Heartland FAQs

From pasta preparation and storage to nutrition and ingredients, find answers to your top questions.

Select from the following categories to get started.

• Allergens »
  • Does your pasta contain peanuts/nuts/tree nuts/milk/soy/fish/shellfish?
    • Our packages include an accurate listing of the ingredients in our products. If an allergen is present in the product it is declared in the ingredient statement. We do not use peanuts/nuts/treenuts/milk/soy/fish or shellfish in our pasta plants.
  • Does your pasta contain sulfites?
    • No, our pasta products do not contain sulfites.
  • Is your gluten free pasta produced in a wheat free facility?
    • We follow the proposed rule in the Federal Register (72 FR 7295) that tests for gluten at the 20ppm level. While we do not have dedicated equipment for our Gluten Free Pasta, we have a very detailed protocol in place to prevent cross contamination to ensure safety for consumption. The gluten level of the product is verified to ensure that it does not exceed 20 parts per million. To learn more about our gluten free cleaning procedures, read our Manufacturing Process.
• Certification »
  • Are your pasta products Kosher?
    • All of our products are available Kosher. Look for the Kosher symbol   on the package.
• Date Code »
  • How can the date code be deciphered?
    • Our date code is set up in one of two format options:
      
      1. The date code is set in a MMDDYY format. The first two numbers represent the month, the next two represent the date and the last two represent the year.
      
      2. The date code is set in DD MMM YYYY format. The first two numbers represent the date, the next three alphabetic letters are representative of the month and the last four numbers represent the year. In both cases, the letter and number following the date code represent the shift and manufacturing facility in which the product was made.
  • Does your pasta expire on the "Best By" or "Best Before" date, or is it still good?
    • We recommend that products be consumed by the "Best By" or "Best Before" date to guarantee freshness.
• Ingredients »
  • What is durum wheat?
    • Durum wheat is the hardest of all wheat varieties.  It also has a high protein content, strong gluten strength and is yellow in color making it ideal for pasta production.
  • Where does the durum wheat used to make your pasta come from?
    • The durum wheat used to make our pasta is grown in North America.
  • Is the wheat genetically modified (GMO)?
    • The Durum Wheat Semolina and Durum Flour used in our pasta are not derived from crops that have been genetically modified.
  • What is the difference between whole wheat and whole grain pasta?
    • For a product to be called "whole wheat,” the grain component must be 100% whole wheat, meaning no refined semolina or flour is used. Products can be called “whole grain” if they are made from at least 51% whole wheat or other whole grains; the remaining portion may be refined grains or other ingredients. A product can be 100% whole wheat and 100% whole grain.
  • What is semolina?
    • Semolina is a coarse granular product that is made from durum wheat. Yellow in color, it is used to make the finest pasta.
  • Are your products produced using bleached white flour or bromated flour?
    • The flour used to make our pasta is neither bleached nor bromated.
  • Why are some pasta products labeled "enriched"?
    • The vitamins in Enriched Macaroni Products are added to replace some of the vitamins and minerals that are lost during the process of milling semolina. Enriched Macaroni Products are defined by the FDA.
  • Do all of your pasta products contain gluten?
    • No, we do have a Gluten Free Pasta. Perfect for those with gluten intolerances or those choosing a gluten-free lifestyle for other health reasons.
• Nutrition »
  • What is the Glycemic Index of your pasta?
    • We currently do not test our products for Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Research Institute lists pasta at a low Glycemic Index of 55. For more information, read our article on Glycemic Index or visit www.glycemic.com.
  • What is the potassium content of your noodles?
    • The potassium content of our noodles is 170 mg per 2 oz serving of pasta.
  • What is the potassium content of plain enriched pasta?
    • The potassium content of enriched macaroni products is 105 mg per 2 oz serving.
  • Your pasta is called 100% Whole Grain. If it's whole, isn't all whole grain pasta 100%?
    • Not all pastas that call themselves whole grain are 100% whole grain. Most other whole grain pastas only have 51% whole grain and use other ingredients to make up the remaining 49%. Heartland 100% Whole Grain has one single ingredient—durum wheat.
• Preparation »
  • What is the serving size for pasta?
    • The government standard serving size for pasta is 2 oz/56 g of dry pasta.
  • Do the serving size and nutritional information listed on the package pertain to dry or cooked pasta?
    • The serving size and nutritional information printed on the package are for dry pasta.
  • Is the measurement of dry vs. cooked pasta different?
    • Yes, the measurement of dry cooked pasta is different than that of cooked pasta. View our conversion table detailing measurements of dry and cooked pasta for common shapes.
  • Is the cook time of each pasta shape different?
    • Each pasta shape has a recommended cooking time for best results. See our list of common pasta shapes and their respective cook times.