Product-Related Questions

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.

The quality of pasta is very dependent upon the kind of wheat used and the manufacturing process. Barilla uses a blend of the finest quality 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. 

You can judge good quality pasta 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 release only a small amount of starch, 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. Good quality pasta will have a pleasant taste and aroma, and always cook al dente.

Pasta should be stored in a cool, dry place, such as a cupboard or pantry.

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.

The shelf life on our products vary. For the very best quality and taste, Barilla recommends using our pasta by the 'best if used by' date found on our packaging.

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Barilla sauces do not contain any artificial preservatives.  Please refer to the individual product page or product label for the most up to date ingredient information.

Barilla recommends storing an opened jar of sauce in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. The remaining sauce may be frozen at any time during the 3-5 days; simply transfer the sauce to a freezer safe container and it will store safely for up to 3 months.

Barilla, in collaboration with the most qualified experts of the scientific community, has always been committed to an ongoing process of improving the quality and safety of the raw materials it uses.
Hence, the Company’s keen interest in the latest advances and breakthroughs in the area of the biotechnology as applied to the agricultural and food industries, without, of course, neglecting the ethical issues involved. 
When it comes to using genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) in the agricultural and food industry however, people are still concerned about the possible risks involved with this type of application, and are wondering just what sort of real opportunities do actually exist. 
Barilla has therefore decided to play it safe and refrain from the use of genetically modified ingredients, guaranteeing not to use GMO ingredients for all its products. This choice, which stems from our manufacturing strategy, is unrelated to any ideological commitments. 
In order to achieve these A1:H26 Barilla adopts for all its products the European Regulations which, in regard to communication parameters, obligations and transparency, are the most strict and effective that exist today. In order to carry out this commitment, Barilla applies rigorous procedures regarding the selection, purchase and management of the hundreds of raw materials used and the related production chains.

Barilla Australia imports the majority of it's pasta and pasta sauces directly from its Italian factories. A small number of pasta variants are imported from the United States (for example the Gluten Free range) when English packaging has been a priority. Barilla pasta is made globally to the same specifications, which guarantees the same quality irrespective of where the product is made.