Semolina drying

Kovacova (1990) describes a method for the batch drying of fruit and vegetable pulp in a fluidized bed in which carrier particles (variously crystalline and caster sugar, dried skim milk, potato and wheat starch, apple powder, semolina or oat flakes), pre-moistened to a solids content of between 55% and 76%, are fed to a preheated fluidized bed and sprayed with the pulp to be dried. A product with a narrow particle size distribution and a uniform pulp content is claimed. Specific foods for which fluidized bed granulation has been used include potato puree (Zelenskaya and Filipenko, 1989) and granulated dried apple (Haida et al, 1994). 

Nisin can be used for semolina and tapioca puddings and similar products (3 mg/kg), ripened and processed cheeses 12.5 mg/kg) and Mascarpone cheese (10 mg/kg). Natamycin may be used for surface treatment of hard, semi-hard and semi-soft cheeses and dried, cured sausages (1 mg/dm surface up to a depth of 5 mm). Lysozyme is used in quantum satis (a Latin term meaning the amount, which is needed), for example, to preserve ripened cheeses. 

According to end use, wheat is classified as soft, hard, and durum. The first two classes are almost always dry-milled into refined flour for the manufacturing of fermented and chemical-leavened bakery products such as breads, cakes, crackers, cookies, and flour tortillas (Figure 1.8). Durums are dry-milled into coarse refined meals called semolina, ideally suited for manufacturing of long and short pasta products. Rye flour is usually mixed with wheat flour for the production of fermented breads including sour breads, especially in Germany, Poland, Ukraine, and other European countries. 

AWB No.l durum consists of selected wheat varieties with vitreous, amber-colored kernels with a minimum protein of 13%. The semolina has high levels of stable yellow pigment and high water absorption, making it ideally suited to the production of a wide range of high quality wet and dry pasta products and couscous. 

Precooked pastas are aimed toward cooking in a microwave or sold as convenience foods. In this case, the semolina is cooked and formed in a thermoplastic extruder and then dried, or the fresh pasta is cooked in water and then dehydrated (Figure 10.10). 

---