Optimization of a Novel–Enriched Pasta Production and Its Physical, Chemical, and Characteristic Properties

The aim of the study is to enrich pasta with cornelian cherry powder, a product with high bioactive contents. In this way, it was aimed to obtain a new product that is more nutritionally advanced and can contribute to the country’s economy. In this study, cornelian cherry with high bioactive content and an attractive color advantage was used for the enrichment of the pasta formulation. In addition, the pasta production procedure was revised by applying microwave technology for drying. Cornelian cherry powder:dough ratio, dough thickness, and microwave power were optimized with response surface methodology. Total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, color, and water-holding capacity were determined as responses. Optimum conditions were found as 4.53% for powder:dough ratio, 0.1 cm for dough thickness, and 270 W for microwave power. According to optimization results, it was detected that the cornelian cherry powder:dough ratio affected the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, and microwave power was found to be effective only on antioxidant activity. For optimum conditions, the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were found as 1.29 GAE/g and 0.5 mg TE/g, respectively. The characterization analysis showed that the microwave–dried sample shrank less than those dried with the conventional method. In Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results, it was determined that the amount of carbohydrates in the samples obtained under optimum conditions was lower than that of control. It has been observed that the application of microwave technology for drying pasta enriched with cornelian cherry powder had positive effects on the quality of the final product.