The “bronze noodles” are offered at a higher price than the conventional versions. However, only one detail differs in production.
Munich – Anyone who shops in the supermarket has probably seen a number of types of pasta and other pasta that have names like “al bronzo” or “trafilatura al bronzo”. This not only sounds elegant, but is also reflected in the price. According to the Bavarian Consumer Center, the so-called bronze noodles are sometimes up to 30 percent more expensive than conventional, industrially produced noodles. Rightly so? Nutrition expert Silke Raffeiner explains why the price is so high.
Rougher and firmer: Are the “Bronze Noodles” better than conventional noodles?
The bronze noodles are actually made using the alloy - just different than it might seem at first. “Such pasta in no way contains bronze as an ingredient; rather, the reference refers to the use of bronze hole inserts in production,” explains Silke Raffeiner, member and co-spokeswoman of the South Tyrolean Nutrition Council, at the South Tyrol Consumer Center. Although this method of production takes longer, it makes the pasta rougher and firmer so that the sauce can stick better.
Of all the stages of pasta making, pulling (trafilatura in Italian) is particularly important because it is at this point that the dough is formed. This is pressed through the nozzles of the perforated disk, whereby it takes shape depending on the type and size of the nozzles. With the bronze noodles, only a hole insert made of bronze and aluminum is used. This technique was originally developed in Italy and is essential for producing high-quality pasta products.
But why does the production with bronze hole inserts make the pasta so special? On the one hand, this is because the material can conduct heat well. This allows temperature fluctuations to be avoided during production. On the other hand, higher pressure is required when using the bronze molds. The result is a firmer structure of the noodles. Even when cooked, they retain their bite. The pasta is dried gently at low temperatures, which intensifies the taste.
Bronze noodles are more expensive: these are the differences in production
Anja Schwengel-Exner, nutrition expert at the Bavarian Consumer Center, confirms that the bronze noodles consist of a conventional dough with the ingredients durum wheat semolina, water and salt. But: “For Pasta al bronzo, the pasta dough is pressed through bronze molds slowly and with constantly high pressure,” she explains. For this reason, the production speed is lower than in industrial production, which results in the relatively high price.
Normal pasta without the inscription “al bronzo” or “trafilatura al bronzo” is made using perforated inserts with coated Teflon. The plastic is very smooth and creates little frictional resistance. This allows the pasta dough to be pressed through the nozzles quickly and with less pressure. The finished product has a smooth, somewhat shiny surface, according to the South Tyrol Consumer Center. This makes the pasta less suitable for sauces, but is more cost-effective.
But regardless of whether bronze noodles are used or not: ready-made pasta dishes should never be left standing for too long. Because the remains can sometimes even become a deadly danger. In 2008, a 20-year-old student died after eating five-day-old, reheated noodles. This incident went viral fifteen years later under the name “Fried Rice Syndrome.”
(cln)