Pasta and Other Durum Wheat-based Products: Effects on Post-prandial Glucose Metabolism

January 18, 2017 updated by: Francesca Scazzina Ph.D., University of Parma
Carbohydrate-based products can influence the post-prandial glycemic response differently based on their ability to be digested, absorbed and to affect rises in plasma glucose. Pasta is one of the major carbohydrate-rich foods consumed in Italy. Studies from the literature describe a lower glycemic response after the consumption of pasta compared with other wheat-based products, such as bread. Among the factors affecting post-prandial glycemia after consumption of carbohydrate-based products, the technological process represents a central one.In fact, the different technological processes alter the food matrix which can affect the post-prandial metabolism of glucose differently. Thus, the present study aims at investigating the effect induced by the principal steps of the process of pasta production on the reduction of post-prandial glycemic response (post-prandial glucose, insulin, GLP-1, GIP plasma concentrations).

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The different glycemic responses after the consumption of carbohydrate-based products are associated with different rates of digestion and absorption of the carbohydrates in the human body. Therefore, food products rich in carbohydrates can be classified based on their ability to be digested, absorbed and to affect post-prandial glycemia. Epidemiological studies suggest that following a diet including carbohydrate-based foods inducing a low and slow glycemic response is associated with reduced risk to develop some non-communicable diseases (such as type 2 diabetes (Livesey et al, 2013; Dong et al, 2011) and cardiovascular disease (Ludwig, 2002; Blaak et al, 2012)), to control inflammatory status (Ma et al, 2012; Sieri et al, 2010), which is the trigger of several pathologies, and to reduce fasting insulin (Schwingshackl & Hoffmann, 2013). Depending on the food composition, a low glycemic response is not always associated with a low plasma insulin concentration. For instance, high protein or lipid concentrations in the food matrix have been demonstrated to induce low post-prandial glycemic responses, but not a reduction in insulin secretion (Gannon et al, 1988; Gannon et al, 1993; Collier et al. 1988). Avoiding a high insulin post-prandial response after consumption of foods represents a preventive factor against the risk of overweight and hyperlipidemia (Ostlund et al, 1990), type 2 diabetes (Weyer et al, 2001), and cancer (Onitilo et al, 2014). Therefore, the evaluation of both glycemic and insulinemic post-prandial response curves is necessary in order to demonstrate the true beneficial effect of the consumption of low glycemic index foods. Among several factors which can influence the post-prandial glycemic and insulinemic responses (such as macronutrient composition and the cooking process), the technological aspects through which the foods are produced represent an important one. Several studies reported a low glycemic response after the consumption of pasta compared with bread (Jenkins et al, 1988; Jenkins et al, 1981; Wolever et al, 1986), and this is due to the technological structures characterizing the two matrices (Petitot et al, 2009). Pasta is one of the major sources of carbohydrates consumed in Italy. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of pasta and other durum wheat based products on the plasma response of glucose, insulin, and other hormones related to the glucose metabolism (c-peptide, GLP-1 and GIP) in order to clearly discriminate the different biological effect induced by the technological process in the production of pasta, compared to foods beginning with the same ingredients. Moreover, the study aims to create a solid basis for future studies for evaluating the effect of pasta consumption, as the main source of carbohydrates, in a context of a balanced diet, for maintaining health.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

18

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Italy
      • Parma, Italy, 43125
        • Department of Food Science, University of Parma

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 60 years (ADULT)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion criteria:

  • healthy male and female (age ≥ 18 years)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • celiac disease
  • metabolic disorders (diabetes, hypertension, dislipidemia, glucidic intolerance)
  • chronic drug therapies for any pathologies (including psychiatric diseases)
  • intense physical activity
  • dietary supplements affecting the metabolism
  • anemia

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
  • Allocation: RANDOMIZED
  • Interventional Model: CROSSOVER
  • Masking: NONE

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: Control
Glucose monohydrate (isoglucidic portion -50 g of available carbohydrates-)
Other: Glucose
Glucose monohydrate (55 g) dissolved with 500 mL of water
EXPERIMENTAL: Semolina
Semolina soup (isoglucidic portion -50 g of available carbohydrates-)
Other: Semolina soup
Semolina soup (322 g) eaten with 500 mL of water
EXPERIMENTAL: Bread
Bread (isoglucidic portion -50 g of available carbohydrates-)
Other: Bread
Bread (122 g) eaten with 500 mL of water
EXPERIMENTAL: Short pasta (fresh)
Fresh penne (isoglucidic portion -50 g of available carbohydrates-)
Other: Penne (fresh)
Cooked penne (132 g) eaten with 500 mL of water
EXPERIMENTAL: Short pasta (dry)
Short pasta (dry) (isoglucidic portion -50 g of available carbohydrates-)
Other: Penne (dry)
Cooked penne (142 g) eaten with 500 mL of water
EXPERIMENTAL: Long pasta (dry)
Long pasta (dry) (isoglucidic portion -50 g of available carbohydrates-)
Other: Spaghetti (dry)
Cooked spaghetti (142 g) eaten with 500 mL of water

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
incremental area under the curve for plasma glucose
Time Frame: 2 hours (-10 and 0 -fasting-, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes)
2 hours (-10 and 0 -fasting-, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
post-prandial insulin plasma concentration
Time Frame: 2 hours (-10 and 0 -fasting-, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes)
2 hours (-10 and 0 -fasting-, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes)
post-prandial c-peptide plasma concentration
Time Frame: 2 hours (-10 and 0 -fasting-, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes)
2 hours (-10 and 0 -fasting-, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes)
post-prandial GLP-1 plasma concentration
Time Frame: 2 hours (-10 and 0 -fasting-, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes)
2 hours (-10 and 0 -fasting-, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes)
post-prandial GIP plasma concentration
Time Frame: 2 hours (-10 and 0 -fasting-, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes)
2 hours (-10 and 0 -fasting-, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes)
post-prandial glucagon plasma concentration
Time Frame: 2 hours (-10 and 0 -fasting-, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes)
2 hours (-10 and 0 -fasting-, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 minutes)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Parma

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Francesca Scazzina, Professor, Department of Food Science, University of Parma
  • Study Director: Furio Brighenti, Professor, Department of Food Science, University of Parma

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

September 1, 2015

Primary Completion (ACTUAL)

June 1, 2016

Study Completion (ACTUAL)

July 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 16, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 18, 2017

First Posted (ESTIMATE)

January 19, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE)

January 19, 2017

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 18, 2017

Last Verified

January 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • DWP1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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