Functional Pasta with Tomato By-product as a Source of Antioxidant Compounds and Dietary Fibre

Tomato peels are abundant by-products of tomato processing and therefore represent a cost of disposal and an impact on the environment. For this reason, the aim of the present study was to valorise tomato peels to enrich pasta, being these ingredients still rich in antioxidants like carotenoids that are well-known to protect against degenerative diseases. To the aim of the work, in the first step, tomato peel flour was added to wholemeal flour in different amounts until the overall quality of cooked pasta reached its acceptability threshold (tomato peel flour at 15% w/w of semolina weight). Even though the pasta enriched with tomato peels showed high levels of carotenoids and dietary fibre, lower sensory scores for elasticity, odour, and firmness were recorded than in the control. Therefore, the second step was aimed to improve the sensory quality of the 15% enriched spaghetti by means of proper addition of hydrocolloids. Final results confirmed the ability of the structuring agents to enhance adhesiveness and bulkiness of pasta, without compromising other physical and chemical properties.