2012
“USE YOUR NOODLE”
Pasta Trivia
North Dakota produces two-thirds of the nation’s durum wheat – and that makes a lot of pasta to
feed people not only in our state, but around the world! So it couldn’t be more appropriate that
North Dakotans join in the fun of celebrating National Pasta Month in October and Pasta Lovers’
Week in North Dakota on October 21-27.
The following pages contain trivia questions to make your listeners more aware of how the
durum we grow in our great state is made into great tasting pasta products we enjoy right here
and shipped around the world to other pasta loving places! Trivia questions are grouped into
three categories:

Pasta roots in North Dakota – interesting facts about durum and pasta


Durum and pasta by the numbers – fun numerical facts about durum and pasta
Pasta 50/50 – true or false statements about pasta
production in our state
Compiled by the North Dakota Wheat Commission.
Prizes sponsored by the North Dakota Wheat Commission, U.S. Durum Growers, Dakota Growers Pasta
Company, American Italian Pasta Company and Philadelphia Macaroni.
Pasta roots in North Dakota – everybody loves pasta, but many
people might be unaware that pasta has strong roots in North
Dakota. Our producers grow a large portion of the durum that
is made into pasta here and around the world!
1. On average, North Dakota producers plant how many acres of durum?
a. 1.0 million
b. 2.7 million
c. 1.5 million
d. 0.5 million
2. On average North Dakota producers grow how much durum?
a. 20 million bushels
b. 50 million bushels – In a typical year, North Dakota provides 2/3 of the U.S.
durum production
c. 95 million bushels
3. Dakota Growers Pasta is located in what North Dakota town?
a. Fargo
b. Crosby
c. Carrington
d. Williston
4. Which county in North Dakota produces the most durum on average?
a. Cass
b. Williams
c. Ward
d. Bottineau
5. Philadelphia Macaroni has a durum milling facility in what North Dakota “Magic City”?
a. Lisbon
b. Bismarck
c. Wahpeton
d. Minot –Minot Milling is a division of Philadelphia Macaroni Company, a fifth
generation grain-based food processing corporation headquartered in
Philadelphia, PA and founded by Antonio Marano in 1914.
6. The highest level of production recorded in North Dakota was 128 million bushels. What
year did this happen?
a. 1981
b. 2011
c. 1975
d. 2005
Compiled by the North Dakota Wheat Commission.
Prizes sponsored by the North Dakota Wheat Commission, U.S. Durum Growers, Dakota Growers Pasta
Company, American Italian Pasta Company and Philadelphia Macaroni.
7. A significant amount of durum is grown in North Dakota and a lot gets exported. Who is
the largest buyer of U.S. durum?
a. Canada
b. Italy – Italians are the largest consumers of pasta in the world and Italy needs to
import durum to meet demand.
c. Mexico
d. China
8. Producers in North Dakota plant three main classes, or types, of wheat – durum, hard red
spring and hard red winter. What percentage of total wheat production does durum
account for?
a. 50%
b. 5%
c. 16% - On average hard red spring wheat accounts for 78%, hard red winter 6%.
Producers also grow a small amount of white wheat.
d. 72%
9. Durum grown in North Dakota and Montana is referred to as “Northern Durum.” Durum
grown in Arizona and California is called
a. Desert Durum – Desert durum generally accounts for 20-25% of total U.S.
durum production.
b. Sunshine Durum
c. Southern Durum
d. None of the above, AZ and CA don’t grow durum
10. North Dakota produces enough pasta for approximately how many servings of spaghetti?
a. 1 billion
b. 500 million
c. 17 billion – Average state production is 50 million bushels, each bushel makes 42
pounds of pasta for a total of 2.1 billion pounds. Each pound of pasta makes 8
servings for approximately 17 billion total servings!
d. 956 million
Compiled by the North Dakota Wheat Commission.
Prizes sponsored by the North Dakota Wheat Commission, U.S. Durum Growers, Dakota Growers Pasta
Company, American Italian Pasta Company and Philadelphia Macaroni.
Durum and Pasta by the Numbers – Fun facts about
durum and pasta
1. Per capita pasta consumption in the U.S. is about how much?
a. 15 pounds
b. 20 pounds – the U.S. ranks 6th in the world for pasta consumption, Italy is first.
c. 35 pounds
d. 50 pounds
2. There are approximately how many pasta shapes used around the world?
a. 150
b. 600
c. 250
d. 400
3. How many pounds of traditional pasta can be made from one bushel of durum?
a. 60
b. 17
c. 25
d. 42 – one bushel of durum weighs approximately 60 pounds and produces enough
semolina for about 42 pounds of pasta
4. One serving of pasta, about ½ cup, contains about how many calories?
a. 100
b. 200
c. 300
d. 275
5. About how much of the durum grown in the U.S. is exported?
a. One-third – on average two-thirds of our durum production is used domestically
and the other one-third is exported to customers in Italy, Algeria, Morocco,
Venezuela and other markets.
b. One-half
c. One-fifth
d. All of it
6. On average, the U.S. exports durum to about how many countries?
a. 5
b. 20 – top markets include Italy, Algeria and Venezuela to name a few.
c. 35
d. 10
7. About how much money does a North Dakota farmer receive for the durum used to
make one pound of pasta? (In early 2012, the average cost of one pound of pasta was
$1.45)
a. $0.75
b. $0.54
Compiled by the North Dakota Wheat Commission.
Prizes sponsored by the North Dakota Wheat Commission, U.S. Durum Growers, Dakota Growers Pasta
Company, American Italian Pasta Company and Philadelphia Macaroni.
c. $0.19- The current average price for a bushel of durum is $8.00 and each bushel
produces about 42 one-pound boxes, therefore the farmer’s share is about $0.19
(8.00/42)
d. $.32
8. Evidence has shown that the Chinese were making a noodle-like food as early as:
a. 1600 A.D.
b. 1200 A.C.
c. 3000 B.C.
d. 1000 B.C.
9. One billion packages of spaghetti stacked end-to-end is enough to circle the earth how
many times?
a. 9
b. 20
c. 2
d. 67
10. About how many kernels of durum wheat are used to make a pound of pasta?
a. 5,000
b. 16,500
c. 20,000
d. 42,500
Compiled by the North Dakota Wheat Commission.
Prizes sponsored by the North Dakota Wheat Commission, U.S. Durum Growers, Dakota Growers Pasta
Company, American Italian Pasta Company and Philadelphia Macaroni.
Pasta 50/50 – True/False questions about pasta facts. Come on,
take a guess – you have a 50/50 chance of getting the correct
answer!
1. “Noodle” comes from the word “nudel,” which has origins in the German language.
True
2. While North Dakota is the largest producer of durum in the U.S., Arizona and California
are also large producers.
True – Durum grown in AZ and CA is referred to as Desert Durum and is irrigated.
The two states combined account for about 20 percent of U.S. production.
3. Orzo is the name for a pillow shaped pasta stuffed with ingredients like meat and cheese.
False – Pillow shaped pasta is called ravioli. Orzo or “barley” shaped pasta is a
small, grain shaped pasta can be topped with any sauce, added to soups, or baked as
a casserole.
4. Europe is the largest durum importing region in the world.
False – While Italy is one of the largest consumers of pasta and a big importer of
durum, the North African countries of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia consume the
most durum. Not much is used for pasta though, most is used for couscous or bread.
5. According to the American Pasta Report, about 75 percent of Americans eat pasta once a
week.
True – Almost one-third say they eat it three or more times per week!
6. Thomas Jefferson is credited with bringing macaroni to America.
True – He brought the first “macaroni” machine to America in 1789 when he
returned home after serving as ambassador to France.
7. In total, Americans consume about one billion pounds of pasta each year.
False – the correct amount is actually much higher at 6 billion pounds. Average per
capita consumption is about 20 pounds.
8. Whole wheat pasta can provide up to 25% of daily fiber requirements in every one-cup
portion.
True
9. To accurately cook pasta, it is best to boil noodles for at least half an hour.
False – You should cook pasta according to the package directions. Perfectly cooked
pasta should be “al dente,” or firm to the bite, yet cooked through.
10. The best environment to grow durum is in cool, wet conditions.
Compiled by the North Dakota Wheat Commission.
Prizes sponsored by the North Dakota Wheat Commission, U.S. Durum Growers, Dakota Growers Pasta
Company, American Italian Pasta Company and Philadelphia Macaroni.
False – Durum grows best in warm, dry conditions that limit disease pressure,
however adequate moisture is needed. That is one major reason why most of North
Dakota durum production is grown in the northwest part of the state.
Compiled by the North Dakota Wheat Commission.
Prizes sponsored by the North Dakota Wheat Commission, U.S. Durum Growers, Dakota Growers Pasta
Company, American Italian Pasta Company and Philadelphia Macaroni.