1.   Borden, after all, says its announcement to close the plant is part of a strategy to cut big losses in its pasta business.

2.   Alicorp has suffered from greater competition in the pasta business, which has limited price increases.

3.   Heinz is keeping the Ore-Ida frozen potato and pasta businesses that sell to supermarkets and other retailers.

4.   It also calls for selling other lines such as Cracker Jack snack and Eagle Brand condensed milk and for exiting the private-label pasta business.

5.   Quaker likely will sell its Latin American sardine and pasta businesses, the U.S. coffee business in its food-service unit, and possibly its European cereal businesses.

6.   Thompson has traveled and studied the pasta business extensively.