General Pasta Product FAQs

How to Tell Good Quality Pasta?

The quality of pasta is very dependent upon the kind of wheat used and the manufacturing process. Barilla uses a blend of the finest durum wheat to produce the semolina that makes our pasta. Barilla's innovative milling process and methods assure the high quality and excellent cooking properties of our pasta.

Are There Other Ways to Tell Good Quality Pasta?

Yes, you can tell just by looking at it. Good pasta will have a unique yellow color. Properly grown, stored, milled, and dried, pasta will have very few defects such as black specks, white spots, or cracks. During cooking, the pasta will not clump together or form surface stickiness, and it should have good texture and elasticity upon chewing. Visually the pasta should be an amber yellow color, uniform in size and shape, and without grayish or reddish shades. Quality pasta will have a pleasant taste and aroma, and always cook al dente.

What is the Dry Pasta Serving Size?

The recommended serving size is 2 ounces of uncooked pasta, which equals approximately 1 cup of cooked pasta. For more details on pasta serving sizes, visit our Pasta Serving Size, Dry & Cooked page here!

What Does the Best if Used By Date Mean on Barilla Products?

This is the date on our packaging that Barilla recommends the product be consumed by. Past this date, Barilla cannot guarantee the product's freshness.

What is Durum Wheat and Why is it Used to Make Barilla Pasta?

Durum wheat is a hard wheat that when milled properly produces high-quality semolina. It is high quality because semolina has proteins in it that contain elevated quantities of gluten. These attributes, along with the compact structure of semolina, allow Barilla Pasta to maintain its cooking consistency, delicious flavor, and al dente texture.