blends of the three. For example, by using Pastazym it is possible to make soft wheat pasta that has authentic “al dente” characteristics. Painstaking series of tests conducted by the applications experts in Ahrensburg have revealed that when pasta with added Pastazym is cooked, it delivers a bite that is comparable to that of classic durum wheat pasta. It is also possible to increase the product’s tolerance of overcooking. Adding Pastazym also gives dried pasta greater mechanical stability. In addition to a firm bite, the consumer’s purchase decision is crucially affected by product appearance. Pasazym’s improved surface properties and brighter colour ensure that the pasta looks as good as it should. Many countries permit the addition of colourants to pasta products. For this purpose, special varieties are available with vitamins that dye the pasta and/or colourants to produce the rich yellow reminiscent of classic durum pasta. Enzymes and colour components can be worked into the dough via the feeder in a single operation, for appreciable savings in time and cost and fewer mistakes. Mühlenchemie can respond to customers’ individual wishes and adjust colours, concentration and final dosage as needed.