INFLUENCE OF PROCESSING AND COOKING ON THE RETENTION OF THIAMINE, RIBOFLAVIN AND NIACIN IN SPAGHETTI

The influence of several processing steps, conditions of preparation, and enrichment levels on the retentions of thiamine, riboflavin and niacin, and on the technological quality of spaghetti were studied. The best drying treatment and the most adequate enrichment level, in addition to the package type and the behaviour of the final product during 3 months' storage, were determined. The results revealed that the vitamin retention and the technological characteristics of spaghetti are independent of the vitamin level used and that the greatest losses of vitamins occur during the cooking step of spaghetti. After 3 months' storage in the dark, the cooked spaghetti prepared in these studies was a good source of the vitamins thiamine, riboflavin and niacin. They were retained at 96%, 78% and 94%, respectively, of the initial levels in the enriched wheat flour. © 1990.