Work

Durum Wheat Couscous Grains: An Ethnic Mediterranean Food at the Interface of Traditional Domestic Preparation and Industrial Manufacturing

Year: 2022

Type: review

Abstract: Couscous is the product prepared from durum wheat semolina that agglomerates by adding water and undergoes physical and thermal treatment. Couscous is a traditional food from Mediterranean countries consumed for many centuries. Between ancestral domestic practices and industrial performance, the diversity of methods for couscous processing meets the needs of different consumers, whether they are concerned about preserving family culinary traditions or discovering innovative foods that respond to changing consumption patterns. In this work, we present the story of durum wheat couscous through several complementary visions and approaches: a "historical and societal" approach to discover the origins of couscous, its migrations and its unifying role in Mediterranean societies; a "physicochemical" approach to describe the role of wheat components at the heart of couscous grains; a "technological" approach to compare domestic and industrial production of couscous; a "food science" approach to understand organoleptic characteristics of couscous grains; and a "consumer" approach to understand the motivations associated with the consumption of couscous.

Source: Foods

DOI: 10.3390/foods11070902

Authors: Rifka Hammami, Reine Barbar, Marie Laurent, Bernard Cuq

Institutions: University of Carthage, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique de Tunisie, Université de Montpellier, Ingénierie des Agropolymères et Technologies Emergentes, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement

Language: English

Topic: Food composition and properties

Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics

Field: Nursing

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,458