Nutritional and Chemical-Physical Characterization of Fresh Pasta Prepared with Sea Water as New Active Ingredient.

This study shows the chemical-physical and nutritional results obtained using food-grade sea water for the preparation of fresh pasta with respect to those prepared with tap water. obtained by mixing the flour with seawater (GSW) were compared with traditional made with tap water (GTW). The contents of sodium chloride, macro and micro elements, volatile molecules profile, thermal properties, and morphological analysis were investigated in both types. The analysis of chlorides showed that the samples prepared with sea water had a significantly lower NaCl content after cooking in comparison with those prepared with tap water. These results were also confirmed by the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis for sodium content. The profiles of the volatile molecules acquired by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) evidenced significant differences between the groups of aromatic molecules of the two typologies of samples. Morphological analysis evidenced that both raw and cooked GSW were structurally tightened whereas GTW showed a labile and weak macromolecular network. In addition, GSW was more thermally stable than GTW , as evidenced by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).