Wholemeal pasta, beneficial source of fiber, may contain mycotoxins, pesticides and furosin. The consumer association Altroconsumo brought 15 packages of wholemeal pens to the laboratory. In some cases, the result is bad.
Wholemeal pasta, the risk of mycotoxins
In wholemeal pasta, as in many other foods, the mycotoxin risk is particularly insidious. These contaminants can develop during cultivation and in storage. They are not eliminated by cooking and in some cases they are very dangerous, as we reported.
Ochratoxin A and Aflatoxin B1 they are carcinogenic and genotoxic, that is to say capable of promoting the onset of tumors and altering DNA. Don (deoxynivalenol), responsible for gastrointestinal disorders, is instead lurking in many baked goods: in addition to pasta, sweet and savory bread and biscuits.
Only two mycotoxin-free samples
Mycotoxins were found in almost all the samples of wholemeal pasta analyzed. The pens of Libera Terra and Esselunga Equipoise are exceptions. The contamination detected is always within the legal limits.
The serious risks associated with the contribution of mycotoxins, however, disregard compliance with the thresholds defined in European legislation, in cases of repeated exposure and accumulation of toxins. And these thresholds overlook the particular vulnerability of children and adolescents, as Carlo Brera teaches (ISS, National Institute of Health).
De Cecco is the worst of the champion
The worst wholemeal pasta, due to the presence of mycotoxins, is the De Cecco (format n.419, which in recent months has suffered the rejection of an entire ship of grain, precisely because of unacceptable levels of mycotoxins and wheat caries, as we reported. Tre Mulini (Eurospin) follows.
A little better, but still bad, Senatore Cappelli 'The seasons of Italy' and Conad brand pens go. They are followed by Barilla - already last year found to be contaminated, such as Buitoni - Misura, Garofalo and La Molisana. One step below excellence are wholemeal pasta with the brands Carrefour, Coop Viviverde, Rummo and Sgambaro.
Pesticides, only the bio is saved
The 400 pesticides researched, including glyphosate (proven endocrine disruptor), were found in all samples of non-organic wholemeal pasta. The quantities are small, over 100 times below the legal limit.
Same as for mycotoxins, however, the toxicological risk should be assessed for repeated exposure through i various contaminated foods from agrotoxic residues. Without forgetting the effect cocktail, i.e. the coexistence of different agrotoxic molecules in the same food, which causes measurable toxicity, as demonstrated by a recent study.
Completely free of pesticides the organic wholemeal feathers of Libera Terra, Esselunga Equipoise, Sgambaro, Rummo, Coop Viviverde and Garofalo resulted.
Furosine, hasty drying test
The indication on the label 'dried at low temperature ' deserves attention. The use of high temperatures, in fact, benefits the accounts of the producers, which accelerate the production processes. But it is a sign of myopia. In fact, consumers have learned to choose well, as shown by the 5,7% increase in sales for the pasta presented with the claim which refers to the drying at low temperature (source Observatory I guess 1/21).
The signal of a hasty drying, at too high a temperature, is the presence of furosine, a substance that forms with heat and indicates the presence of thermal damage to the food. The test reveals that most of the wholemeal pasta samples are insufficient. The best result is by De Cecco, the worst by Tre Mulini pens (Eurospin).
The origin of wheat
The origin of wheatfinally, it is foreign in only 4 cases: De Cecco, Tre Mulini (Eurospin), Carrefour and Conad. All the other pastas in the sample are made with semolina from grains of Italian origin only.
Marta Strinati
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
