A total of 24 people participated either in-person or online during the Northern Crops Institute’s annual Pasta Production and Technology course last week. The three-day course introduced them to the fundamental and applied aspects of pasta production and quality through lectures and laboratory demonstrations. NDSU faculty, institute technical staff and industry professional speakers provided the instruction.

Brian Sorenson, institute program manager, said, “We were able to reach a really diverse group of people - everywhere from quality control to people on the management side, as well as operators."

There were hands-on lab demonstrations at the institute that included semolina quality testing, pilot-scale pasta processing and refrigerated and frozen pasta demonstrations. The group also traveled to Grand Forks, North Dakota, to tour the North Dakota Mill and Elevator and the Philadelphia Macaroni Plant.

Rosalee Del campo from 8th Avenue Food and Provisions said, “Just being hands-on and seeing how all these different aspects can affect the actual final product has been very beneficial."