Title: Edible hyperproteinic dietetic paste of high biological value

    wheat flour  75% to 90% by weight
    milk solids   5% to  7% by weight
    balance proteins including caseinogen in an
    amount ranging between 1.5% and 6% by weight.

Description: The present invention relates to a pasta, i.e., a dough suitable for slicing into spaghetti, vermicelli or the like, and a process for making same.

The object of this invention is to provide a pasta, particularly for dietetic purposes, which is rich in proteins and has better nutritive and organoleptic qualities than ordinary pastas known in the art.

In accordance with the present invention, flour is homogeneously mixed with proteins including soluble caseinogen, such as sodium caseinate, which acts as a binder for the other ingredients and improves the appearance and taste of the ultimate product while also increasing its rate of expansion on cooking and resisting its tendency to become lumpy or sticky. This mixture is then thoroughly kneeded with the addition of milk (whole or preferably skimmed) as an exclusive wetting agent, advantageously in the presence of a partial vacuum and with the milk held at an elevated temperature. The resultant product is then dried, generally under pasteurizing conditions, to form a nutritive and highly palatable article of food.

The flour preferred for the pasta according to this invention is wheat flour of the type Triticum Durum or Triticum Vulgare, ground to any desired degree of fineness.

Especially when skimmed milk is used, the proteins in the mixture should be so chosen as to supplement those of the milk such as glutenin, gliadin, lactalbumin and lactoglobulin in supplying essential amino acids. The addition of lactalbumin, in particular, is highly useful; so are vegetable proteins such as wheat gluten and soybean protein which may be present in substantially equal quantities by weight. In general, the proportion of caseinogen (in percent by weight) should be less than that of the vegetable proteins and more than that of the supplemental lactalbumin. It further improves the taste and digestibility of the product if some of the aforestated proteins, possibly including the caseinogen, are present in hydrolyzed form.

The total amount of proteins in the original mixture preferably ranges between about 5% and 20%, by weight, of the flour. With the addition of milk during the kneading step at a rate of approximately one-fourth of the combined weight of flour and proteins, the weight proportions of the final product will be substantially as follows:

    Wheat flour    75% to 90%
    milk            5% to  7%
    balance proteins, with the caseinogen
    ranging between 2% and 5% of the total.

The process according to the invention has been illustrated schematically in the sole FIGURE of the accompanying drawing, showing as a first step the preparation of a mixture of flour, soluble caseinogen and other, enriching proteins. After thorough homogenization, the mixture is wetted with milk (preferably skimmed) at 40.degree.C and kneaded or masticated under a partial vacuum which helps impart a distinct brilliance and pearly transparency to the product. This kneading step can be performed continuously with the aid of a conveyor advancing the homogenized mixture between pressure rollers in a vacuum chamber to which the milk is delivered at the requisite rate. The final mixture is then heated to a pasteurizing temperature until substantially dry.

                  EXAMPLE
    ______________________________________
                       Percent by Weight
                         In Wet    In Dry
    Ingredients          Mixture   Mixture
    ______________________________________
    Wheat flour              67        81
               wheat gluten  2.5       3
    unhydrolyzed
               soybean protein
                             2.5       3
    proteins   sodium caseinate
                             3         4
               lactalbumin   1         1.5
    hydrolyzed
    proteins   as above      1         1.5
    skimmed milk             23        6
    ______________________________________

The proportions of the proteins may vary in the final product within the following ranges (by weight):

    vegetable proteins  2%     to 8%
    caseinogen          1.5%   to 6%
    lactalbumin         1%     to 3.5%

With partial hydrolysis, the total proportion of hydrolyzed proteins may range between 0.5% and 2.5%.

Thanks to the above-disclosed combination of enriching proteins, the pasta according to the invention has a high lysine content and is low in carbohydrates.