Borden, Inc.

Wiley W Hargrove

Carleton G Merritt

Dhyaneshwar B Chawan

A process for preparing a microwave cooked pasta product is disclosed. The process comprises the steps of (a) combining flour, egg whites, water, and optionally whole eggs, and a dibasic or tribasic organic acid derivative such as a tricarboxylic acid ester derivative, to form a paste, (b) drying the paste to produce pasta at drying temperatures of 100.degree. to 130.degree. F., (c) optionally soaking the pasta in hot or cold temperature liquid for a period of time sufficient to at least partially hydrate the paste, (d) heating the pasta for a period of time sufficient to cook the pasta, e.g. about 1 to 2 minutes. A preferred acid derivative is triethyl citrate. The heating can be achieved by exposure to microwave radiation. The cooked pasta is characterized by a starch loss upon cooking of less than about 8% by weight, based on uncooked pasta weight, and by texture superior to that obtained without the dibasic or tribasic organic acid derivative. A shelf stable, microwave cookable, prepackaged pasta or noodle product is also disclosed.

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Crystal Lake, IL, United States of America

Wiley W Hargrove