Citation
(2002), "Computer designed pasta", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 32 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2002.01732cab.010
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2002, MCB UP Limited
Computer designed pasta
Computer designed pasta
The University of Padova has been using STAR-CD from the CD adapco Group to help transform pasta dough into the spaghetti, penne and farfalle we all know and love. Anyone who has tried to make pasta will appreciate that shaping the pasta from the dough can pose more than a few problems. Even industrial makers of pasta have some problems. Pasta in its pre-production state is a non-Newtonian fluid. This means that while appearing to be a solid it is actually a fluid. If the scientists at the University of Padova can gain a better understanding of the laws that govern non-Newtonian flows then it will be possible to improve the industrial processes necessary for their manufacture. The first process is to shape the pasta to ensure a permanent shape, the second process is to keep the moulded pasta which makes it edible and tasty. At each of these stages controlled temperature and precision are a must because if they are less than perfect the results could be disastrous. The variations of temperature and viscosity were tried and tested using the software before going ahead with simulations of the industrial machinery including the moulders and extruders currently used for pasta production. For further information contact Lucy Farrington, Computational Dynamics. Tel: 020 7471 6200.