Microwave Pasteurization of Cooked Pasta: Effect of Process Parameters on Texture and Quality for Heat-and-Eat and Ready-to-Eat Meals

Pasta presents a challenge to microwave processing due to its unique cooking requirements. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of microwave processing on pasta physicochemical and mechanical properties. Fettuccine pasta was parboiled for selected times, then pasteurized using a Microwave Assisted Pasteurization System and stored under refrigeration for 1 wk. Samples were analyzed using microscopy, mechanical testing, and chemical analyses after storage. While no significant differences were observed for free amylose among fresh samples, samples parboiled for ≤6 min had significantly higher free amylose, suggesting reduced starch retrogradation. Increased heat treatment increased degree of protein polymerization, observed in microstructures as increased gluten strand thickness and network density. Firmness and extensibility increased with increased parboil time; however, extension data indicated an overall weakening of microwave‐treated pasta regardless of total cooking time. Overall, microwave pasteurization was shown to be a viable cooking method for pasta. Practical Applications Microwave pasteurization may be used to prepare ready‐to‐eat and heat‐and‐eat pasta dishes, providing consumers with a convenience product with a lower risk of pathogen contamination. This technology may be adapted to similar products, providing the needed lethality step for pathogens that is critical to the safety of convenience products.