Noodle and production method of the same

Abstract

To provide: a noodle which is obtained from dough having alginic ester added thereto without acid liquid treatment therefor and exhibits a good loosening property in eating and a good elastic and firm texture; and a production method of the same.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a noodle production method which includes a raw material mixing step, a noodle production step, a pregelatinization step, and a drying step. A raw material at the raw material mixing step contains: raw material flour including starch and / or grain flour, the grain flour being substantially free of gluten; an alkali agent; and alginic ester. A pH in a suspension of a noodle obtained at the drying step is more than 6.5 and 9 or less. The present invention also relates to the noodle obtained by the production method.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to noodles and a method for producing the same.

Background Art

[0002] Noodles are one of the foods favored not only in Japan but also around the world. Representative types of noodles include, for example, ramen, pasta, udon, yakisoba, soba noodles, cold noodles, etc. made from wheat flour. In addition to these, there are also soba made mainly from buckwheat flour or rice flour other than wheat, cereal noodles such as vermicelli, and starch noodles such as cellophane noodles and kudzu noodles made mainly from starch. They are rich in variety and are positioned as important foods in diet.

[0003] In recent years, wheat allergy has become a problem, and the idea of gluten-free has attracted attention. Therefore, the demand for cereal noodles made from flours other than wheat flour and starch noodles made from starch as raw materials has been increasing. Generally, gluten has the role of binding dough and maintains good manufacturing suitability by preventing the breakage of dough and noodle strands. In addition, gluten also contributes to noodle quality and has effects such as imparting elasticity and firmness and preventing disintegration during cooking. On the other hand, when producing noodles without gluten (gluten-free noodles), it is necessary to add a binding component (paste) other than gluten to ensure manufacturing suitability. Furthermore, most flours other than wheat flour do not contain gluten, so the noodles tend to have a mushy and disintegrated texture or a weak texture. When trying to produce noodles with an elastic and firm texture like wheat noodles without using wheat flour, it is necessary to add a noodle quality improver (texture improver) to the raw materials.

[0004] Harusame, a type of starch noodle, is generally produced using a starch slurry prepared by adding water to starch and kneading it. This starch slurry is placed in a cylindrical container (tonpyo) with holes at the bottom, and the dough naturally drips from the bottom of the container. It is then dropped linearly into boiling hot water to be gelatinized in a noodle-making process. Subsequently, there are steps such as cooling the obtained noodle strands with water, hanging the cooled noodle strands on a pole, freezing the hung noodle strands for aging in a freezing process, thawing the frozen harusame, and drying the thawed harusame.

[0005] Among the above processes, the freezing process and the thawing process significantly contribute to the texture and looseness of harusame. However, in the freezing process, since harusame needs to be stored in a freezer for a certain period, there is a problem that the manufacturing time is long and the total running cost is high. Therefore, methods for easily manufacturing harusame have been proposed (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0006] For example, Patent Document 1 describes that by manufacturing harusame from a mixture containing starch, cellulose ether, and water, a texture similar to that of conventional harusame can be obtained without going through the freezing process and the thawing process. However, when the inventors of the present invention conducted a trial production study of harusame by incorporating cellulose ether into the harusame dough according to the manufacturing method described in this Patent Document 1, the obtained harusame had poor looseness during eating (after adding soup), and a texture similar to that of general harusame could not be obtained.

[0007] Also, Patent Document 2 describes noodles produced through gelatinization treatment and acid solution treatment of noodle strands. These noodles are obtained from a noodle-making raw material containing raw material powder and alginic acids, and the raw material powder mainly contains cereal flour and / or starch that substantially does not contain gluten. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 describes that even for a noodle-making raw material containing raw material powder mainly composed of cereal flour and / or starch other than wheat flour, noodles with less noodle dissolution during boiling and presenting good taste and texture can be obtained. In Claim 4 of Patent Document 2 and the like, it is described that the alginic acids are selected from the group consisting of alginic acid, alginate, alginate ester, and mixtures thereof. However, only alginic acid was actually used in the examples, and it has not been shown that the same effect can be achieved with alginate ester. Furthermore, in the production method described in Patent Document 2, in order to impart texture, an acid solution treatment step is essential after gelatinizing the noodle strands. However, there was a concern that the noodle would be given a sour taste and the taste would deteriorate.

[0008] Therefore, when the present inventors produced starch noodles according to the production method described in Patent Document 2, since the water addition rate was as low as 50 to 60%, the dough was very hard and could not be extruded with a normal extruder. It was necessary to use a device capable of extruding the dough under high pressure such as a pasta machine. In addition, the obtained noodles were excellent in elasticity and firmness and had a good texture. However, noodles produced in the same manner without adding alginic acid also had a good texture, and there was no significant difference in the texture of the noodles depending on the presence or absence of alginic acid. Furthermore, when the water addition rate was increased to 90% to make the dough softer and noodles were produced, a good texture could not be obtained. This suggests that in the production method described in Patent Document 2, sufficient effects cannot be obtained for noodles with a water addition rate exceeding 60%.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0009]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide noodles that exhibit good looseness during eating, and have a good texture with elasticity and firmness, and a method for producing the same, in a dough added with an alginate ester, without requiring acid solution treatment.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0011] As a result of intensive studies by the present inventors to develop noodles that have good looseness during eating, and exhibit a good texture with elasticity and firmness, without requiring acid treatment, in a dough added with an alginate ester, it has been found that by including a raw material powder containing starch and / or a cereal powder substantially free of gluten, an alginate ester, and an alkaline agent, and adjusting the pH of a 10% suspension of the obtained noodles to exceed 6.5 and be 9 or less, noodles with good looseness during eating and a good texture with elasticity and firmness can be obtained. The present invention has been completed based on such findings.

[0012] That is, the present invention is as follows. Item 1. A method for producing noodles, comprising a raw material mixing step, a noodle-making step, a gelatinization step, and a drying step, wherein the raw materials in the raw material mixing step contain a raw material powder containing starch and / or a cereal powder substantially free of gluten, an alkaline agent, and an alginate ester, and the pH of a suspension of the noodles obtained in the drying step exceeds 6.5 and is 9 or less. A method for producing noodles. Item 2. The method for producing noodles according to Item 1, wherein the pH of the noodle dough obtained in the raw material mixing step is 6 to 9.5. Item 3. The raw material mixing step is a step of producing noodle dough by mixing the raw materials with water, and the water addition rate of the noodle dough is 60% by mass or more. The method for producing noodles according to Item 1. Item 4. The method for producing noodles according to Item 1, wherein an acid treatment step does not need to be performed after the gelatinization step. Item 5. The method for producing noodles according to Item 1, characterized by not having an aging step. Item 6. Noodles obtained by the method for producing noodles according to any one of Items 1 to 5. Item 7. A method for producing pregelatinized noodles, comprising a raw material mixing step, a noodle making step, and a pregelatinization step, wherein the raw material in the raw material mixing step contains raw material powder containing flour and / or cereal powder substantially free of gluten, an alkaline agent, and an alginate ester, and the pH in the suspension of the pregelatinized noodles obtained in the pregelatinization step is greater than 6.5 and less than or equal to 9. A method for producing pregelatinized noodles. Item 8. Pregelatinized noodles obtained by the method for producing pregelatinized noodles according to Item 7.

[0013] Note that, in the present invention, it is impossible or extremely difficult in practice to specify all of the components contained in the noodles defined in the production process or the structure thereof. Therefore, it is described by a product-by-process claim.

Advantages of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide noodles that have good looseness during eating, exhibit a good texture with elasticity and firmness, and a method for producing the same, in dough to which an alginate ester is added, without requiring acid treatment. Furthermore, as an incidental effect, when the noodles are flour noodles, it is possible to produce noodles that have good looseness during eating, exhibit a good texture with elasticity and firmness, without performing an aging process (such as a refrigeration process, a freezing and thawing process, etc.), which is an essential process in the conventional method for producing flour noodles.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] 1. Method for manufacturing noodles Hereinafter, the method for producing the noodles of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0016] The method for manufacturing noodles of the present invention comprises a raw material mixing step, a noodle-making step, a gelatinization step, and a drying step. The raw materials in the raw material mixing step include a raw material powder containing starch and / or cereal powder substantially free of gluten, an alkaline agent, and an alginate ester. The pH of a 10% suspension of the noodles obtained in the drying step is greater than 6.5 and less than or equal to 9. When the noodles to be manufactured are starch noodles, the method for manufacturing noodles of the present invention can obtain noodles with good looseness during eating and a good texture with elasticity and firmness without performing an acid solution treatment step that is required when using alginic acid as a raw material and an aging step (such as a refrigeration step, a freezing and thawing step, etc.) that is essential in the conventional method for manufacturing starch noodles. However, if necessary, an acid solution treatment step, an aging step, etc. can also be provided. When the noodles to be manufactured are cereal noodles, an acid solution treatment step may be performed to improve the shelf life.

[0017] Hereinafter, each step of the manufacturing method will be described in detail. Raw material mixing step The raw material mixing step is a step (also referred to as a kneading step) of manufacturing noodle dough by mixing (kneading) a raw material containing starch and / or cereal powder substantially free of gluten with water (hereinafter also referred to as "kneading water").

[0018] <Raw material> The raw materials (which may also be referred to as raw ingredients) of the noodles of the present invention include starch and / or cereal powder substantially free of gluten, an alginate ester, and an alkaline agent.

[0019] The raw materials of the noodles include, as the main raw material powder, starch and / or cereal powder substantially free of gluten.

[0020] Starch Starch is composed of high molecular compounds, amylose and amylopectin, to which glucose is bound. Amylose has a simple structure in which glucose molecules are bound in a long chain (or helical shape), and amylopectin has a structure in which the chain-like binding of glucose forms a net-like structure and further branches out into a complex structure. The number of bound glucose molecules ranges from several tens to several hundreds for amylose and from several hundreds to several hundreds of thousands for amylopectin. The contents of amylose and amylopectin vary depending on the type of starch, which results in differences in the properties of each starch, such as the stickiness in the gelatinized state.

[0021] The starch is not particularly limited, and examples include raw starches (unprocessed starches) such as mung bean starch, corn starch, rice starch, broad bean starch, adzuki bean starch, sweet potato starch, pea starch, wheat starch, potato starch, tapioca (cassava) starch, and kudzu starch. Also, the starch can be classified according to the type of plant used as the raw material. For example, it can be divided into starch obtained above ground (above-ground starch) and starch obtained underground (underground starch). Examples of above-ground starch include cereal starches (rice, wheat, corn, etc.), stem starches, and legume starches (mung bean, broad bean, adzuki bean, pea, etc.). Examples of underground starch include root tuber starches (potato) and tuber starches (sweet potato, tapioca, kudzu, etc.).

[0022] The starch includes not only the raw starch (unprocessed starch) but also bleached starch, processed starch, etc. The bleached starch is starch treated by adding hypochlorites to an alkaline-adjusted starch suspension, and its color tone is improved. The processed starch is starch that has been chemically or physically processed. Examples of the processing include acid treatment, esterification treatment, etherification treatment, crosslinking treatment, and oil and fat processing treatment. These starches can be used alone or in appropriate combinations of two or more kinds. In the present invention, starches and / or flours substantially free of gluten can be used as raw materials without particular limitation. In particular, it can be said that one of the features is that inexpensive tapioca starch, potato starch, etc. can be used to produce noodles.

[0023] Hereinafter, tapioca starch and potato starch will be described. Tapioca starch is composed of 16 - 17% linear molecule amylose and 83 - 84% branched molecule amylopectin. Also, potato starch is composed of 20 - 23% linear molecule amylose and 77 - 80% branched molecule amylopectin. Here, tapioca starch, potato starch, etc. contain a large amount of amylopectin, have high viscosity or water retention capacity, and are characterized by being less likely to age. When using starches containing a large amount of amylopectin, smooth and good throat-feeling, soft-textured noodles can be obtained. Therefore, tapioca starch, potato starch, etc. are often used as texture improvers for noodles. However, when the blending amount is increased, there is a tendency such as the texture becoming too soft, the surface of the noodle strands becoming sticky, and the noodle strands being likely to stick together, resulting in poor looseness. Thus, it can be said that tapioca starch, potato starch, etc. are not suitable raw materials for producing noodles with elasticity, firmness, and good looseness. The present invention uses raw materials (such as tapioca starch, potato starch, etc.) that are inexpensive and easy to use in terms of cost, but it is difficult to obtain noodles with elasticity and firmness. However, noodles with good looseness during eating and a good texture with elasticity and firmness are obtained.

[0024] Flour substantially free of gluten In this specification, the flour substantially free of gluten means flour other than wheat flour. The flour substantially free of gluten includes, for example, buckwheat flour, corn flour, rice flour, soybean flour, etc., but is not limited thereto. These substantially gluten-free flours can be used alone or in any appropriate combination of two or more kinds.

[0025] The raw material flour may contain only starch, may contain only substantially gluten-free flour, or may contain both starch and substantially gluten-free flour.

[0026] Examples of commercially available dry noodles made from starches such as mung bean starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, and tapioca starch include cellophane noodles and kudzu noodles.

[0027] Examples of noodles containing only substantially gluten-free flour as the raw material flour include rice noodles such as pho and banh.

[0028] When the raw material flour contains starch and substantially gluten-free flour, the mass ratio of starch to substantially gluten-free flour is not particularly limited. Starch and substantially gluten-free flour can be mixed at a mass ratio of usually 1:0.01 to 100, preferably 1:0.05 to 50, and more preferably 1:0.04 to 40. In this specification, those containing 50% by mass or more of starch in the raw material flour can be referred to as starch noodles.

[0029] Noodles obtained from starch are generally referred to as starch noodles. Starch noodles have less protein than noodles obtained from general wheat flour. For example, while the amount of protein contained in 100 g of ramen is 7.4 g, the amount of protein contained in 100 g of dried cellophane noodles is 0.2 g. Starch noodles can be used as low-protein noodles. Examples of the uses of low-protein noodles include diets for kidney diseases. Kidney disease is a disease in which the function of the kidneys deteriorates, and protein and salt restrictions are mainly required. Therefore, the noodles of the present invention can be used as a diet for reducing the burden on the kidneys. It can be said that a diet therapy using low-protein noodles or the like is effective for suppressing the deterioration of kidney disease.

[0030] And the flour noodles are gluten-free foods. Gluten-free means not using gluten. Specifically, gluten-free means not only not using wheat gluten derived from wheat flour, but also not containing gluten-containing proteins derived from other grains. As its reference value, it is stipulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it satisfies either of the following (1) and (2). (1) Those that do not contain any of the following. Raw materials that are gluten-containing grains (such as spelt wheat, etc.) Raw materials derived from gluten-containing grains that have not been subjected to gluten removal treatment (such as wheat flour, etc.) Raw materials derived from gluten-containing grains that have been subjected to gluten removal treatment (such as wheat starch, etc.) and have a gluten content of 20 milligrams or more per kilogram in the food (2) Those that essentially do not contain gluten. As can be seen from these definitions, gluten-free does not only refer to those that do not contain any gluten at all.

[0031] <Alkalizing agent> The raw materials of the noodles contain an alkalizing agent in addition to the main raw materials (raw material powder) described above. As the alkalizing agent, generally known food alkalizing agents that can be commonly used can be used without particular limitation. Examples of such alkalizing agents include phosphates, carbonates, etc. Examples of phosphates include trisodium phosphate, tripotassium phosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, etc. Examples of carbonates include sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, ammonium carbonate, etc.

[0032] The addition amount of the alkalizing agent is adjusted according to the type and amount of the raw material powder, the type of the alkalizing agent, etc., so that the pH of the product is from weakly acidic to weakly alkaline, exceeding 6.5 and being 9 or less. For example, when the raw material is raw starch and the alkaline agent is trisodium phosphate, the addition amount of the alkaline agent is usually 0.01 to 10% by mass, preferably 0.02 to 5% by mass, more preferably 0.03 to 2% by mass, based on the total amount of the raw material powder (starch and / or flour substantially free of gluten). The alkaline agent is preferably dissolved in kneading water to form an aqueous solution and then mixed with the raw material powder or the like.

[0033] <Alginic acid ester> The raw material for noodles contains an alginic acid ester. By including the alginic acid ester in the raw material, it is possible to obtain noodles with good looseness during eating and a good texture. In the present invention, by using an alginic acid ester instead of alginic acid or alginates, acid liquid treatment becomes unnecessary. Further, when the noodles are wheat flour noodles, it is possible to obtain wheat flour noodles having the texture such as elasticity and firmness that conventional wheat flour noodles have and excellent looseness without undergoing a conventional aging process (such as a refrigeration process, a freezing and thawing process, etc.). Here, the looseness means the ease of loosening when the noodles are lifted with chopsticks during eating.

[0034] The alginic acid ester is a substance in which an alcohol is ester-bonded to the carboxyl group of uronic acid constituting alginic acid. Generally, alginic acid or alginates are polysaccharides contained in brown algae such as kelp and wakame. Alginates and alginic acid which is the basic acid thereof are polymers of uronic acid. There are two types of uronic acid, β-D-mannuronic acid and α-L-guluronic acid. The sequences of these two constituent sugars in the polymer are not constant and vary depending on the type of seaweed, the part, and the growth degree of the collected seaweed. In the sequence, there are three types of units: a unit in which mannuronic acid and guluronic acid are alternately connected, a unit in which mannuronic acid is connected, and a unit in which guluronic acid is connected. Therefore, the alginic acid ester is a substance in which an alcohol is ester-bonded to the carboxyl group of uronic acid constituting alginic acid.

[0035] In the present invention, the alginate ester is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include esters of alginic acid and alcohols having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. Examples of the alcohol having 1 to 6 carbon atoms include monoalcohols such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropyl alcohol, and butanol; diols such as ethylene glycol and propylene glycol; and triols such as glycerin.

[0036] Specific examples of the alginate ester include propylene glycol alginate, ethylene glycol alginate, glycerin alginate, and the like. Among these, propylene glycol alginate, which has been designated as a food additive, is preferred. Propylene glycol alginate is a compound in which propylene glycol is ester-bonded to the carboxyl group of uronic acid constituting alginic acid, but not all carboxyl groups need to be esterified, and unreacted free acid portions, salts such as sodium salts and calcium salts, may remain.

[0037] The alginate ester is a white to pale yellowish white powder, has good solubility in cold water or warm water, and forms a viscous colloidal solution. The alginate ester is less prone to change over time compared to other alginic acids (such as alginic acid and alginates), and is a relatively stable material. If stored in a cool, dark place (generally below 20 °C) in a powdered state, the quality (such as viscosity and degree of esterification) is less likely to change for more than one year.

[0038] The degree of esterification of the alginate ester is usually 40% or more, preferably 70% or more, more preferably 75% or more, and particularly preferably in the range of 75 to 80%. If the degree of esterification of the alginate ester is 40% or more, the standards of the Japanese Pharmacopoeia of Food Additives can be met.

[0039] Commercially available alginate esters can be appropriately used. As commercially available alginate esters, propylene glycol alginate and its preparations "Konbu acid 501" (esterification degree: 75% or more, viscosity at 20 °C of 1% by mass aqueous solution: 150 to 250 mPa·s, manufactured by Kimika Co., Ltd.), "Konbu acid 503" (esterification degree: 75% or more, viscosity at 20 °C of 1% by weight aqueous solution: 10 to 30 mPa·s, Kimika Co., Ltd.), "Konbu acid 507" (esterification degree: 75% or more, viscosity at 20 °C of 1% by mass aqueous solution: 10 to 30 mPa·s, Kimika Co., Ltd.), "Kimiroid HV" (esterification degree: 75% or more, viscosity at 20 °C of 1% by mass aqueous solution: 150 to 250 mPa·s, Kimika Co., Ltd.), "Kimiroid LV" (esterification degree: 75% or more, viscosity at 20 °C of 1% by mass aqueous solution: 60 to 100 mPa·s, Kimika Co., Ltd.), etc. can be used.

[0040] When mixing alginate ester with other raw materials, it may be added in powder form, or it can also be added after being adjusted to an aqueous solution form in advance. Also, it can be added to the kneading water and mixed as the kneading water. When adding alginate ester to the kneading water for use, it is preferable to mix it with the powder immediately after preparing the kneading water. Also, an aqueous solution containing alginate ester and an aqueous solution containing an alkaline agent can be added to the raw material powder separately. Any mode can be appropriately selected. It is preferable to add alginate ester to the powder. Note that since alginate ester has the function of connecting the dough, it also has functions such as those of the following adhesives.

[0041] The addition amount of alginate ester can be appropriately determined in consideration of the relationship with other raw materials, for example, the addition amount of the alkaline agent, the pH of the noodle dough, the degree of gelatinization treatment, the noodle quality to be obtained, etc. The addition amount of alginate ester is usually 0.01 to 3% by mass, preferably 0.1 to 2% by mass, and more preferably 0.3 to 1% by mass based on the total amount of the raw material powder (starch and / or cereal flour substantially free of gluten).

[0042] <Adhesive> The raw material of the noodles can contain a paste agent as needed. By blending the paste agent, the dough is more likely to stick together when the raw material and kneading water are mixed. In this specification, the paste agent is a paste agent other than alginate ester and does not contain alginate ester. By using the paste agent, when flour is used as the raw material powder, it is possible to form noodle dough in which the dilatancy phenomenon (the phenomenon that it becomes like a solid when strongly grasped and like a liquid when the grasping stops) does not occur, and it becomes possible to extrude it with an extruder to form noodle strands. The paste agent is not particularly limited as long as it is generally used in food. The paste agent includes, for example, guar gum, carrageenan gum, xanthan gum, gatti gum, gum arabic, pregelatinized starch, etc. Here, pregelatinized starch refers to starch that is heated with water, gelatinized, and then rapidly dried and powdered. These can be used alone or in appropriate combination of two or more.

[0043] When adding the paste agent, the addition amount varies depending on the type (viscosity) of the paste agent, the amount of alginate ester, etc. For example, it is usually 0.1 to 10% by mass, preferably 0.5 to 8% by mass, and more preferably 1 to 5% by mass based on the total amount of the raw material powder (flour and / or cereal powder substantially free of gluten). When the paste agent is pregelatinized starch, the pregelatinized starch may be added separately, but it is also possible to make a carrier paste by heating and gelatinizing a part of the raw material flour while mixing water in advance, and adding this carrier paste to the remaining flour as the paste agent to make the dough. In this case, there is no need to add a paste agent separately.

[0044] Furthermore, additives generally used in the production of instant noodles may be added to the raw materials as needed. As additives, for example, Seasonings such as salt, amino acids (e.g., glutamic acid, inosinic acid, etc.), soy sauce (e.g., light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, etc.), acetic acid, chicken extract, etc.; oils and fats such as animal and vegetable oils, liquid oils, emulsified oils, powdered oils, etc.; protein materials such as eggs, milk, dairy products, processed milk products, milk protein, soy protein, egg yolk powder, egg white powder, whole egg powder, skim milk powder, etc.; noodle quality improvers, softeners, emulsifiers, solubilizers, surfactants, thickeners, excipients, fortifiers, chelating agents, neutralizing agents, acidulants, dietary fiber, spices, sweeteners, seasonings, vitamins, minerals, dextrin, alcohol, enzyme agents, preservatives, preservatives, pigments such as carotenoid pigments, and other additives such as flavors can be mentioned.

[0045] These additives are used by mixing with water. As the addition method, they may be added in a solid state together with raw material powder, etc., or may be dissolved or suspended in water and added as an aqueous solution or suspension.

[0046] In the raw material mixing step, water is added to the raw materials, and then, using a noodle-making mixer such as a pin mixer, the kneading is performed so that various raw materials are uniformly mixed to produce noodle dough. The temperature of the raw material mixing step is not particularly limited. For example, it is usually 18 to 100°C. Note that the temperature may vary greatly depending on the type and amount of the raw materials, etc. The time of the raw material mixing step is not particularly limited. For example, it is usually 2 to 20 minutes, preferably 5 to 15 minutes, and more preferably 10 to 12 minutes.

[0047] Here, the amount of water used in the raw material mixing step may be any amount of moisture required for the formation of noodle dough. The amount of water can be expressed, for example, as the water addition rate of the noodle dough. In this specification, the water addition rate refers to the ratio of the amount of moisture to the mass of the raw materials (excluding the raw materials added after being dissolved in water). For example, since alkaline agents, salt, etc. are added after being dissolved in water, they are excluded from the raw materials when calculating the water addition rate. The water addition rate is not particularly limited. For example, it is 50% by mass or more to 200% by mass, preferably 60 to 150% by mass, and more preferably 70 to 100% by mass. By using the production method of the present invention, it is possible to produce noodles with good looseness during eating and a good texture with elasticity and firmness from noodle dough with a high water addition rate (70% by mass or more). The pH of the noodle dough after the mixing step is preferably 6 to 9.5. The pH of the noodle dough is measured by directly inserting a pH meter (manufactured by Hanna Instruments, pH / ℃ meter for dairy products and semi-solid foods / HI 99161D) into the noodle dough immediately after the kneading is completed. According to the method for producing noodles of the present invention, even for dough containing a large amount of water, elasticity and firmness can be imparted to the noodles.

[0048] Noodle making step The noodle-making step is a step of forming the noodle dough obtained in the above raw material mixing step into noodle strands (also referred to as the noodle-strand forming step). The method of forming noodle strands is not particularly limited. For example, a method of extruding the noodle dough with an extruder or the like to form noodle strands, a method of rolling the noodle dough into a noodle sheet and then cutting it, or when the raw material powder is starch, for example, a method of forming noodle strands by dropping the dough using a container with a plurality of holes such as a sieve (drop method) can be mentioned.

[0049] Gelatinization step In the gelatinization step, the starch contained in the noodle strands is gelatinized. The method of gelatinizing the noodle strands is not particularly limited, and examples include a steaming method (steaming) using steam and a boiling method. The steaming treatment is preferably performed using a steamer using steam. As the quality of the steam used in the steaming treatment, dry steam, moist steam, superheated steam, etc. can be used, and in order to improve the texture of the obtained noodle strands, it is preferable to use moist steam. Alternatively, the steam generated by a boiler can be depressurized and injected into the steamer, and the noodle strands can be passed through the steamer to be gelatinized. Gelatinization can also be performed by boiling.

[0050] The temperature of the gelatinization step is not particularly limited. For example, it is usually 96 to 110°C, preferably 98 to 105°C, and more preferably 99 to 100°C.

[0051] The time of the gelatinization step varies depending on the gelatinization method, raw materials, method of gelatinizing the noodle strands, etc. For example, when the gelatinization step is carried out by steaming treatment, the time is usually 1 second to 3 minutes, preferably 5 seconds to 2 minutes, and more preferably 10 seconds to 1.5 minutes. When the gelatinization step is carried out by boiling treatment, the time is usually 1 second to 2 minutes, preferably 5 seconds to 1.5 minutes, and more preferably 10 seconds to 1 minute.

[0052] After the gelatinization step, instead of immediately drying the gelatinized noodle strands, a loosening agent (loosening liquid) can be applied to the noodle strands. The application of the loosening agent has effects such as preventing the binding of the noodle strands. As the loosening agent, water or a flavoring liquid may be used, or a liquid obtained by dissolving an emulsifier, oil and fat, emulsified oil and fat, thickening polysaccharide, modified starch, enzyme, etc. in water, a liquid obtained by adding an emulsifier, oil and fat, thickening polysaccharide, etc. to a flavoring liquid, etc. may also be used. The loosening agent can be applied, for example, by directly applying it to the noodle strands after the gelatinization step or by immersing the noodle strands after the gelatinization step in the loosening agent. In addition to applying the loosening agent to the noodle strands after the above-mentioned gelatinization step, it is also possible to apply the loosening agent to the noodle strands before or during the gelatinization step, or by kneading the loosening agent into the noodle dough.

[0053] After applying the loosening agent to the noodle strands, it is preferable to provide a standing time at room temperature. By allowing the noodle strands to stand, the moisture adhering to the surface of the noodle strands can be absorbed into the interior of the noodle strands. The standing time of the noodle strands is not particularly limited, but is usually about 10 seconds to 15 minutes, preferably about 1 to 10 minutes, and more preferably about 2 to 6 minutes. In the manufacturing method of the present invention, in addition to the above steps, optional steps can also be provided. Examples of optional steps include a step of cutting the cooled noodle strands (noodle strand cutting step), a step of putting the cut noodle strands into a mold, a step of drying the noodle strands, a step of putting the dried noodles into a cup, a step of adding seasonings, a step of packaging, and the like.

[0054] Drying step There is no particular limitation on the drying step. For example, the obtained noodle strands are cut to about 15 cm, and the cut noodle strands are dried. The drying step is not particularly limited as long as it is a method for reducing the moisture content of the noodles. Examples of drying methods include hot air drying, microwave drying, freeze drying, air drying, deep frying, and the like. In the present invention, it is preferable to use non-fried noodles (non-fry noodles), and among the above drying methods, it is preferable to dry by hot air drying. When hot air drying is performed using a dryer or the like, the temperature of the dryer is not particularly limited. For example, it is usually about 20 to 180 °C, preferably about 40 to 120 °C, and more preferably about 50 to 100 °C. Since the drying time varies depending on the noodle quality, it is preferable to completely dry while observing the state of the noodles every 10 minutes, for example.

[0055] The dried noodles are transferred to the packaging step, packaged in a cup together with soup, ingredients, etc., and sold as an instant noodle product.

[0056] Noodles The pH of the suspension of the dried noodles of the present invention is usually more than 6.5 and 9 or less, preferably 6.6 to 7.98, and more preferably 6.7 to 7.6. The pH of the noodles can be measured, for example, by preparing a suspension (10% suspension) containing 10% of the solid content of the noodle strands and measuring the pH of the suspension. Here, the solid content refers to the residue obtained by evaporating and removing the moisture in a high-moisture food in food analysis or quality evaluation. The solid content (%) can be obtained by 100 - moisture (%). The moisture can be measured, for example, using a halogen moisture meter MB45 manufactured by OHAUS. The following shows a specific method for measuring the pH of noodles after drying (dried noodles). (1) Measure the moisture content of the noodles after drying and calculate the solid content of the noodle strands. (2) Weigh the noodle strands so that the solid content becomes 6 g, and put the weighed noodle strands into a graduated cylinder. For example, in the case of dried noodles with a solid content of 93%, weigh approximately 6.5 g. (3) Add distilled water at room temperature to the graduated cylinder containing the noodle strands until it reaches 60 mL, and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to swell the noodles. (4) Grind the mixture of noodle strands and distilled water with a mixer for 30 seconds to prepare a 10% suspension, and pour this suspension into a 100 mL beaker. (5) Measure the pH at room temperature (25 - 30 °C) using a pH meter (manufactured by Hanna Instruments, pH / °C meter for dairy products and semi-solid foods / HI 99161D). The noodles obtained by the above manufacturing method have good looseness during eating and exhibit a good texture with elasticity and firmness.

[0057] Gelatinized noodles Also, among the above manufacturing methods, the noodles after the gelatinization step and before the drying step are called gelatinized noodles. The gelatinized noodles have a good texture with elasticity and firmness. Therefore, the gelatinized noodles before the drying step can also be sold as chilled-type noodles. The gelatinized noodles before this drying step can be said to be a precursor for manufacturing the noodles of the present invention and can be manufactured by the following manufacturing method. Therefore, the present invention includes a manufacturing method of gelatinized noodles, which comprises a raw material mixing step, a noodle making step, and a gelatinization step, wherein the raw materials in the raw material mixing step include a raw material powder containing starch and / or cereal powder substantially free of gluten, an alkaline agent, and an alginate ester, and the pH in the suspension of the gelatinized noodles obtained in the gelatinization step is more than 6.5 and 9 or less, and the gelatinized noodles obtained by the manufacturing method of the gelatinized noodles. Note that the pH of the gelatinized noodles can be measured in the same manner as the method for measuring the pH of the dried noodles after gelatinization. The specific method for measuring the pH of the gelatinized noodles is as follows. (1) Measure the moisture content of the noodles after gelatinization and calculate the solid content of the noodle strands. (2) Weigh the noodle strands so that the solid content becomes 6 g, and put the weighed noodle strands into a graduated cylinder. For example, in the case of gelatinized noodles with a solid content of 40%, weigh approximately 15 g. (3) Add distilled water at room temperature to the graduated cylinder containing the noodle strands until it reaches 60 mL. (4) Grind the mixture of the noodle strands and distilled water with a mixer for 30 seconds to prepare a 10% suspension, and pour this suspension into a 100 mL beaker. (5) Measure the pH at room temperature (25 - 30°C) using a pH meter (manufactured by Hanna Instruments, pH / °C meter for dairy products and semi-solid foods / HI 99161D).

Example

[0058] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically by way of examples, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples. In this specification, "about" means ±3 g in the case of the mass of the noodles and ±3°C in the case of the temperature.

[0059] (1) Manufacture of noodles (starch noodles) containing starch as a raw material In the following Examples 1 to 13 and Comparative Examples 1 to 23, cellophane noodles were produced as an example of the starch noodles. Example 1 (Raw material mixing step) 3000 g of starch (tapioca starch: manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., "MKK-100" (trade name)), 30 g of alginate ester (manufactured by Kimika Co., Ltd., "Kombu acid 501" (trade name)), and 30 g of a sizing agent (guar gum) were put into a vacuum mixer and mixed for 3 minutes for premixing. Separately, 1.2 g of an alkaline agent (trisodium phosphate) was dissolved in 2600 g of water to prepare kneading water.

[0060] Next, the above kneading water was added to the powder mixture and kneaded with a vacuum mixer for 10 minutes. <Measurement of water addition rate and pH> The water addition rate of the obtained kneaded product (noodle dough) was calculated using the following formula.

Equation

[0061] (Noodle making process) The obtained noodle dough was sent through a pipe using a mono pump (manufactured by Hyoshin Sobi Co., Ltd.) and extruded from a nozzle with pores to form noodle strands.

[0062] (Gelatinization process) The obtained noodle strands were passed through a steamer in which steam generated by a boiler was injected after reducing the pressure for 1 minute and 20 seconds to perform atmospheric pressure steaming at 100 °C for gelatinization, obtaining gelatinized noodles. <pH measurement> Here, the pH of the gelatinized noodles was measured by the following method. (1) The moisture content of the noodles after gelatinization was measured using a halogen moisture meter MB45 manufactured by OHAUS, and the solid content of the noodle strands was calculated to be 40%. (2) Approximately 15 g was weighed so that the solid content of the noodle strands was 6 g, and the weighed noodle strands were placed in a graduated cylinder. (3) Distilled water at room temperature was added to the graduated cylinder containing the noodle strands until it reached 60 mL. (4) The mixture of the noodle strands and distilled water was pulverized with a mixer for 30 seconds to prepare a 10% suspension, and this suspension was poured into a 100 mL beaker. (5) Using a pH meter (manufactured by Hanna Instruments, pH / ℃ meter for dairy products and semi-solid foods / HI 99161D), the pH was measured at room temperature (25 - 30 °C) and found to be 6.28.

[0063] (Drying process) Thereafter, the noodle strands of the pre-gelatinized noodles were cut into lengths of about 15 cm and left at room temperature for 12 minutes. Next, 5 ml of a loosening solution was applied to 60 g of noodle strands, and each serving was put into a frustum-shaped drying frame and dried with hot air at 50 to 60 °C by a dryer to obtain starch noodles (about 20 g per serving).

[0064] Examples 2 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 Starch noodles were produced by the same production method as in Example 1, except that the addition amount of the alkaline agent and the amount of added water in Table 2 below were changed. In Examples 3 and 5, the pH was measured after pre-gelatinization, and the pH of the pre-gelatinized noodles was shown in Table 2 below. In Examples 2 and 4, the pH was not measured after pre-gelatinization, but it is expected to be about the same as the pH of the dried noodles based on the results of Examples 1, 3, and 5.

[0065] Comparative Examples 6, 8, and 10 Starch noodles were produced by the same production method as in Example 1, except that the alginate was replaced with alginic acid and further the addition amount of the alkaline agent and the amount of added water were changed as shown in Table 2 below.

[0066] Comparative Examples 7, 9, and 11 Starch noodles were produced by the same production method as in Comparative Examples 6, 8, and 10, except that a calcium treatment (a treatment of immersing the noodle strands after pre-gelatinization in a 1% calcium lactate solution for 10 seconds) was performed to gel the ionized alginic acid after the pre-gelatinization step.

[0067] Comparative Examples 12, 14, and 16 Starch noodles were produced by the same production method as in Example 1, except that the alginate was replaced with sodium alginate and further the addition amount of the alkaline agent and the amount of added water were changed as shown in Table 2 below.

[0068] Comparative Examples 13, 15, and 17 Starch noodles were produced by the same production method as in Comparative Examples 12, 14, and 16, except that a calcium treatment was performed to gel the sodium alginate after the pre-gelatinization step.

[0069] The following tests were conducted on the prepared starch noodles (Examples 1 to 5, Comparative Examples 1 to 17).

[0070] <pH measurement> The pH of the obtained starch noodles was measured by the following method. (1) The moisture content of the dried noodles was measured using a halogen moisture meter MB45 manufactured by OHAUS, and the solid content of the noodle strands was calculated. Since the solid content of the dried noodles obtained in Examples 1 to 5 was 6 to 9%, and it was considered that the solid content of the dried noodles obtained in other examples and comparative examples was also of the same degree, the amount of noodle strands to be weighed was about 6.5 g. (2) About 6.5 g of the noodle strands of the starch noodles were weighed, and the weighed noodle strands were put into a graduated cylinder. (3) Distilled water at room temperature was added to the graduated cylinder containing the noodle strands until it reached 60 mL, and the noodles were left standing at room temperature for 30 minutes to swell the noodles. (4) The mixture of the noodle strands and distilled water was pulverized with a mixer for 30 seconds to prepare a 10% suspension, and this suspension was poured into a 100 mL beaker. (5) Using a pH meter (manufactured by Hanna Instruments, pH / ℃ meter for dairy products and semi-solid foods / HI 99161D), the pH was measured at room temperature (25 to 30 °C).

[0071] <Sensory test> After leaving the prepared starch noodles at room temperature for 1 day or more, the starch noodles were put into a container, boiling water was poured in, and they were left standing for about 3 minutes. Then, a sensory test regarding texture and looseness was conducted. For the sensory test, 5 trained panelists evaluated twice each (number of evaluations: 10 times). The texture was evaluated on a 5-point scale according to the evaluation criteria shown in Table 1 below, the average value of the 10 values was calculated, and an average score of 2.5 or more was considered a pass. Note that 5 points for texture means a texture comparable to that of commercially available Chinese spring noodles (spring noodles produced through the freezing and thawing processes). The looseness (looseness during eating) was evaluated based on the number of times of lifting and the state of the noodle mass by inserting chopsticks into the center of the noodle mass and repeatedly lifting it until the noodle mass or noodle strands emerged from the soup surface until the noodle strands loosened. The looseness was also evaluated in five grades according to the evaluation criteria described in Table 1 below, and an average score of 2.5 or more in 10 times was considered a pass. In addition, the inability to discharge the noodle dough from the nozzle in the noodle-making process and the failure to obtain noodles were indicated as "unable to discharge". Also, the fact that the noodle strands after gelatinization did not dry even after being dried for 1 hour was indicated as "poor drying".

[0072]

Table 1

[0073]

Table 2

[0074] <Results> From Table 2, the wheat flour noodles of Examples 1 to 5 all passed the texture evaluation and the looseness evaluation during eating. In addition, the wheat flour noodles of Examples 1 to 5 had a pH of more than 6.5 and less than 9 at the stage of the noodle strands after gelatinization (gelatinized noodles), had elasticity and firmness, and had little stickiness of the noodle strands. Therefore, there was almost no binding between the noodle strands in the state before drying, and the looseness was good. On the other hand, in Comparative Examples 1, 2, and 3, since the pH of the noodle dough after the mixing step was less than 6 or exceeded 9.5, poor drying occurred and the noodles as products could not be obtained. In addition, the wheat flour noodles of Comparative Examples 1, 2, and 3 had weaker noodle strand strength and were more likely to break into pieces compared to the noodle strands of Examples 1 to 5 at the stage of the noodle strands after gelatinization. Also, since the noodle strands had no firmness and elasticity and the surface was sticky, the noodle strands quickly adhered to each other and poor drying occurred. In Comparative Examples 4 and 5, since the pH of the noodle dough after the mixing step exceeded 10, it could not be discharged from the nozzle in the noodle-making step, and the product noodles could not be obtained. This is presumably because the effect of connecting the alginate dough decreased due to the excessively high pH of the noodle dough. When an attempt was made to form noodle strands in a dropping manner using this noodle dough, noodle strands were obtained. However, the obtained noodle strands were as weak and sticky as those in Comparative Examples 1, 2, and 3, and it was predicted that drying would be poor, so drying was not performed.

[0075] Also, in Comparative Examples 6, 8, and 10 (using alginic acid), and Comparative Examples 12, 14, and 16 (using sodium alginate) where alginic acids other than alginate esters were used, drying was poor and the product noodles could not be obtained. Note that these starch noodles also lacked firmness at the stage of the cooked noodle strands (cooked noodles), similar to Comparative Examples 1, 2, and 3, and the binding between the noodle strands easily occurred, resulting in poor drying. Ionized alginic acid and sodium alginate have the property of gelling when calcium ions or the like are added. Therefore, an attempt was made to perform calcium treatment on the noodle strands (cooked noodles) after the gelatinization step. However, in Comparative Examples 7, 9, and 11 (using alginic acid), no significant improvement was observed in the noodle quality, drying was poor, and the product noodles could not be obtained. In Comparative Examples 13, 15, and 17 (using sodium alginate), the binding of the noodle strands was somewhat improved and drying was possible. However, the obtained noodles had a texture evaluation result of 1 - 2 and a looseness evaluation result of 1 - 3, and the texture and looseness were clearly poor.

[0076] Comparative Examples 6 to 11 and Comparative Examples 18 to 19 (examination of the method of adding alginic acid) In Comparative Examples 6 - 11, since alginic acid was mixed with starch and a paste, and kneading water was added to the obtained powder mixture for kneading, there was a possibility that the alginic acid was not sufficiently swollen. Therefore, an attempt was made to produce starch noodles by adding alginic acid to the kneading water. The raw material mixing process was carried out as follows. 3000 g of starch (tapioca starch: manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., "MKK-100" (trade name)) and 30 g of paste (guar gum) were put into a vacuum mixer and mixed for 3 minutes to perform premixing. Separately, 30 g of alginic acid and 22 g of alkali agent (trisodium phosphate) were dissolved in 2600 g of water to prepare kneading water. Next, the above kneading water was added to the powder mixture and kneaded with a vacuum mixer for 10 minutes. The noodle-making process, gelatinization process, and drying process were carried out in the same manner as in Example 1 to produce wheat flour noodles (Comparative Example 18). Also, except that acid treatment (a process of immersing noodle strands in a 90% lactic acid solution at 8.3 g / L for 30 seconds) was carried out after the gelatinization process, an attempt was made to produce wheat flour noodles in the same manner as in Comparative Example 18 (Comparative Example 19). And when wheat flour noodles could be produced, a sensory evaluation of the wheat flour noodles was conducted. By comparing these results with the results of Comparative Example 10, the effect of the addition method of alginic acid was examined. The results are shown in Table 3. Note that Comparative Example 10 is a reproduction of the description in Table 2.

[0077]

Table 3

[0078] <Results> From Table 3, in Comparative Example 18, by mixing alginic acid with the alkali agent in the kneading water, the alginic acid was sufficiently swollen, but no significant improvement was observed in the noodle quality. In Comparative Example 19, alginic acid was mixed with the alkali agent in the kneading water, and further acid treatment was carried out after the gelatinization process, but the noodle quality was the same as in Comparative Examples 10 and 18, resulting in poor drying and no noodles as products could be obtained.

[0079] Examples 2 to 3 and Comparative Examples 20 to 23 (examination of the presence or absence of alginate) An attempt was made to produce wheat flour noodles in the same manner as in Example 1, except that no alginate and alkali agent were added (Comparative Example 20). In addition, except for not adding an alginate ester, noodle production was attempted in the same manner as in Example 2 (Comparative Example 21). Except for not adding an alginate ester, noodle production was attempted in the same manner as in Example 3 (Comparative Example 22). Furthermore, except for not adding an alginate ester and changing the amount of the paste to the amount described in Table 3, noodle production was attempted in the same manner as in Example 3 (Comparative Example 23). And when the noodle could be produced, a sensory evaluation of the noodle was conducted. By comparing these results with the results of Examples 2 and 3, the effects of adding the alginate ester were examined. The results are shown in Table 4. Note that Examples 2 and 3 are reproduced with the descriptions in Table 2.

[0080]

Table 4

[0081] <Results> From Table 4, the noodles of Examples 2 and 3 to which an alginate ester was added both passed the texture evaluation and the looseness evaluation. On the other hand, in Comparative Examples 20, 21, and 22 where no alginate ester was added, none of them could be discharged from the nozzle in the noodle-making process, and no noodle product could be obtained. Also in these cases, similar to Comparative Examples 4 and 5, it is considered that the cohesion of the dough was insufficient. Therefore, in order to make the dough in a state where it can be discharged, the addition amount of the paste was increased to three times that of Comparative Example 22, and noodle-making was carried out (Comparative Example 23). In Comparative Example 23, it could be discharged from the nozzle in the noodle-making process, but there was poor drying in the drying process, and no noodle product could be obtained. Note that the cooked noodle strands (cooked noodles) of Comparative Example 23 also had the same weak and sticky noodle quality as seen in Comparative Examples 1, 2, 3, 12, 14, and 16.

[0082] Examples 3, 6, and 7 (examination of alkaline agents) Except for replacing the type and addition amount of the alkali agent with those in Table 5 below, the production of starch noodles was attempted in the same manner as in Example 3 (Examples 6 and 7). When the starch noodles could be produced, a sensory evaluation of the starch noodles was conducted. By comparing these results with the results of Example 3, the effects of the type of alkali agent were examined. The results are shown in Table 5. Note that Example 3 is reproduced from the description in Table 2.

[0083]

Table 5

[0084] <Results> From Table 5, the starch noodles of Examples 6 and 7 in which the type of alkali agent was changed were both passing scores in both the texture evaluation and the looseness evaluation, similar to Example 3. Therefore, it was found that starch noodles excellent in texture and looseness can be obtained regardless of the type of alkali agent.

[0085] Examples 3, 4, and 8 to 10 (examination of the types of alginate) As the alginate, "Kombu Acid 503" manufactured by Kimika Co., Ltd. was used, and the production of starch noodles was attempted using the same production method as in Example 3 except for replacing the addition amount of the alkali agent and the amount of added water (Examples 8 to 10). When the starch noodles could be produced, a sensory evaluation of the starch noodles was conducted. By comparing these results with the results of Examples 3 and 4, the effects of the type of alginate were examined. The results are shown in Table 6. Note that Examples 3 and 4 are reproduced from the description in Table 2.

[0086]

Table 6

[0087] <Results> From Table 6, the starch noodles of Examples 8 to 10 using alginate products different from those of Examples 3 and 4 were passing scores in both the texture evaluation and the looseness evaluation, similar to Examples 3 and 4. Therefore, it was found that starch noodles excellent in texture and looseness can be obtained regardless of the type of alginate.

[0088] Examples 4 and 11 (examination of the types of starch) Using the starch described in Table 7 below, an attempt was made to produce starch noodles in the same manner as in Example 4, except that the addition amount and the amount of water added were changed (Example 11). When the starch noodles could be produced, a sensory evaluation of the starch noodles was performed. By comparing the results with those of Example 4, the effects of the type of starch were examined. The results are shown in Table 7. Note that Example 4 is reproduced from the description in Table 2.

[0089]

Table 7

[0090] <Results> From Table 7, the starch noodles of Example 11 using a starch different from that of Example 4 were qualified in the texture evaluation and the looseness evaluation, as in Example 4. Therefore, it was found that starch noodles excellent in texture and looseness can be obtained regardless of the type of starch.

[0091] Examples 3 and 12 (examination of the types of paste) An attempt was made to produce starch noodles in the same manner as in Example 3, except that the type of the paste agent and its addition amount were changed to those shown in Table 8 below (Example 12). When the starch noodles could be produced, a sensory evaluation of the starch noodles was performed. The results are shown in Table 8. Note that Example 3 is reproduced from the description in Table 2.

[0092]

Table 8

[0093] <Results> From Table 8, the starch noodles of Example 12 using a paste agent different from that of Example 3 were qualified in the texture evaluation and the looseness evaluation, as in Example 3. Therefore, it was found that starch noodles excellent in texture and looseness can be obtained regardless of the type of paste agent.

[0094] Examples 3 and 13 (examination of the presence or absence of acid solution treatment) After the α - conversion step, noodle production was attempted in the same manner as in Example 3, except that acid solution treatment (a step of immersing noodle strands in a 90% lactic acid solution at 8.3 g / L for 30 seconds) was performed (Example 13). When the starch noodles could be produced, a sensory evaluation of the starch noodles was conducted. The results are shown in Table 9. Note that Example 3 is reproduced as shown in Table 2.

[0095]

Table 9

[0096] <Results> From Table 9, for the starch noodles of Example 13 with acid solution treatment, the texture evaluation and the looseness evaluation passed. Therefore, according to the method for producing noodles of the present invention, starch noodles excellent in texture and looseness can be obtained even without acid solution treatment, but it was also found that starch noodles excellent in texture and looseness can be obtained even when acid solution treatment is further performed.

[0097] (2) Noodles containing flour substantially free of gluten as a raw material As noodles containing cereal flour substantially free of gluten as a raw material, rice noodles and buckwheat noodles were produced as follows, and the water addition rate, the pH of the noodle dough, and the pH of the noodles were measured in the same manner as for the above - mentioned starch noodles. Then, after leaving the obtained noodles at room temperature for 1 day or more, they were put into a container, hot water was poured, and they were left for about 3 minutes. Thereafter, a sensory test regarding texture and looseness was conducted. For the sensory test, 5 trained panelists evaluated twice each (number of evaluations: 10 times). The texture was evaluated on a 5 - point scale according to the evaluation criteria described in Table 10 below, and the average value of the 10 values was calculated. For noodles containing cereal flour substantially free of gluten as a raw material such as rice noodles and buckwheat noodles, since a firmer texture is preferred compared to the above - mentioned starch noodles, an average score of 3 or more was considered a pass. The looseness (looseness during eating) was evaluated based on the number of times of lifting and the state of the noodle mass by inserting chopsticks into the center of the noodle mass and repeatedly lifting it until the noodle mass or noodle strands emerged from the soup surface until the noodle strands loosened. The looseness was also evaluated in five grades according to the evaluation criteria described in Table 10 below, and the average score for 10 times was calculated. Noodles containing flour substantially free of gluten as a raw material such as rice noodles and buckwheat noodles are essentially better in looseness compared to the above-mentioned starch noodles, so a score of 3 or more was considered a pass.

[0098]

Table 10

[0099] Example 14, and Comparative Examples 24 and 25 (rice noodles) Rice noodles are noodles made using rice flour as a flour substantially free of gluten. 3000 g of rice flour (manufactured by Hori Co., Ltd., "Weak Flour V3" (trade name)), 9 g of alginate (manufactured by Kimika Co., Ltd., "Kombu Acid 501" (trade name)), and 90 g of paste (gelatinized starch) were put into a vacuum mixer and mixed for 3 minutes to perform premixing. Separately, 8 g of an alkaline agent (trisodium phosphate) was dissolved in 2900 g of water to prepare kneading water. After the mixing step, noodles were produced in the same manufacturing method as in Example 1 (Example 14). Noodle production was attempted in the same manner as in Example 14, except that no alginate was added and the amount of water was changed to 3300 g (Comparative Example 24). Noodle production was attempted in the same manner as in Example 14, except that no alkaline agent was added and the amount of water was changed to 3300 g (Comparative Example 25). When rice noodles could be produced, a sensory evaluation of the rice noodles was performed. The results are shown in Table 11.

[0100]

Table 11

[0101] <Results> From Table 11, the rice and wheat noodles of Example 14 to which an alginate ester was added and adjusted to an optimal pH with an alkaline agent had elasticity and firmness and had a good texture. On the other hand, the rice and wheat noodles of Comparative Example 24 to which no alginate ester was added and the rice and wheat noodles of Comparative Example 25 whose pH was not adjusted were weak in elasticity and firmness and had a crumbling texture. Since the noodle strands (cooked noodles) after gelatinization were brittle in both cases, they were easily broken and the noodle-making suitability was poor. In particular, the rice and wheat noodles of Comparative Example 24 were brittle and most of them became short noodles.

[0102] Examples 15 and 16, and Comparative Example 26 (buckwheat noodles) Soba is a noodle made using buckwheat flour as a flour that substantially does not contain gluten, but as a raw material flour, it contains processed starch together with buckwheat flour. 2700 g of buckwheat flour (manufactured by Iizaka Flour Milling Co., Ltd., "Buckwheat Flour Kaoru (i)" (product name)), 300 g of starch (acetic acid tapioca starch: manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., "Matsutani Sakura" (product name)), 15 g of alginate ester (manufactured by Kimika Co., Ltd., "Kombu Acid 501" (product name)), and 45 g of a sizing agent (guar gum) were put into a vacuum mixer and mixed for 3 minutes to prepare a premix. Separately, 30 g of an alkaline agent (trisodium phosphate) was dissolved in 2800 g of water to prepare kneading water. Thereafter, soba was produced in the same manufacturing method as in Example 1 (Example 15). Soba was attempted to be produced in the same manner as in Example 15 except that the amount of the alkaline agent (trisodium phosphate) was changed to 5 g (Example 16). Soba was attempted to be produced in the same manner as in Example 15 except that no alkaline agent was added (Comparative Example 26). When soba could be produced, a sensory evaluation of the soba was performed. The results are shown in Table 12.

[0103]

Table 12

[0104] <Results> From Table 12, the buckwheat noodles of Examples 15 and 16 adjusted to the optimal pH with an alkaline agent had elasticity and firmness and a good texture. However, the pH of the noodle strands in Example 16 was the value of the lowest line at which an effect was obtained, and the noodle strands (cooked noodles) after gelatinization were slightly brittle. On the other hand, the buckwheat noodles of Comparative Example 26 for which the pH was not adjusted had weak elasticity and firmness and a texture with a sense of disintegration. Further, since the noodle strands (cooked noodles) after gelatinization were brittle, they were easily shredded, and many noodles shorter than the length of the cut noodle strands (15 cm) at the time of eating were produced. Thus, by using the present invention, the noodle quality or texture can be controlled by the pH of the noodles, and thus the pH may be appropriately adjusted according to the target texture, production line, etc.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing noodles, comprising a raw material mixing step, a noodle making step, a gelatinization step, and a drying step, wherein the raw materials in the raw material mixing step include a raw material powder containing starch and / or a cereal powder substantially free of gluten, an alkaline agent, and an alginate ester, and the pH of the suspension of the noodles obtained in the drying step is more than 6.5 and 9 or less. A method for manufacturing noodles.

2. The method for manufacturing noodles according to claim 1, wherein the pH of the noodle dough obtained in the raw material mixing step is 6 to 9.

5.

3. The raw material mixing step is a step of manufacturing noodle dough by mixing the raw materials and water, and the water addition rate of the noodle dough is 60% by mass or more. The method for manufacturing noodles according to claim 1.

4. The method for manufacturing noodles according to claim 1, wherein an acid solution treatment step may not be performed after the gelatinization step.

5. The method for manufacturing noodles according to claim 1, characterized by not having an aging step.

6. Noodles obtained by the method for manufacturing noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A method for manufacturing gelatinized noodles, comprising a raw material mixing step, a noodle making step, and a gelatinization step, wherein the raw materials in the raw material mixing step include a raw material powder containing starch and / or a cereal powder substantially free of gluten, an alkaline agent, and an alginate ester, and the pH of the suspension of the gelatinized noodles obtained in the gelatinization step is more than 6.5 and 9 or less. A method for manufacturing gelatinized noodles.

8. Gelatinized noodles obtained by the method for manufacturing gelatinized noodles according to claim 7.

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