Product-Related Questions

Barilla Pasta that is sold in Canada is made in our plants in Ames, IA and Avon, NY, in the United States, with a few exceptions. We also have product that is made in Canada.  Barilla products made in Italy state "Made in Italy” or “Product of Italy” on the packaging.  Barilla opened the Ames plant in 1998 and our Avon plant in 2007. The Barilla family was very concerned about maintaining Barilla's high quality standards in the new plants. Consequently, the machines used in our Ames and Avon plants are the same as used in our plant in Parma, Italy. The recipe is the same as the one used in Parma, Italy. Barilla selects its wheat from the best wheat available.

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.

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.

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".

The recommended serving size is 2 ounces (56 g) of uncooked pasta, which equals approximately 1 cup (200 g) of cooked pasta. For a detailed conversion of dry vs. cooked pasta visit our conversion chart located in the Pasta Measuring FAQ.

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.

Barilla's durum wheat semolina pasta does not contain dairy or come in contact with dairy on the lines.

Barilla's durum wheat semolina pasta does not contain any nuts, nut products, or soy. The lines used to produce our pastas are not used to make any products containing nuts or soy.