Hydration rate influence on the couscous quality

Abstract

The couscous is a product made from durum wheat grains, and is one of the oldest cereal foods of the Maghreb countries. Couscous manufacturing process consists of a series of steps: kneading, rolling, precooking and drying. The couscous quality depends on the raw material implementation and the manufacturing conditions. The aim of this study was to assess, on commercial durum wheat semolina, the influence of hydration on the technological characteristics of couscous. Traditional couscous has been hydrated by varying the hydration rate (34%, 36% and 38%). The overall results show that the quality of couscous varies with the change in the hydration level, regardless the used semolina. Indeed, it appears that increasing the hydration level increases couscous yields and thus results in larger granulometry and more uniform product, while the coloring is degraded. On cooking quality, and despite the negative impact generated on the sticky couscous, increasing the hydration level has a favorable effect on the couscous swelling and the starch solubility index