Physicochemical properties, in vitro digestibility and structural attributes of okara‐enriched functional pasta

Soy okara is a by-product of soybean processing which offers immense potential to be incorporated into the diverse food products due to its high nutritional and biological significance. The current research aimed to examine the impact of varying soy okara contents (10%–50%) on physicochemical attributes, in vitro protein digestibility, and glycaemic index (GI) of microwave processed durum wheat semolina pasta. Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity improved when 50% of soy okara was added (158.37 ± 0.40 to 232.90 ± 0.85 mg GAE/100 g and 10.87 ± 0.10%–56.21 ± 0.05%). The GI of enriched samples was significantly lower than control pasta (27.41 ± 0.05–12.38 ± 0.01). Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy revealed no structural changes between control and soy okara-fortified pasta. Studies indicated that pasta enriched with soy okara has the potential to be commercialized on the industrial level to develop nutritional enriched functional pasta. Practical applications Current research reports the effect of incorporation of soy okara on physicochemical properties, in vitro digestibility, and structural attributes of functional pasta. Enriched pasta showed an improved antioxidant profile with the satisfactory organoleptic score. Hypoglycaemic effect of enriched pasta suggested that soy okara could be used to make the functional pasta which has potential to provide various health benefits. Findings of this work will promote the effective utilization of soy okara in pasta formulation with a high level of protein and fiber.