Etherified starch, method for producing the same, food, instant noodle, and method for producing the same

Abstract

The application discloses etherified starch and a preparation method thereof, food, instant noodles and a preparation method thereof. The preparation method of the etherified starch comprises a sizing step, a reaction step, a neutralization step and the like. In the reaction step, the pH of the starch emulsion is adjusted to 11.8-12.0 by using an acid-base adjusting agent. The reaction is carried out in a higher alkaline environment, and long-time high-temperature soaking is carried out, so that the rigidity of the starch particles on a macro level is reduced, slight swelling occurs, but the starch is not expanded and gelatinized, the degree of substitution of the prepared hydroxypropyl starch is higher (the mass percentage of the hydroxypropyl is greater than 4.5 wt %), and the gelatinization temperature is lower (lower than 55 DEG C), so that the product is easy to gelatinize and expand in the later application process, and the water absorption performance is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food manufacturing, specifically to an etherified starch and its preparation method, food products including the etherified starch, and instant noodles including the etherified starch and their preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] The industrial production process of instant noodles generally includes kneading, rolling, shredding, cutting, steaming, drying, and cooling. Currently, there are two types of instant noodles on the market: fried and non-fried. During the production process, the steamed noodles need to be dried to facilitate later storage. However, after drying, the noodles are dense and rehydrate slowly when soaked in hot water. Especially when making wide noodles (3mm-30mm wide), they are prone to sticking together, affecting the texture and taste. Therefore, a method for preparing instant noodles needs to be developed to solve these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides an etherified starch and its preparation method, a food product including the etherified starch, and an instant noodle including the etherified starch and its preparation method, which overcomes the defects of existing instant noodle preparation methods, such as noodles with a dense texture, long rehydration time when soaked in hot water, and easy sticking during noodle making, which affects the taste when eating.

[0004] The method for preparing etherified starch provided by this invention includes:

[0005] Preparation step: Mix the raw starch with water to prepare a starch emulsion with a starch mass percentage concentration of 35wt%-40wt%.

[0006] Reaction steps: The starch emulsion is adjusted to pH 11.8-12.0 with an acid-base regulator, and then mixed with propylene oxide and heated to 42℃-44℃ for etherification reaction, with a reaction time of 22h-24h;

[0007] Neutralization step: Adjust the pH of the product obtained from the reaction step to 5.50-6.00;

[0008] The product obtained from the neutralization step is washed, dehydrated, dried, and sieved to obtain hydroxypropyl starch, wherein the hydroxypropyl starch has a hydroxypropyl mass percentage content of >4.5 wt%.

[0009] Optionally, the amount of propylene oxide added is 9wt%-10wt% of the mass of the raw starch.

[0010] Optionally, the raw starch is any one or a combination of glutinous corn starch, potato starch, and tapioca starch.

[0011] In addition, the present invention also provides an etherified starch, which is prepared by the preparation method described above.

[0012] In addition, the present invention also provides a food product comprising etherified starch prepared by the preparation method described above.

[0013] Optionally, the food is instant noodles.

[0014] In addition, the present invention also provides a method for preparing instant noodles, comprising:

[0015] Flour, etherified starch prepared by the above-described preparation method, water, and other auxiliary materials are mixed to obtain dough. The dough is then subjected to a rolling process, a shredding process, and a cutting process to obtain raw noodles.

[0016] The raw noodles are α-treated to obtain α-treated noodles;

[0017] The α-processed noodles are then subjected to a cooling process, a flavoring process, and a drying process in sequence to obtain the instant noodles.

[0018] Optionally, in the instant noodle formula, the content of flour accounts for 60wt%-95wt% of the total raw material powder mass, and the content of etherified starch accounts for 5wt%-30wt% of the total raw material powder mass.

[0019] Optionally, the width of the raw noodles is 3mm-30mm.

[0020] Optionally, the preparation method further includes: pre-drying the noodles with air blowing once or more after the shredding process and before the cutting process, wherein the air blowing speed is 2m / s-20m / s, the air blowing temperature is 10℃-40℃, and the air blowing time is 1s to 10s.

[0021] Optionally, the preparation method further includes: after the cutting process and before the α-drying of the raw noodles, the noodles are pre-dried by air blowing once or more, wherein the air blowing speed is 2m / s-20m / s, the air blowing temperature is 10℃-40℃, and the air blowing time is 1s to 10s.

[0022] Optionally, the process of alpha-transforming the raw noodles to obtain alpha-transformed noodles includes: cooking the raw noodles, and blowing high-pressure steam onto the raw noodles during the cooking process, wherein the steam pressure is 0.2MPa to 0.5MPa and the high-pressure steam blowing time is 5s to 30s, thereby obtaining the alpha-transformed noodles.

[0023] Optionally, the instant noodle cake has a water content of ≤14wt% by mass.

[0024] In addition, the present invention also provides an instant noodle, which is prepared by the instant noodle preparation method described above.

[0025] Optionally, the instant noodles are non-fried instant noodles.

[0026] The etherified starch and its preparation method, the food products containing the etherified starch, and the instant noodles containing the etherified starch and their preparation method provided in the embodiments of the present invention have the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0027] The etherified starch preparation method provided in this invention improves the traditional etherified starch preparation process. Conventional modified starch reaction systems typically have a pH of 11.0 ± 0.2. In this invention, the starch emulsion is adjusted to pH 11.8-12.0 using an acid-base adjuster, and then mixed with propylene oxide and heated to 42℃-44℃ for etherification reaction over 22-24 hours. By conducting the reaction in a higher alkaline environment and through prolonged high-temperature soaking, hydroxide ions can cause a certain degree of depolymerization of the double-helix crystalline structure of starch molecules within the starch granules, leading to a decrease in macroscopic starch granule rigidity and slight swelling, but not to the point of gelatinization. This results in a higher degree of hydroxypropyl starch substitution (hydroxypropyl mass percentage > 4.5 wt%) and a lower gelatinization temperature (below 55℃), making the product easier to gelatinize and swell during later applications, thus improving water absorption performance.

[0028] In addition, the present invention also provides an etherified starch, which is prepared by the preparation method described above, and the etherified starch has a higher degree of substitution and a lower gelatinization temperature.

[0029] In addition, the present invention also provides a food product comprising etherified starch prepared by the preparation method described above, wherein the food product prepared using the etherified starch has a good taste.

[0030] In addition, this invention also provides a method for preparing instant noodles. By adding the etherified starch prepared by the above-described method during the preparation of instant noodles, the prepared noodles can be easily gelatinized and expanded, have good water absorption, good taste, and are easy to rehydrate.

[0031] In addition, the present invention also provides an instant noodle, which is prepared by the instant noodle preparation method of the present invention. The instant noodles prepared by the instant noodle preparation method provided by the present invention are easy to gelatinize and expand, have good water absorption performance, good taste, and are easy to rehydrate. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a process flow diagram of etherified starch in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a process flow diagram of instant noodles in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0034] As described in the background section, instant noodles require drying and dehydration after steaming and cooking to facilitate later storage. However, after drying, the noodles have a dense texture and rehydrate slowly when soaked in hot water. This is especially true when making wide noodles (3mm-30mm wide), which are prone to sticking together and affect the taste when eaten.

[0035] Research has found that the dense texture of noodles and their slow rehydration when brewed with hot water are related to the starch used. In the instant noodle production process, a certain amount of modified starch is often added to increase the rehydration and elasticity of the noodles. Since the pH of the reaction system of conventional modified starch on the market is generally 11.0±0.2, the starch granules prepared have high rigidity at the macroscopic level. The instant noodles produced are dense, lack elasticity, and take a long time to rehydrate when brewed with hot water.

[0036] Furthermore, the research also revealed that current instant noodle preparation methods, especially when making wide noodles (3mm-30mm wide), are prone to sticking due to their large surface area and contact area between noodles. This sticking mainly occurs during the shredding and cutting processes. Because of this sticking, the adhered parts are difficult to separate during cooking and drying, affecting the texture.

[0037] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the etherified starch preparation method provided in this invention improves the etherified starch preparation process. Conventional modified starch reaction systems typically have a pH of 11.0 ± 0.2. In this invention, the starch emulsion is adjusted to a pH of 11.8-12.0 using alkali hydroxide, and then mixed with propylene oxide and heated to 42℃-44℃ for etherification reaction over 22-24 hours. By conducting the reaction in a higher alkaline environment and through prolonged high-temperature soaking, the hydroxide ions in this invention cause a certain degree of depolymerization of the double-helix crystalline structure of starch molecules within the starch granules, resulting in a decrease in the rigidity of the starch granules at the macroscopic level and slight swelling, but not to the point of gelatinization. This allows for a higher degree of hydroxypropyl starch substitution (hydroxypropyl mass percentage > 4.5 wt%) and a lower gelatinization temperature (below 55℃), making the product easier to gelatinize and swell during later applications, thus improving water absorption performance.

[0038] In addition, this embodiment of the invention also provides an etherified starch, which is prepared by the preparation method described in this embodiment of the invention. The etherified starch has a higher degree of substitution and a lower gelatinization temperature.

[0039] In addition, this embodiment of the invention also provides a food product, which includes etherified starch prepared by the preparation method described in this embodiment of the invention, and the food product prepared using the etherified starch has a better taste.

[0040] In addition, this invention also provides a method for preparing instant noodles. By adding etherified starch prepared by the method described in this invention during the preparation of instant noodles, the prepared noodles can be easily gelatinized and expanded, have good water absorption properties, and be easy to rehydrate.

[0041] In addition, this embodiment of the invention also provides an instant noodle, which is prepared by the instant noodle preparation method described in this embodiment of the invention. The instant noodles prepared by the instant noodle preparation method provided by this invention are easy to gelatinize and expand, have good water absorption performance, good taste, and are easy to rehydrate.

[0042] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0043] The raw materials and equipment used in the preparation process of the instant noodles described in this embodiment of the invention are all commercially available products that can be purchased on the market.

[0044] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a process flow diagram of etherified starch in an embodiment of the present invention. The preparation method of the etherified starch provided by the present invention includes the following steps.

[0045] S101, Preparation step: Mix the raw starch with water to prepare a starch emulsion with a starch mass percentage concentration of 35wt%-40wt%.

[0046] In some embodiments, the raw starch can be any one or a combination of glutinous corn starch, potato starch, and tapioca starch. For example, in one embodiment, the raw starch is glutinous corn starch. It should also be noted that in the slurry preparation step, the raw starch and water must be thoroughly mixed evenly, controlling the starch concentration (mass fraction) within 35wt%-40wt%. A starch concentration less than 35wt% results in low reaction efficiency and increased use of reaction chemicals, while a starch concentration greater than 40% makes pumping the starch emulsion difficult.

[0047] S102, Reaction steps: The pH of the starch emulsion is adjusted to 11.8-12.0 using an acid-base regulator, and then mixed with propylene oxide and heated to 42℃-44℃ for etherification reaction, with a reaction time of 22h-24h.

[0048] It should be noted that the acid-base regulator can be any one of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or a combination thereof. For example, in one embodiment, the acid-base regulator is a 3 wt% sodium hydroxide solution. In some embodiments, the amount of propylene oxide added is 9 wt%-10 wt% of the raw starch mass. Adding less than 9 wt% will result in insufficient etherified starch substituent content, while adding more than 10 wt% will result in excessive etherified starch substituent content.

[0049] S103, Neutralization step: Adjust the pH of the product obtained from the reaction step to 5.50-6.00.

[0050] Specifically, the neutralization step may use an acidic reagent to adjust the pH. For example, in one embodiment, the acidic reagent is a 10 wt% sulfuric acid solution.

[0051] S104, the product obtained in the neutralization step is washed, dehydrated, dried and sieved to obtain hydroxypropyl starch, wherein the hydroxypropyl starch has a hydroxypropyl mass percentage content of >4.5wt%.

[0052] It should be noted that, in some embodiments, washing can be done with tap water or distilled water until the conductivity is <1000μs / cm; dehydration can be done with a scraper centrifuge until the moisture content of the filter cake is <45wt%; drying can be done with hot air drying until the moisture content of the dry powder is <15wt%; sieving can be done with a 60-mesh sieve with a 100% passing rate to obtain hydroxypropyl starch.

[0053] It should also be noted that hydroxypropyl groups are hydrophilic groups, which can weaken the hydrogen bond strength between molecules within starch granules, making them easier to break. This allows the starch granules to absorb water, swell, and gelatinize more easily during heating. The hydroxypropyl starch prepared using the method of this invention has a high hydroxypropyl content, with a hydroxypropyl mass percentage > 4.5 wt%, while the hydroxypropyl mass percentage of substituents in conventional hydroxypropyl starch products is ≤ 4.5 wt%. Higher substitution levels result in lower gelatinization temperatures. Therefore, the high hydroxypropyl content allows the hydroxypropyl starch prepared by this invention to gelatinize at temperatures below 55°C, further enhancing the gelatinization degree of starch granules during instant noodle processing and allowing the starch granules to fully expand. This enables it to retain moisture in instant noodle products, shortening rehydration time and improving the texture and elasticity during hot water rehydration.

[0054] In addition, when the raw material starch is glutinous corn starch, glutinous corn hydroxypropyl starch can be prepared. Glutinous corn hydroxypropyl starch is derived from glutinous corn starch, which has a high branched-chain content and good anti-aging properties. The introduction of hydroxypropyl groups further enhances the starch's anti-aging and water-retention capabilities, while lowering the starch's gelatinization temperature. When applied to instant noodles, it exhibits characteristics such as easy expansion and gelatinization, good water retention, and anti-aging properties, shortening the rehydration time when instant noodles are soaked in hot water and improving the texture and elasticity.

[0055] The present invention also provides an etherified starch, which is prepared by the preparation method described in the embodiments of the present invention. The etherified starch has a higher degree of substitution and a lower gelatinization temperature.

[0056] In addition, the present invention also provides a food product comprising etherified starch prepared using the preparation method described in the embodiments of the present invention, wherein the food product prepared using the etherified starch has a good taste. In some embodiments, the food product is instant noodles.

[0057] Additionally, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a process flow diagram of instant noodles according to an embodiment of the present invention. The instant noodle preparation method provided by the present invention includes the following steps.

[0058] S201, flour, etherified starch prepared by the method described in this embodiment of the invention, water, and other auxiliary materials are mixed to obtain dough. The dough is then subjected to a rolling process, a shredding process, and a cutting process to obtain raw noodles. By adding the aforementioned etherified starch during the preparation of instant noodles, the prepared noodles can be easily gelatinized and expanded, have good water absorption, good taste, and are easy to rehydrate.

[0059] In some embodiments, in the instant noodle formula, the content of flour accounts for 60wt%-95wt% of the total raw material powder, and the content of etherified starch accounts for 5wt%-30wt% of the total raw material powder. It should be noted that the total raw material powder refers to the flour and starchy substances in the instant noodle formula. For example, in one embodiment, the total raw material powder includes flour, hydroxypropyl starch, and tapioca starch.

[0060] S202, the raw noodles are α-processed to obtain α-processed noodles.

[0061] Specifically, the process of alpha-transforming the raw noodles to obtain alpha-transformed noodles includes: cooking the raw noodles, and during the cooking process, blowing high-pressure steam onto the raw noodles. The steam pressure is 0.2 MPa to 0.5 MPa, and the high-pressure steam blowing time is 5 to 30 seconds, resulting in the alpha-transformed noodles. It should be noted that alpha-transformation refers to the process of converting the starch structure from β-type to α-type, also known as gelatinization. Specifically, in one embodiment, the cooking temperature is set to 96℃-100℃, and the cooking time is 2 minutes to alpha-transform the raw noodles. Blowing high-pressure steam during the cooking process prevents the noodles from sticking together, which would affect the texture.

[0062] In some embodiments, the width of the raw noodles is 3mm-30mm. Because wide noodles have a large surface area, the contact area between the noodles is large, making them more prone to sticking together.

[0063] S203, the α-processed noodles are sequentially processed through a cooling process, a flavoring process, and a drying process to obtain the instant noodles.

[0064] Specifically, the cooling process can employ water washing, where the α-treated noodles are immersed in clean water at 0°C to 30°C for 10 to 120 seconds. The flavoring process can be achieved by spraying or immersing the noodles in a seasoning liquid. The drying process can employ hot air drying. In one embodiment, the hot air drying can employ at least two stages. The parameters for the first stage are: wind speed of 10 to 60 meters per second, temperature of 100°C to 120°C, and time of 8 to 10 minutes; the parameters for the second stage are: wind speed of 2 to 8 meters per second, temperature of 70°C to 100°C, and time of 30 to 50 minutes.

[0065] In some embodiments, to prevent the noodles from sticking together, the preparation method further includes: pre-drying the noodles with air blowing at least once after the shredding process and before the cutting process. The air blowing speed is 2m / s-20m / s, the air blowing temperature is 10℃-40℃, and the air blowing time is 1s to 10s. By pre-drying the noodles with air blowing at least once after the shredding process and before the cutting process, noodles that stick together during the shredding process can be dispersed, and the surface of the noodles can be pre-dried to prevent them from sticking together again.

[0066] In some embodiments, the preparation method further includes: performing air-blowing pre-drying on the noodles one or more times after the cutting process and before the α-processing of the raw noodles, wherein the air-blowing velocity is 2m / s-20m / s, the air-blowing temperature is 10℃-40℃, and the air-blowing time is 1s to 10s. By performing air-blowing pre-drying on the noodles one or more times after the cutting process and before the α-processing of the raw noodles, noodles that stick together during the cutting process can be blown apart, and the surface of the noodles can be further pre-dried to prevent them from sticking together again later.

[0067] It should be noted that the number of air-blowing pre-drying cycles can be adjusted according to the degree of stickiness of the noodles. For example, in one embodiment, air-blowing pre-drying is performed three times: two times after shredding and before cutting, and one time after cutting and before the raw noodles are α-processed.

[0068] In some embodiments, the instant noodle cake has a water content of ≤14wt% by mass.

[0069] In addition, the present invention also provides an instant noodle, which is prepared by the instant noodle preparation method described in the embodiments of the present invention. The instant noodles prepared by the instant noodle preparation method provided in the embodiments of the present invention are easy to gelatinize and expand, have good water absorption performance, good taste, and are easy to rehydrate.

[0070] In some embodiments, the instant noodles are non-fried instant noodles.

[0071] The following examples, 1 to 3, specifically illustrate the etherified starch and its preparation method provided in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0072] Example 1: Preparation of hydroxypropyl starch from waxy corn

[0073] 1. Preparation method

[0074] (1) Mixing: Weigh 1 kg of glutinous corn starch and mix it thoroughly with water, controlling the starch concentration to be within 38.5 wt%.

[0075] (2) Reaction: Add 3wt% sodium hydroxide solution to the prepared starch emulsion until the pH of the starch emulsion is 11.9; add propylene oxide (analytical grade, content ≥99.5%), the amount added is 9.5wt% of the mass of glutinous corn starch; start heating to 42℃-44℃ to carry out etherification reaction; the reaction time is 24h.

[0076] (3) Neutralization: After the reaction is complete, the starch emulsion is neutralized to pH 5.88 with 10wt% sulfuric acid solution.

[0077] (4) Washing: The slurry after the reaction is washed with tap water or distilled water until the conductivity is <1000μs / cm;

[0078] (5) Dehydration: After washing with water until the conductivity is qualified, add the filter cake to a scraper centrifuge for dehydration, so that the moisture content of the filter cake is <45wt%.

[0079] (6) Drying: Hot air drying is adopted at a temperature of 100℃, so that the moisture content of the dry powder is <15wt%.

[0080] (7) Screening: Pass through a 60-mesh sieve with a 100% pass rate to obtain glutinous corn hydroxypropyl starch.

[0081] Example 2: Preparation of hydroxypropyl cassava starch

[0082] Following the method of Example 1, the type of starch was adjusted. The difference between Example 2 and Example 1 is that cassava starch was used to prepare cassava hydroxypropyl starch, while the other conditions were the same as in Example 1.

[0083] Example 3: Preparation of hydroxypropyl potato starch

[0084] Following the method of Example 1, the type of starch was adjusted. The difference between Example 3 and Example 1 is that potato starch was used to prepare potato hydroxypropyl starch, while the other conditions were the same as in Example 1.

[0085] Comparative Example 1

[0086] The difference between Comparative Example 1 and Example 1 is that in the reaction step, 3 wt% sodium hydroxide solution was added to adjust the pH of the starch emulsion to 11.0; other conditions were the same as in Example 1. During the reaction, it was found that due to the lower pH in the reaction step, the reaction efficiency was lower than in Example 1, and less etherifying agent was introduced into the starch.

[0087] Comparative Example 2

[0088] The difference between Comparative Example 2 and Example 1 is that in the reaction step, 3 wt% sodium hydroxide solution was added to adjust the pH of the starch emulsion to 11.5; other conditions were the same as in Example 1. During the reaction, it was found that Comparative Example 2 had a higher reaction efficiency compared to Comparative Examples 1 and 3.

[0089] Comparative Example 3

[0090] The difference between Comparative Example 3 and Example 1 is that in the reaction step, 3 wt% sodium hydroxide solution was added to adjust the pH of the starch emulsion to 12.2; other conditions were the same as in Example 1. During the reaction, it was found that due to the excessively high pH in the reaction step, side reactions increased, the reaction efficiency was lower than in Example 1, and the starch gelatinization was severe, affecting subsequent water washing.

[0091] Hydroxypropyl content determination

[0092] The hydroxypropyl content of the etherified starches prepared in Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 was determined according to Appendix A.4 of the national food safety standard GB29930-2013, "Hydroxypropyl Starch for Food Additives". The results are shown in Table 1. The mass fraction of hydroxypropyl, W0, was calculated according to formula (A.1):

[0093] W0=(c×0.7763×f) / (m×1000)×100% A.1

[0094] Where: c—the propylene glycol content in the sample solution read from the standard curve, in micrograms per milliliter (μg / mL); 0.7763—the conversion coefficient from propylene glycol content to hydroxypropyl content; f—the final volume of the sample after dilution, in milliliters (mL); m—the sample mass, in milligrams (mg); 1000—the conversion factor.

[0095] Gelatinization temperature determination

[0096] The initial gelatinization temperature of the samples was determined according to the method in GB / T 14490-2008 Grain and Oil Inspection: Determination of Gelatinization Characteristics of Cereals and Starch by Viscometer Method. The results of the determination of hydroxypropyl content and initial gelatinization temperature in Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 are shown in Table 1.

[0097] Table 1. Hydroxypropyl content and gelatinization start temperature of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3

[0098]

[0099] As shown in Table 1, by improving the preparation process of etherified starch and adjusting the pH value of the reaction step, the prepared hydroxypropyl starch can have a higher hydroxypropyl content (hydroxypropyl mass percentage > 4.5 wt%). The higher the degree of substitution, the lower the gelatinization temperature, which can improve the degree of gelatinization of starch granules in instant noodles, shorten the rehydration time during brewing, and improve the texture and elasticity.

[0100] Furthermore, the instant noodles and their preparation method provided in the embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below through Examples 4 to 6.

[0101] Example 4: Non-fried instant noodles and their preparation

[0102] 1. Formula

[0103] 800g flour, 100g glutinous corn hydroxypropyl starch (prepared in Example 1), 100g tapioca starch, 20g salt, 2g sodium carbonate, 350g water;

[0104] The flavoring liquid is prepared by mixing 1000g of salt, 10g of monosodium glutamate, 50g of vegetable oil, 10g of soy sauce and 905g of water.

[0105] 2. Preparation method

[0106] (1) Weigh the raw materials according to the process formula, and make raw noodles with a length of 30cm, a thickness of 1.3mm and a width of 3mm by successively going through the processes of kneading, rolling, shredding and cutting. After shredding and before cutting, use a blower to pre-dry the noodles twice with air. After cutting and before α-cure the raw noodles, pre-dry the noodles once with air. The air speed is 10m / s, the air temperature is 30℃ and the air time is 5s.

[0107] (2) Place the raw noodles at a temperature of 96℃ to 100℃ and cook for 2 minutes to perform α-transformation. During the cooking process, blow high-pressure steam into the noodles in hot water at a pressure of 0.3MPa for 20 seconds to prevent the noodles from sticking together.

[0108] (3) After boiling, rinse the noodles in clean water at a temperature of 20°C for 30 seconds. The purpose of rinsing and rinsing is to make the instant noodles elastic and chewy.

[0109] (4) The noodles after washing are seasoned by spraying or soaking in seasoning liquid.

[0110] (5) Use hot air drying to dehydrate, and perform at least two dehydration processes.

[0111] The first hot air drying was carried out: the noodles were placed under the conditions of 60 m / s wind speed and 110℃ for 8 minutes and the moisture content of the noodles was measured to be 35 wt% m / m.

[0112] A second hot air drying process was conducted: the noodles that had undergone the first hot air drying were placed under conditions of a wind speed of 2 m / s and a temperature of 80℃ for 50 minutes, and the moisture content of the noodles was measured to be 14 wt%.

[0113] Examples 5 and 6, and Comparative Examples 4 to 6

[0114] Following the method of Example 4, the type of etherified starch, the amount of etherified starch added, the width of the resulting raw noodles, the number of air-blowing pre-drying cycles, and the steam blowing parameters in the cooking pot were adjusted. Other conditions remained the same as in Example 4. Specific adjustment parameters are detailed in Table 2. The amount of etherified starch added = (mass of etherified starch / (mass of flour + mass of starch)) × 100%.

[0115] Table 2 Comparison of preparation processes of Examples 4 to 6 and Comparative Examples 4 to 6

[0116]

[0117] The advantages of the preparation method of non-fried instant noodles of the present invention are further illustrated by comparing the product performance of Examples 4 to 8 of the present invention with that of Comparative Examples 4 to 6. The results are detailed in Table 4.

[0118] (1) Rehydration time

[0119] Rehydration time refers to the time required for the product to soften after being soaked in boiling water until there is no obvious hard (white) core. The determination method is based on "GB / T 40772-2021 Instant Noodles", which will not be repeated here.

[0120] (2) Taste score

[0121] The taste evaluation method refers to "GB / T 25005-2010 Sensory Analysis Method for Sensory Evaluation of Instant Noodles". The specific scoring criteria are shown in Table 3. The scoring rules are: low (1-3 points), medium (4-6 points), and high (7-9 points).

[0122] Table 3 Sensory Evaluation Scoring Rules for Instant Noodles

[0123]

[0124] (3) Looseness score

[0125] The looseness rating assesses the edibility of the dough. This invention primarily evaluates the dough's looseness by scoring it based on the ease with which it can be broken up with chopsticks after being brewed. The specific evaluation index is out of 10. 10 indicates very easy to break up, 8 indicates it can be broken up with chopsticks, 6 indicates it requires slightly more effort, 4 indicates it is difficult to break up, and 2 indicates it is very difficult to break up. The specific procedure is as follows: In each embodiment and comparative example, a piece of dough is placed in a bowl, a certain amount of boiling water is poured in, the bowl is covered tightly, and it is soaked for 5 minutes; then it is broken up with chopsticks, and scored according to the looseness rating index.

[0126] Table 4. Product performance evaluation results of Examples 4 to 6 and Comparative Examples 4 to 6

[0127] Example 4 4 9 10 Example 5 4 9 10 Example 6 4 9 8 Example 7 5 8 10 Example 8 5 7 10 Comparative Example 4 6 5 10 Comparative Example 5 6 5 6 Comparative Example 6 7 3 4

[0128] As can be seen from the results in Table 3, and from Examples 4 and 5, when using the instant noodle preparation method of the present invention, whether preparing instant noodles with a noodle width of 3mm or 30mm, the rehydration time after brewing is shorter, and the taste and looseness are also better.

[0129] As can be seen from Examples 4 and 6, under the condition that other conditions remain unchanged, increasing the number of air-blowing pre-drying cycles can improve the looseness of the noodles.

[0130] As can be seen from Examples 4, 7 and 8, compared with cassava hydroxypropyl starch and potato hydroxypropyl starch, the addition of glutinous corn hydroxypropyl starch to the formula can shorten the rehydration time of the prepared instant noodles after brewing and result in a better taste.

[0131] As can be seen from Example 4 and Comparative Example 4, when the etherified starch prepared in this invention is added, the rehydration time of the instant noodles after brewing is significantly shortened, and the taste is also improved.

[0132] As can be seen from Example 4 and Comparative Example 5, performing three air-blowing pre-drying processes during the preparation of instant noodles can shorten the rehydration time after brewing, improve the taste, and increase the looseness of the noodles.

[0133] As can be seen from Example 4 and Comparative Example 6, steaming the instant noodles during the instant noodle preparation process can shorten the rehydration time after the instant noodles are brewed, improve the taste of the instant noodles, and increase their looseness.

[0134] While the present invention has been disclosed above, it is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A method for preparing instant noodles, characterized in that, include: The raw starch is mixed with water to prepare a starch emulsion with a starch mass percentage concentration of 35wt%-40wt%, wherein the raw starch is glutinous corn starch; The starch emulsion was adjusted to pH 11.8-12.0 using an acid-base regulator, and then mixed with propylene oxide and heated to 42℃-44℃ for etherification reaction. The reaction time was 22h-24h, and the etherification reaction was carried out under conditions without sodium sulfate. Adjust the pH of the product obtained from the above reaction steps to 5.50-6.00; The product obtained from the above steps is washed, dehydrated, dried, and sieved to obtain hydroxypropyl starch, wherein the hydroxypropyl starch has a hydroxypropyl content of >4.5wt% and a gelatinization temperature of less than 55°C. Flour, hydroxypropyl starch, water, and other auxiliary materials are mixed to obtain dough. The dough is then subjected to a rolling process, a shredding process, and a cutting process to obtain raw noodles. The width of the raw noodles is 3mm-30mm. The raw noodles are cooked, and during the cooking process, high-pressure steam is blown onto the raw noodles. The steam pressure is 0.2MPa-0.5MPa, and the high-pressure steam blowing time is 5s-30s, to obtain α-treated noodles. After the cutting process and before the raw noodles are α-dried, the noodles are pre-dried by air blowing more than once. The air blowing speed is 2m / s-20m / s, the air blowing temperature is 10℃-40℃, and the air blowing time is 1s to 10s. The α-treated noodles are sequentially processed through a cooling process, a flavoring process, and a drying process to obtain the instant noodles, which are non-fried instant noodles.

2. The method for preparing instant noodles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The amount of propylene oxide added is 9wt%-10wt% of the mass of the raw starch.

3. The method for preparing instant noodles according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the instant noodle formula, the flour content accounts for 60wt%-95wt% of the total raw material powder mass, and the etherified starch content accounts for 5wt%-30wt% of the total raw material powder mass.

4. The method for preparing instant noodles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preparation method further includes: after the shredding process and before the cutting process, the noodles are pre-dried by air blowing once or more, wherein the air blowing speed is 2m / s-20m / s, the air blowing temperature is 10℃-40℃, and the air blowing time is 1s to 10s.

5. The method for preparing instant noodles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The instant noodles have a water content of ≤14wt% by mass.

6. A type of instant noodles, characterized in that, The instant noodles are prepared by the instant noodle preparation method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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