Method for making alimentary paste or pasta products without the conventional drying step

Abstract From the Canadian patent

The invention is a process for making packaged uncooked pasta pieces from a feedstock comprising semolina, water and a source of ethyl alcohol wherein the amount of ethyl alcohol is 0.1% to 10% wherein the total moisture content of the feedstock is 26% or less. The extruded pasta can be packaged immediately without any drying step. The extruded pasta when packaged in vapor barrier containers can be sold as "fresh pasta" and may be stored at room temperature on the grocery shelf. The extruded pasta when packaged in a cardboard box will dry to consumer-acceptable dry pasta and can be sold as dry pasta and will keep indefinitely on the grocery shelf.