There is a steadily growing interest within the industry in incorporating wheat-based foods, such as pasta, with new protein sources capable of offering nutritional and health benefits. However, these new formulations must be assessed in terms of their technological and sensory quality.

In this context, the aim of a recent study, carried out by a group of Italian researchers (Giannetti et al., 2026), was to analyse the quality and flavour profile of traditional egg pasta enriched with two alternative protein sources (hazelnut flour and cricket flour), using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR) and an electronic nose with a quartz microbalance (QMB) sensor.

Overall, fortifying the pasta affects the mobility of the matrix, modulating the release of chemical components into the water during cooking and overcooking, and significantly alters the product’s sensory profile in terms of aroma and texture.

Bibliographical references: M. Chiossi et al., Molecules, 30, 2025, 1-18.