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, enable Barilla pasta to maintain its cooking consistency, delicious flavour, and al dente texture.
Barilla is the largest purchaser of durum wheat in the world. It uses more than 1,400,000 tonnes of durum wheat to produce its pasta. In order to guarantee the same quality, taste and safety of Barilla pasta around the world, it is not possible to use a single variety of wheat, which is a natural product and subject to changes, sometimes significant, from one season to another. It is necessary to blend the wheat in order to always provide the same level of protein to give pasta the taste and 'al dente' texture that characterizes Barilla pasta all over the world.