Two research projects – being conducted by the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls at the University’s Waite Campus – will start next month in collaboration with researchers from the Italian universities of Bari and Molise.
The aim of the ARC Centre of Excellence is to look at the fundamental role of cell walls (biomass) in plants and discover how they can be better utilised. Both of these new projects will investigate key aspects of the cell walls in durum wheat, which is commonly used for making pasta.
The first project, in conjunction with the University of Bari, will investigate how the growth of durum wheat affects the levels of starch and dietary fibre within it, and how the fibre levels in pasta can be improved.
The second project, in conjunction with the University of Molise, will investigate the important roles played by two major components of dietary fibre – arabinoxylans and beta-glucans – in the quality of pasta and bread dough.
Associate professor Rachel Burton, programme leader with the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls and chief investigator on both projects, said: “The term ‘super spaghetti’ is beginning to excite scientists, nutritionists and food manufacturers around the world.
“In simple terms, ‘super spaghetti’ means that it contains a range of potential health benefits for the consumer, such as reducing the risk of heart disease or colorectal cancer.”
Source: University of Adelaide
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