AHRENSBURG, GERMANY — Mühlenchemie recently tested the use of enzyme systems and other additives in the production of pasta at the Canadian International Grains Institute (Cigi).

The main objective was to gain a deeper insight into the effects of enzymes and other flour improvers at short mixing times, the company said. The tests were carried out on Cigi’s pilot pasta plant under the overall control of the applications technologist Ulrike Thomas and Dr. Lutz Popper, Mühlenchemie’s scientific director.

During the project funded by Mühlenchemie, the pasta specialists from Cigi and the flour experts from Mühlenchemie sought to determine what effects enzyme systems and other additives achieve at short mixing times. Numerous tests showed that the improvement systems are effective but have to be modified, as compared to systems for long mixing times.

A not-for-profit institute providing pre-market and in-market technical support for the Canadian grain sector, Cigi provides independent know-how to millers and end-users on the processing of Canadian cereals.

“This cooperation with Cigi helped Mühlenchemie towards a better understanding of the effects of our enzyme compounds under different mixing conditions,” Popper said. “This is valuable information for developing the new product range ‘EMCEpasta,’ which is intended to meet the special requirements for pasta processes with short mixing times.”

Mühlenchemie said it is hoping to continue such an exchange of information with Cigi to benefit other applications, too.