Innovation in drying process of pasta

The use of raw material with good characteristics represents the key step for producing pasta of high quality. Nevertheless, the whole production chain greatly affects this quality: in the last decades, considerable progress has been made in identifying some phenomena that take place during processing, particularly in drying. In fact, the more advanced innovations in pasta manufacturing have been directed to optimize this process. Very briefly, drying pasta means modulating and properly controlling the evaporation of water from the product, using heat and ventilation. In general, the drying process can be realized by two different methods, that correspond to the plastic and elastic states of the product: the best results are obtained by applying a preliminary low drying temperature to reduce the pasta moisture, followed by a high drying temperature.