The water sorption kinetics of spaghetti was measured in the temperature range of 20-90 degrees C to investigate the temperature dependencies of an equilibrium moisture content and an initial rate of water sorption. The dependencies indicated the mechanism of water sorption: the equilibrium moisture content is limited by the state of starch gelatinization and the initial rate of water sorption is governed by the water diffusion through the pores of the spaghetti regardless of the starch gelatinization. The empirical equations were proposed to predict the amount of loss of the spaghetti mass during water sorption which results in the quality loss of cooked spaghetti and the moisture content which affects the mechanical properties and an optimal immersion time. The equation of the moisture content, taking the effect of starch gelatinization into consideration, has the initial diameter of spaghetti, immersion time, and temperature of immersed water as parameters to predict under any conditions. (C) 2010 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.