METHOD FOR PRODUCING INSTANT NOODLES

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention provides instant noodles in which usage of sodium chloride is suppressed, and a method for producing the same.Background Art

[0002] In production of noodles in general, salt (sodium chloride) is added in many cases in producing noodle strings from a raw material powder of wheat flour or the like. Such addition aims to improve noodle making properties and texture by enhancing elasticity and extensibility of resultant noodle strings through an action of sodium chloride on gluten contained in the noodle strings.

[0003] In recent years, however, a large number of what is called salt-reduced products having a low content of sodium chloride for preventing high blood pressure are placed on the market. According to "Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese" issued by Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the recommended daily salt intake is less than 9 g for an adult male and less than 7.5 g for an adult female in the 2010 edition, but the recommended daily salt intake is reduced to less than 8 g for an adult male and less than 7 g for an adult female in the 2015 edition. Thus, a concern about salt reduction will be probably continuously increasing.

[0004] As techniques for realizing sufficient elasticity and extensibility with usage of sodium chloride suppressed, methods including addition of a thickener such as xanthan gum or locust bean gum, or addition of arginine have been disclosed (Patent Literatures 1 and 2). Besides, as a technique for obtaining good reconstitution with hot water and suppressing sogginess caused by hot water even when usage of sodium chloride is reduced, a method including addition of glycerin organic acid fatty acid ester has been disclosed (Patent Literature 3). These materials have, however, no salty taste, and hence cannot compensate for a salty taste.

[0005] Besides, a noodle product into which bittern containing a large amount of magnesium chloride is kneaded instead of sodium chloride has been developed (Patent Literatures 4 and 5). It has been revealed, however, through examination made for achieving the present invention that the following problems arise when magnesium chloride is used instead of sodium chloride: (1) Since a Maillard reaction and caramelization (hereinafter referred to as the "Maillard reaction and the like") are suppressed by the addition of magnesium chloride, resultant instant noodles are not browned, and hence well-cooked feeling cannot be sufficiently obtained. (2) It is magnesium chloride present in outer portions of noodle strings that mainly affects a salty taste, and hence, when a conventional production method in which magnesium chloride is homogeneously mixed in whole noodles is employed, most of the magnesium chloride is not involved in providing a salty taste. (3) When "kansui" and magnesium chloride are mixed with each other, resultant noodles are difficult to bind, which degrades texture. (4) When usage of magnesium chloride is too large, resultant noodles have a too strong bitter taste and are not suitable for eating. Citation ListPatent Literature

[0006] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-84772 Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-213434 Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2016-067293 Patent Literature 4: WO2005 / 077206 Patent Literature 5: WO2012 / 176882 Summary of InventionTechnical Problem

[0007] An object of the present invention is to reduce usage of sodium chloride by adding magnesium chloride and to overcome the above-described problems occurring in using magnesium chloride.Solution to Problem

[0008] According to the invention the Maillard reaction and the like are accelerated by adding a reducing sugar, and appropriate appearance (browning) and well-cooked feeling are imparted to resultant noodles even when magnesium chloride is added thereto.

[0009] The invention relates to noodle strings for use in production of instant noodles, containing a raw material powder, magnesium chloride, and a reducing sugar, in which a content of the magnesium chloride is 0.05 to 1.50% by weight and a content of the reducing sugar is 0.05 to 1.50% by weight in the total amount of the noodle strings.

[0010] The invention relates to a method for producing instant noodles, including a step A of producing noodle strings, and a drying step B of drying the noodle strings at 100°C or more, in which the noodle strings contain a raw material powder, magnesium chloride, and a reducing sugar, and a content of the magnesium chloride is 0.05 to 1.50% by weight and a content of the reducing sugar is 0.05 to 1.50% by weight in the total amount of the noodle strings.

[0011] Preferably,Advantageous Effects of Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, usage of sodium chloride can be reduced by adding magnesium chloride, and various problems occurring in using magnesium chloride can be overcome.Description of Embodiments

[0013] Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described. It is noted that the type of instant noodles is not especially limited in the present invention but may be any type known in the present technical field. Specific examples include udon (wheat noodles), soba (buckwheat noodles), Chinese noodles, pasta and pho.1-1. Raw Material

[0014] Instant noodles of the present invention need to contain a raw material powder, magnesium chloride and a reducing sugar. Now, these raw materials will be described in detail.1-1-1. Raw Material Powder

[0015] As the raw material powder of the present invention, flour such as wheat flour, rice flour, rye flour, barley flour, adlay flour, Japanese millet flour, foxtail millet flour, corn flour, red bean flour, soy flour, buckwheat flour and quinoa flour, starch such as potato starch, tapioca starch and corn starch, and modified starch such as acetylated starch, etherified starch and crosslinked starch can be used.

[0016] In the present invention, the raw material powder preferably contains a protein. When the raw material powder contains a protein, the Maillard reaction occurs, and hence preferable well-cooked feeling and appearance can be easily realized. When the raw material powder does not contain a protein, well-cooked feeling and appearance can be imparted merely through caramelization, and hence, preferable well-cooked feeling and appearance are difficult to realize.

[0017] Besides, in the present invention, the raw material powder preferably contains gluten, that is, a type of protein. When the raw material powder contains gluten, preferable well-cooked feeling and appearance are realized, and in addition, noodle making properties are improved. Gluten of the present invention more specifically refers to a combination of glutenin and gliadin, or gluten. When glutenin, that is, a type of glutelin, and gliadin, that is, a type of prolamin, are reacted with each other in the presence of moisture, gluten is obtained. Therefore, the combination of glutenin and gliadin is dealt with similarly to gluten.

[0018] The raw material powder used in the present invention is preferably wheat flour. Since wheat flour contains glutenin and gliadin, gluten can be obtained simply by kneading it, with water added thereto, to produce noodle dough. Wheat flour is classified into weak flour, all-purpose flour, strong flour, durum wheat flour and the like in accordance with a protein content, and any of these can be suitably used.

[0019] When a raw material powder not containing gluten, such as rice flour, barley flour or tapioca starch, is used instead of wheat flour, gluten is preferably added separately. Even when a raw material powder not containing gluten is used, noodle making properties and well-cooked feeling similar to those obtained by using wheat flour can be realized by separately adding gluten.

[0020] The raw material powder is a principal component of instant noodles, and preferably occupies 50% by weight or more in the whole raw materials used in the present invention. When the content of the raw material powder is less than 50% by weight, noodle making properties are degraded, and preferable well-cooked feeling and appearance are difficult to obtain.

[0021] An amount of gluten used in the noodle strings is changed depending on the type of noodles to be produced. When, for example, udon is to be produced, all purpose flour having comparatively low gluten forming ability is used, and when Chinese noodles and pasta are to be produced, strong flour having comparatively high gluten forming ability is used.

[0022] In the present invention, gluten is contained preferably in an amount of 2 to 30% by weight in the total amount of the noodle strings. When gluten is contained in an amount of 2 to 30% by weight, balance between elasticity and extensibility of resultant noodles is good, and texture of the noodles is good. Besides, since the Maillard reaction appropriately occurs, well-cooked feeling and appearance of the noodles are good.1-1-2. Magnesium Chloride

[0023] Magnesium chloride is not limited to magnesium chloride with high purity, but an additive containing magnesium chloride as a principal component such as bittern can be used.

[0024] Although magnesium chloride is a substance having a strong bitter taste, since magnesium chloride is used in the present invention to be kneaded into or to dip noodles therein, the taste is less affected as compared with a case where it is used in a soup. Besides, since its offensive taste is masked by a reducing sugar or starch contained in the raw material powder, when an appropriate amount added described below is kept, a salty taste can be enhanced with the offensive taste suppressed.

[0025] On the other hand, when magnesium chloride is added, browning tends to be suppressed and well-cooked feeling tends to be degraded. This is probably because the Maillard reaction is suppressed by changing sodium chloride to magnesium chloride, and hence generation of a flavor component and hue change involved in the Maillard reaction are suppressed. This problem can be solved by addition of a reducing sugar described below.

[0026] The amount of magnesium chloride added needs to be 0.05 to 1.50% by weight in the total amount of the noodle strings. When the amount of magnesium chloride added is less than 0.05% by weight, the effect resulting from the addition of magnesium chloride is not exhibited, and enhancement of a salty taste and texture cannot be expected. Besides, when the amount of magnesium chloride added is over 1.50% by weight, the bitter taste of magnesium chloride cannot be suppressed.1-1-3. Reducing Sugar

[0027] In the present invention, it is necessary to add a reducing sugar for reducing the influence resulting from the addition of magnesium chloride. A reducing sugar refers to a sugar forming an aldehyde group or a ketone group in a basic solution, and specific examples include monosaccharides such as glucose and fructose, disaccharides such as lactose and maltose, an oligosaccharide, a maltodextrin having a dextrose equivalent of 10 or more, and powdered corn syrup.

[0028] In production process of noodles, the Maillard reaction occurs between starch and gluten contained in the raw material powder, but when sodium chloride is replaced with magnesium chloride, the Maillard reaction is suppressed to suppress the generation of a flavor component and the hue change as described above. Therefore, the influence resulting from the addition of magnesium chloride is reduced in the present invention by adding a reducing sugar to cause the Maillard reaction with gluten.

[0029] As the reducing sugar used in the present invention, a monosaccharide with which the Maillard reaction can easily proceed is preferred. From the viewpoint that the taste is not affected, glucose having a relatively low degree of sweetness is preferred, and from the viewpoint of adjusting the hue of resultant noodles, fructose (fruit sugar) with which the Maillard reaction can easily proceed is preferred.

[0030] An amount of the reducing sugar added needs to be 0.05 to 1.50% by weight in the total amount of the noodle strings. When the amount of the reducing sugar added is 0.05% by weight or less, the influence resulting from the addition of magnesium chloride (the suppression of the Maillard reaction) cannot be reduced. Besides, when the amount of the reducing sugar added is 1.50% by weight or more, a sweet taste is too strong. The amount of the reducing sugar added is more preferably 0.10 to 1.00% by weight.1-1-4. Sodium Chloride

[0031] In the present invention, a predetermined amount of sodium chloride may be added. It is said that excessive intake of sodium chloride increases a risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and the like, but sodium chloride is the most common substance inducing a salty taste, and an offensive taste becomes too strong when a substitute alone is used. Besides, as described above, sodium chloride acts on gluten to enhance the elasticity and extensibility of the noodle strings and to improve the noodle making properties and texture. Therefore, sodium chloride is preferably added in a predetermined amount also in the present invention.

[0032] In the present invention, sodium chloride is added preferably in an amount of 0.5 to 3 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the row material powder. When the amount of sodium chloride added is less than 0.5 parts by weight, the elasticity and the extensibility of the noodle strings are not sufficiently improved. On the other hand, when the amount of sodium chloride added is over 3 parts by weight, a salty taste owing to sodium chloride becomes so sufficiently strong that there is no need to compensate for a salty taste by adding magnesium chloride.1-1-5. Kansui

[0033] In the present invention, kansui may be added if necessary. Kansui refers to an alkali salt used in production of Chinese noodles, and specific examples include carbonates such as potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate, pyrophosphates such as tetrapotassium pyrophosphate and pyrophosphoric acid, polyphosphates such as potassium polyphosphate and sodium polyphosphate, metaphosphates such as potassium metaphosphate and sodium metaphosphate, and phosphates such as tripotassium phosphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate and trisodium phosphate.

[0034] Kansui is an essential component of Chinese noodles, and attains the following effects: (1) Kansui acts on an organic matter to cause an alkaline odor of pyrrolidine, trimethylamine or the like. (2) When kansui is added, gluten contained in wheat shrinks to improve elasticity and smoothness of resultant noodles. (3) Kansui acts on a flavonoid pigment contained in wheat to color resultant noodles in pale yellow peculiar to Chinese noodles. 1-1-6. Other Raw Materials (hereinafter referred to as "Sub Materials")

[0035] In the present invention, other raw materials may be added if necessary. For example, potassium chloride widely used as a salty-taste substitute for sodium chloride, a polysaccharide thickener such as pectin or xanthan gum used for adjusting texture of noodles, a whole egg (for Chinese noodles) or spinach (for jade noodles) used for adjusting the hue of noodles, a perfume added for adjusting flavor of noodles, fat or oil for improving productivity of noodles, and the like can be used.1-2. Production Method

[0036] The present invention provides a production method including a step A of producing noodle strings, and a drying step B of drying the noodle strings at 100°C or more, and the production method specifically includes steps 1 to 6 described below. The step A of producing noodle strings corresponds to the steps 1 to 5 described below, and the drying step B corresponds to the step 6.(Step 1) Noodle Dough Production Step (Kneading Step)

[0037] Kneading water containing kansui, sodium chloride and the like is supplied to the raw material powder, and the resultant is kneaded to produce dough. Kneading time is not especially limited, and the kneading is performed generally for 5 to 30 minutes. Besides, the type of mixer to be used for the kneading is not especially limited, and a batch mixer, a flow jet mixer and the like can be appropriately used. Furthermore, the kneading water may contain a reducing sugar of an essential component, and sub materials such as a polysaccharide thickener and kansui.(Step 2) Raw Noodle Strings Production Step

[0038] A method for producing raw noodle strings can be a method (a) in which the dough obtained in Step 1 is compounded and rolled out to produce a noodle belt having a predetermined thickness, and the noodle belt is cut with a cutting blade or the like (to obtain cut noodles), a method (b) in which the dough is extruded through a hole with a predetermined size (to obtain extruded noodles), and a method (c) in which the dough is extended while being twisted to be formed into the shape of noodles (to obtain hand-rolled noodles). Examples of the cut noodles include Chinese noodles and udon, an example of the extruded noodles includes spaghetti, and an example of the hand-rolled noodles includes somen (thin wheat noodles). Besides, these methods may be combined, and for example, a method in which a noodle belt produced by extrusion is cut (corresponding to a combination of the method (a) and the method (b)) can be employed.(Step 3) Steaming and / or Boiling Step

[0039] In the present invention, the raw noodle strings are gelatinized by steaming and / or boiling if necessary. Starch contained in wheat flour or the like is designated as raw starch, has a dense molecular structure, and is digested slowly, but when heated with water added thereto, the molecular structure is collapsed. Thus, the starch becomes gelatinized starch, which is easily digested. The treatment temperature is not especially limited, and when the raw noodle strings are steamed with water vapor at normal pressure or boiled, the treatment temperature is 95 to 100°C, and when superheated water vapor is used, the treatment is performed generally at 100 to 350°C.

[0040] When a precedently gelatinized raw material powder (such as gelatinized wheat flour or gelatinized starch) is used, there is no need to perform the steaming and / or boiling step.(Step 4) Flavoring Step

[0041] In the present invention, a flavoring step is performed if necessary. A flavoring method is not especially limited, and a dipping method in which the noodle strings are dipped in a liquid seasoning, a showering method in which a liquid seasoning is sprayed onto the noodle strings, and the like can be appropriately employed. After the flavoring step, moisture may be adjusted by natural drying or the like. In the flavoring step, magnesium chloride and the reducing sugar, that is, the essential components of the present invention, may be added.(Step 5) Cutting / molding Step

[0042] In the production of cut noodles, the noodle strings are continuously conveyed on a conveyor up to the flavoring step in general, and in the cutting step, the noodle strings are cut to be provided as one meal amount. Then, the cut noodle strings are automatically put in a retainer (metal mold). In the production of extruded noodles or hand-rolled noodles, the noodle strings are generally sent to a drying step without performing the cutting / molding step.(Step 6) Drying Step

[0043] When noodle strings are dried at 100°C or more, the Maillard reaction proceeds, and thus, preferable well-cooked feeling and appearance can be realized. Accordingly, a step of drying the noodle strings at 100°C or more is preferably performed in the present invention. A drying temperature is more preferably 100 to 200°C.

[0044] Now, the drying step will be described in detail. Since the noodle strings contain 25 to 65% by weight of moisture before the drying step, it is necessary to dry the noodle strings to have 1 to 15% by weight of moisture for improving storability of resultant instant noodles. Representative drying methods are an instantaneous hot oil drying method and a hot-air drying method.<Instantaneous Hot Oil Drying Method>

[0045] The instantaneous hot oil drying method is a method in which noodle strings are allowed to pass through a hot oil at 100 to 200°C for 1 to 4 minutes to dewater / dry the noodle strings to have about 2 to 5% by weight of moisture. The instantaneous hot oil drying method is not generally employed for extruded noodles and hand-rolled noodles not requiring molding.<Hot-air Drying Method>

[0046] The hot-air drying method is a method in which noodle strings are exposed to hot air at 50 to 170°C for 10 to 180 minutes to dry the noodle strings to have about 8 to 15% by weight of moisture. In the hot-air drying method, there is no need to mold the noodle strings, and hence this method can be employed not only for cut noodles but also for extruded noodles and hand-rolled noodles.Examples(Comparative Example 101)

[0047] 900 g of wheat flour and 100 parts of acetylated tapioca starch were powder mixed, and to the resultant powder, kneading water containing 345 parts of water, 15 parts of sodium chloride and 3 parts of kansui (potassium carbonate:sodium carbonate = 3:2) was added, and the resultant was mixed using a batch mixer for 15 minutes to produce noodle dough.

[0048] Next, a roll was used to compound and roll out the dough to produce a noodle belt with a thickness of 0.9 mm, and the noodle belt was cut with a cutting blade roll (round blade No. 20, groove width: 1.5 mm) to obtain noodle strings (cut noodles). The noodle strings were steamed with saturated steam of 270 kg / h for 2 minutes to produce gelatinized noodle strings 101.

[0049] The gelatinized noodle strings 101 were dipped in a liquid seasoning (1 litter) containing water and 90 parts of sodium chloride for 20 seconds, the resultant was cut into a length of about 30 cm (100 g), and filled in a retainer. The noodle strings in the retainer was dried in palm oil at 150°C for 2 minutes and 30 seconds (by the instantaneous hot oil drying method) to produce instant noodles 101 (Comparative Example 101) having a moisture content of 2% by weight. The weight of the noodle strings filled in the retainer was 100 g, and the weight of the instant noodles 101 after drying was 66 g.(Comparative Example 102)

[0050] The gelatinized noodle strings 101 were dipped in a liquid seasoning (1000 ml) containing water, 70 parts of sodium chloride and 20 parts of magnesium chloride for 20 seconds, and dried under the same conditions as in Comparative Example 101 to produce instant noodles 102 (Comparative Example 102) having a moisture content of 2% by weight.(Example 101)

[0051] The gelatinized noodle strings 101 were dipped in a liquid seasoning (1000 ml) containing water, 70 parts of sodium chloride, 20 parts of magnesium chloride and 5 parts of glucose for 20 seconds, and dried under the same conditions as in Comparative Example 101 to produce instant noodles 103 (Example 101) having a moisture content of 2% by weight.(Examples 102 to 110)

[0052] Materials to be contained in a liquid seasoning were changed as shown in Table 1 to produce instant noodles 104 to 112 (Examples 102 to 110). Moisture contents were adjusted so that the capacity of all the liquid seasonings could be 1000 ml.

[0053] The amounts of magnesium chloride contained in the noodle strings before and after the drying, and the amount of the reducing sugar (glucose or fructose) contained in the noodle strings before the drying are shown in Table 1. It is noted that each numerical value shown in Table 1 is not an actually measured value but a calculated value calculated based on "blending amounts of materials", "usage of liquid seasoning" (23 g of the liquid seasoning soaked in 100 g of noodle strings before the drying and 77 g of the gelatinized noodle strings), and "weight change of noodle strings (weight of noodle strings before the drying: 100 g, weight thereof after the drying: 66 g)". [Table 1]Table 1Comparative ExampleExample101102101102103104105106107108109110Instant Noodles 101Instant Noodles 102Instant Noodles 103Instant Noodles 104Instant Noodles 105Instant Noodles 106Instant Noodles 107Instant Noodles 108Instant Noodles 109Instant Noodles 110Instant Noodles 111Instant Noodles 112Noodle Strings (parts)DoughWheat Flour900900900900900900900900900900900900Acetylated Tapioca Starch100100100100100100100100100100100100Kneading WaterWater345345345345345345345345345345345345Sodium Chloride151515151515151515151515Kansui333333333333Liquid Seasoning (parts)Sodium Chloride90707070707070806040070Magnesium Chloride (hexahydrate)2020202020201030509020Glucose5102030405152545Fructose10Before Drying (wt%)Magnesium Chloride (hexahydrate)0.460.460.460.460.460.460.230.691.152.070.46Magnesium Chloride (in terms of anhydride)0.220.220.220.220.220.220.110.320.540.970.22Glucose0.120.230.460.690.920.120.350.581.04Fructose0.23After Drying (wt%)Magnesium Chloride (in terms of anhydride)0.330.330.330.330.330.330.160.490.821.470.33 (Evaluation)(Hue: Evaluation of L*a*b* Color Space)

[0054] The instant noodles 101 to 112 were measured for L*a*b* values using a chroma meter (CR-410, manufactured by Konica Minolta Sensing, Inc.). It is noted that Table 2 shows merely *a values that were remarkably changed.(Salty Taste)

[0055] The "salty taste" of the instant noodles was evaluated by ten expert panelists with Comparative Example 101 used as a reference as follows: 5: Nine or more panelists evaluated that the salty taste was "equivalent to that of the standard (Comparative Example 101)". 4: Three to eight panelists evaluated that the salty taste was "equivalent to that of the standard". 3: One or two panelists evaluated that the salty taste was "equivalent to that of the standard". 2: No panelist evaluated that the salty taste was "equivalent to that of the standard" but the bitter taste was at an edible level. 1: The bitter taste was so strong that the noodles were difficult to eat. (Other Evaluation)

[0056] In the evaluation of the salty taste, when nine or more of the ten panelists felt that the noodles were sweeter than the "standard", the noodles were evaluated to have a "sweet taste", and when nine or more of the ten panelists felt that the noodles were bitterer than the "standard", the noodles were evaluated to have a "bitter taste". [Table 2]Table 2Comparative ExampleExample101102101102103104105106107108109110Instant Noodles 101Instant Noodles 102Instant Noodles 103Instant Noodles 104Instant Noodles 105Instant Noodles 106Instant Noodles 107Instant Noodles 108Instant Noodles 109Instant Noodles 110Instant Noodles 111Instant Noodles 112Liquid Seasoning (parts)Sodium Chloride90707070707070806040070Magnesium Chloride (hexahydrate)2020202020201030509020Glucose5102030405152545Fructose10Before Drying (wt%)Magnesium Chloride (hexahydrate)0.460.460.460.460.460.460.230.691.152.070.46Magnesium Chloride (in terms of anhydride)0.220.220.220.220.220.220.110.320.540.970.22Glucose0.120.230.460.690.920.120.350.581.04Fructose0.23Evaluationa* Value0.91-0.290.182.152.504.455.101.712.192.452.602.28Salty Taste5 (Standard)44554454334OtherSweat TasteBitter TasteBitter Taste Sweat Taste (Conclusion)

[0057] It was confirmed that the Maillard reaction and the like are suppressed by adding magnesium chloride (through comparison between Comparative Examples 101 and 102), and that the Maillard reaction and the like are accelerated by adding a reducing sugar (through comparison between Comparative Example 102 and Examples 101 to 110). According to the present invention, the adverse effect (the suppression of the Maillard reaction and the like) caused by the addition of magnesium chloride can be adjusted by adding a reducing sugar.

[0058] Although not shown in the table, the well-cooked feeling (roasted feeling) of instant noodles was substantially associated with change in the hue. Specifically, there was a tendency, found by the ten panelists, as compared with the standard (Comparative Example 101), that the well-cooked feeling was slightly weaker in Example 1, equivalent in Examples 102 and 103, and slightly stronger in Examples 104 and 105. Besides, Comparative Example 2 containing no reducing sugar had no well-cooked feeling.

Claims

1. Noodle strings for use in production of instant noodles, containing a raw material powder, magnesium chloride, and a reducing sugar, wherein a content of the magnesium chloride is 0.05 to 1.50% by weight and a content of the reducing sugar is 0.05 to 1.50% by weight in a total amount of the noodle strings.

2. A method for producing instant noodles, comprising a step A of producing noodle strings, and a drying step B of drying the noodle strings at 100°C or more, wherein the noodle strings contain a raw material powder, magnesium chloride, and a reducing sugar, and a content of the magnesium chloride is 0.05 to 1.50% by weight and a content of the reducing sugar is 0.05 to 1.50% by weight in a total amount of the noodle strings.

3. The method for producing instant noodles according to claim 2, wherein the step A of producing noodle strings includes a flavoring step a, and the reducing sugar is added to the noodle strings in the flavoring step a.