Investigating the effects of Sodium Chloride on sensory and physical characteristics of macaroni

Macaroni is one of the cereal products with high nutritional value. This product has been widely used in recent years in the diet of the Iranian people. The purpose behind doing this research was reducing some of the available defects in Macaroni dough products and improving its quality. In this research، effects of salt amount in four levels (0. 5%، 1%، 1. 5% and 2%) on flour property (water absorption)، dough (dough development time، dough resistance، mixing tolerance index، resistance to extensibility، maximum resistance on extensibility، dough energy، alveograph pressure، extensibility، ratio of length to pressure and final product (moisture content، ash، cooking value and glazing value، adhesiveness، hardness، saltiness، taste and flavor) were used in randomized complete block designs in four replications. Also data analysis was performed by Minitab 14 software and statistical mean analyses were done by Duncan''s multi-range test in 5% level. The results indicated that the addition of salt caused increasing the flour water absorption، decreasing dough development time، dough resistance، increasing dough resistance on fermentation and dough resistance on extensibility. Adding Sodium Chloride led to an increase in the strength of flour and ionic strength and improving dough physical properties. Also addition of 1% salt significantly caused reduction of glazing value and a loss in cooking degree. Samples containing 1. 5% and 2% salt had the least glazing value. The least cooking loss quality was observed in 2% salted sample. The sample containing 1% salt proved the best in final product sensory evaluations.