Method for producing dried noodles

Abstract

To provide dried noodles that contain high-amylose wheat flour and exhibit reduced powderiness in texture.SOLUTION: A method for producing dried noodles comprises drying raw noodles at 70°C or higher, the raw noodles containing 30 to 100 mass% of high-amylose wheat flour in the total mass of cereal flour and starch, the high-amylose wheat flour being a wheat flour having an amylose content of 40 mass% or more in total starch as analyzed by the Concanavalin A method.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing dried noodles. [Background technology]

[0002] Starch contained in cereals contains amylose and amylopectin. Amylose is poorly digestible by digestive enzymes, and therefore functions as a resistant component that is not digested by human digestive enzymes, i.e., dietary fiber, and is classified as resistant starch. In recent years, high-amylose wheat has been developed, in which the amylose content has been increased by introducing mutations into enzymes involved in starch synthesis (Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2). Patent Documents 1 to 4 disclose high-amylose wheat that has a point mutation in the gene encoding the starch branching enzyme SBEIIa, resulting in reduced SBEIIa activity and a high amylose content in the starch contained in the grain. Such high-amylose wheat flour is a promising dietary fiber material. Patent Documents 5 and 6 describe udon and soba noodles produced from a flour composition containing 20% ​​by mass or more of high-amylose wheat flour.

[0003] Dried noodles are made by drying fresh noodles to enable long-term storage. The aforementioned Patent Document 3 describes the production of dried pasta by extruding dough containing high-amylose wheat flour, holding the resulting pasta at 25°C, then exposing it to temperatures of 65°C and 50°C, and then cooling it to 25°C. Patent Document 7 describes the production of dried pasta by extruding dough containing bran to obtain fresh noodle strands, which are then dried at 80-90°C for 240 minutes in an environment with a humidity of 65-75% RH. Patent Document 8 describes the production of dried spaghetti with a moisture content of 12.5% ​​by leaving fresh spaghetti obtained by extrusion in a thermostatic chamber set at an ambient temperature of 90°C and a relative humidity of 75% RH. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2007-504803 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2008-526690 [Patent Document 3] Special Publication No. 2015-504301 [Patent Document 4] Special Publication No. 2019-527054 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-098084 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-136065 [Patent Document 7] International Publication No. 2022 / 202968 [Patent Document 8] International Publication No. 2019 / 065932 [Non-patent literature]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] J Jpn Assoc Dietary Fiber Res, 2003, 7(1):20-25 [Non-patent document 2] Trends in Food Science and Technology, 2006, 17:448-456 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] High-amylose wheat flour is a promising dietary fiber material. However, dried noodles made with high-amylose wheat tend to have a powdery texture. The present invention relates to reducing the powdery texture of dried noodles containing high-amylose wheat flour. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As representative embodiments of the present invention, the following are provided. [1] A method for producing dried noodles, This involves drying the fresh noodles at temperatures above 70°C. The fresh noodles contain 30 to 100 mass% of high-amylose wheat flour based on the total mass of flour and starch, The high amylose wheat flour is wheat flour having an amylose content of 40% by mass or more in total starch as analyzed by the concanavalin A method. method. [2] The method described in [1], wherein the high amylose wheat flour is wheat flour derived from modified wheat with low SBEIIa activity. [3] The method described in [1] or [2], wherein the fresh noodles are pasta. [4] The method according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the fresh noodles are extruded noodles. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] Dried noodles produced by the method of the present invention have a reduced powdery texture that is common in dried noodles produced using high-amylose wheat flour. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention provides a method for producing dried noodles using high-amylose wheat flour. The method for producing dried noodles provided by the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the "method of the present invention") comprises a drying step in which fresh noodles produced from a raw material flour containing high-amylose wheat flour are dried at a temperature of 70°C or higher.

[0010] As used herein, high-amylose wheat flour refers to wheat flour with an amylose content of preferably 40% by mass or more, more preferably 43% by mass or more, and even more preferably 47% by mass or more. The amylose content of wheat flour refers to the amylose content of the total starch contained in the wheat flour. The amylose content of wheat flour in this specification is defined as the value determined by analysis using the concanavalin A (ConA) method and can be measured, for example, by analyzing the wheat flour using an amylose / amylopectin assay kit (AMYLOSE / AMYLOPECTIN ASSAY KIT) from Megazyme. Conventional methods for analyzing amylose content include (1) methods utilizing the high iodine-binding ability of amylose (iodine affinity assays; e.g., amperometric titration, colorimetry, AACC61-03 method, etc.) and (2) methods utilizing the specific binding of amylopectin to ConA (ConA method). However, the method using (1) tends to calculate a higher amylose content. For example, the amylose content of high-amylose wheat flour containing a loss-of-function mutation (null mutation) of the SGP-1 gene described in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 is about 37% by mass when measured by the iodine affinity assay, but about 31% by mass when measured by the ConA method. The amylose content of conventional wheat flour is less than 32% by mass when measured by the iodine affinity assay, and less than 28% by mass when measured by the ConA method.

[0011] Examples of high-amylose wheat flour include wheat flour derived from modified wheat with reduced activity of the starch branching enzyme SBEIIa. Examples of such modified wheat flour include wheat flour derived from high-amylose wheat with a mutation in the SBEIIa gene and reduced SBEIIa activity, as described in Patent Documents 1 to 4. More specific examples include wheat flour derived from high-amylose wheat in which the amount or activity of SBEIIa protein in the grain is less than 2% of the amount or activity in wild-type wheat grain, and wheat flour derived from high-amylose wheat with null mutations in one or more, for example, one or two, SBEIIa genes.

[0012] High-amylose wheat flour can be produced by milling high-amylose wheat grains according to conventional methods. The high-amylose wheat flour used in the present invention may be wheat flour that essentially contains only the endosperm fraction of high-amylose wheat grains, or wheat flour (e.g., whole wheat flour) that contains not only the endosperm fraction of high-amylose wheat grains but also germ and bran fractions.

[0013] The raw material flour containing the high-amylose wheat flour is used to produce the fresh noodles used in the method of the present invention. The raw material flour for the fresh noodles used in the present invention preferably contains 30 to 100 mass% of the high-amylose wheat flour, and more preferably 50 to 100 mass% of the total mass of the flour and starch contained in the raw material flour.

[0014] The raw material flour may contain other cereal flours and / or starches besides the high-amylose wheat flour. Examples of such other cereal flours include wheat flour other than the high-amylose wheat flour, rice flour, barley flour, waxy barley flour, buckwheat flour, soy flour, corn flour, oat flour, rye flour, and bran flour. The above-listed cereal flours can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Preferably, the other cereal flour is non-high-amylose wheat flour (typically wheat flour with an amylose content of less than 28% by mass). Examples of such non-high-amylose wheat flour include hard flour, semi-hard flour, medium-strength flour, soft flour, durum flour, and whole wheat flour. These wheat flours can be used alone or in combination of two or more. The content of flour, including the high-amylose wheat flour, in the raw material flour is preferably 80% by mass or more, more preferably 90% by mass or more, and may be 100% by mass, of the total mass of flour and starch contained in the raw material flour.

[0015] Examples of the starch include, but are not limited to, unmodified starches such as tapioca starch, potato starch, wheat starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, and rice starch, as well as modified starches obtained by processing these starches (for example, by cross-linking, phosphorylation, acetylation, etherification, oxidation, and pregelatinization). Preferably, the modified starch is one or more selected from the group consisting of etherified starch and acetylated starch. The etherified starch and acetylated starch may be cross-linked. The unmodified starches and modified starches listed above can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0016] The total content of flour, including the high-amylose wheat flour, and starch in the raw material flour is preferably 80% by mass or more, and more preferably 90% by mass or more, of the total mass of the raw material flour.

[0017] In addition to the high-amylose wheat flour, other cereal flour, and starch described above, the raw material flour may further contain other ingredients conventionally used in the production of noodles. Examples of such other ingredients include, but are not limited to, protein materials such as wheat protein (gluten), soy protein, milk protein, egg yolk powder, egg white powder, whole egg powder, and skim milk powder; oils and fats; alkaline water; salt; sugars; sweeteners; calcined calcium; dietary fiber; spices; seasonings; vitamins, minerals, nutritional fortifiers; colorings; flavorings; dextrin (including resistant dextrin); leavening agents; emulsifiers; thickeners; water-retaining agents; preservatives; enzymes; pH adjusters; and oxidation-reducing agents. These other ingredients can be used singly or in combination depending on the type of noodles to be produced. The content of each of the other ingredients in the raw material flour can be determined appropriately depending on the properties of the desired noodles.

[0018] Fresh noodles can be produced from the raw material flour according to conventional procedures. Specifically, the raw material flour is mixed with kneading water to prepare a dough. The kneading water can be water, saline, kansui (brine water), or the like. Fresh noodles are then produced from the resulting dough. Conventional methods can be used to produce fresh noodles from the dough. Examples include a method in which the dough is rolled using a noodle-making roller to obtain a noodle band, and then this noodle band is cut using a cutting blade or the like to obtain noodle strands, a method in which the dough is extruded, or a combination of these. Preferably, the fresh noodles are extruded noodles.

[0019] The type of noodles produced is not particularly limited, but examples include udon, hiyamugi, somen, Chinese noodles, soba, and pasta. Of these, pasta is preferred. The type of pasta is not particularly limited, but examples include noodle-like pasta such as spaghetti and fettuccine, tubular pasta such as macaroni and penne, and sheet-like pasta such as lasagna, of which noodle-like pasta is preferred.

[0020] For example, pasta can be obtained by extruding dough at a predetermined pressure. The dough can be extruded according to a conventional method, but it is preferable to use a vacuum extrusion method. In the vacuum extrusion method, the dough is typically sent to a vacuum mixer, and the dough is deaerated and compressed while being kneaded under a reduced pressure of about -600±100 mmHg, and then the dough is extruded under a pressure of 80 kg / cm. 2 The dough is forced into a die (extrusion mold) by high pressure from both sides. The dough is extruded through holes in the die and formed into the desired shape of pasta. The above-mentioned dough extrusion molding can be carried out using a conventional pasta-making machine.

[0021] The resulting fresh noodles are subjected to the drying step in the method of the present invention. In this drying step, the fresh noodles are dried at a predetermined temperature to a predetermined moisture content, producing dried noodles. The moisture content of the noodles after drying is preferably 15% by mass or less. Furthermore, in the case of extrusion-molded noodles, the moisture content of the noodles after drying is more preferably 13% by mass or less, for example, 13% to 11% by mass. In this specification, the moisture content of noodles refers to the value measured according to the atmospheric pressure heating and drying method (direct method) described in the Analysis Manual for the 2020 Edition (8th revision) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (February 2022).

[0022] The drying step is preferably carried out in an atmosphere at 70°C or higher, more preferably 75°C or higher, and even more preferably 85°C or higher. During the drying step, the temperature is maintained approximately constant within the above range (for example, ±5°C). More specifically, the fresh noodles are placed in a thermostatic bath or the like, the temperature inside the bath is raised to the above temperature, and the noodles are dried in that temperature environment until the moisture content reaches the aforementioned level. If the temperature in the drying step is too low, the powdery texture of the dried noodles derived from high-amylose wheat flour will not be sufficiently reduced. On the other hand, if the temperature in the drying step is too high, the dried noodles will brown and lose their color, so the temperature in the drying step is preferably 90°C or lower. The humidity in the drying step can be set as appropriate, but is typically 60 to 85% RH. The time required for the drying step can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the temperature conditions, noodle shape, etc., so that the resulting dried noodles have the aforementioned moisture content; it is typically 60 minutes or more, for example 2 to 10 hours.

[0023] The dried noodles can be cooled appropriately to obtain dried noodles. The resulting dried noodles can be cooked and eaten using conventional procedures. The dried noodles produced by the method of the present invention are free of the powdery texture that is often found in dried noodles containing high-amylose wheat flour, and have a good texture. [Example]

[0024] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0025] material High-amylose wheat flour (HAW): Flour obtained from wheat grains with a mutant SBEIIa gene and low SBEIIa expression levels. Amylose content: 47.4% by mass (of total starch). Durum wheat flour: non-high amylose wheat flour ·Strong flour: Flour derived from 1CW (No.1 Canada Wheat). Amylose content 25.1% by mass (in total starch) The amylose content was measured using an amylose / amylopectin analysis kit (Megazyme).

[0026] Dried spaghetti production Dough was prepared using the raw material flour listed in Table 1. This dough was subjected to vacuum extrusion molding to obtain fresh noodle strands with a diameter of 1.6 mm. A MAC60 pasta machine (manufactured by ITALPAST) was used for vacuum extrusion molding. The resulting fresh noodle strands were heated to the specified temperature (±5°C) listed in Table 1 over 45 minutes at a humidity of 65 to 75% RH, and then dried in an atmosphere maintained at that specified temperature until the moisture content of the noodle strands was 13% by mass or less, producing dried spaghetti. The drying time at the specified temperature was 3 hours or longer in all cases.

[0027] The produced dried spaghetti was boiled in hot water to a yield of 200%. The texture (flouriness) of the resulting boiled noodles was evaluated. In this evaluation, 10 expert panelists performed a relative evaluation in comparison with the texture of control boiled noodles (4 points) according to the following evaluation criteria, and the average score of the 10 panelists was calculated. As a control, dried spaghetti made by drying fresh noodles made from raw material flour in which HAW was replaced with hard flour under the same temperature conditions was used in addition to the dried spaghetti dried under each temperature condition. The results are shown in Table 1. <Evaluation criteria> (Texture) 5 points: Less powdery than the control 4 points: Same powdery texture as the control 3 points: Slightly more powdery than the control 2 points: Slightly more powdery than the control 1 point: More powdery than the control

[0028]

Table 1

Claims

1. A method for producing dried noodles, comprising: Drying the fresh noodles at 70°C or higher, The fresh noodles contain 30 to 100% by mass of high-amylose wheat flour based on the total mass of flour and starch, The high amylose wheat flour is wheat flour having an amylose content of 40% by mass or more in total starch as analyzed by the concanavalin A method. method.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the high amylose wheat flour is wheat flour derived from modified wheat having reduced SBEIIa activity.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fresh noodles are pasta.

4. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the fresh noodles are extruded noodles.

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