Instant non-fried noodles and method for producing the same

Abstract

To provide a method for producing instant non-fried noodles having gloss on the surface of the noodles after drying by a method enabling continuous production without using a large-scale apparatus, and to provide the instant non-fried noodles obtained by the production method.SOLUTION: A method for producing instant non-fried noodles, comprising a mixing step, a noodle-making step, a pregelatinization step, and a drying step in this order, wherein the mixing step is a step of mixing raw materials including raw flour, the drying step is performed using hot air at a temperature of 110 °C or more and a wind speed of 12m / sec or more, and a degree of swelling of noodle strings of the non-fried noodles obtained after the drying step is 1.4 times or less when the non-fried noodles are reconstituted for 5 minutes.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to instant non-fried noodles and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Instant non-fried noodles are typically made by steaming raw noodle strands to gelatinize them, then drying them with hot air or the like. These instant non-fried noodles can be eaten by either adding hot water to them and reconstituting them for about 3 to 5 minutes, or by boiling them. These instant non-fried noodles are dried with hot air during production, which gives the noodle strands a dense structure and a texture similar to that of fresh noodles. Furthermore, the following prior art documents are known regarding the gloss of non-fried noodles (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a method for producing non-oil dried noodles, which is characterized by subjecting fresh noodles or dried noodles to a gelatinization treatment, drying, then humidifying, and then drying again. However, to achieve a glossy noodle texture using the method described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to rehydrate the noodles after they have been dried. This poses the problem that the moistening and re-drying processes take time and require a large space to carry out these operations.

[0004] Patent Document 2 describes a method for producing instant non-fried ramen noodles, in which fresh ramen noodles are placed inside an autoclave, which is a high-temperature, high-pressure cooker, and heated and pressurized at the same time, and then the internal pressure of the autoclave is reduced to a vacuum state. However, the method described in Patent Document 2 has the problem that it is difficult to continuously produce large quantities of noodles like instant noodles, because the noodle strands are dried in an autoclave under reduced pressure.

[0005] Patent Document 3 describes a method for producing dried noodles, which is characterized by irradiating fresh noodles or steamed noodles with far-infrared rays to dry and harden the surface thereof, and then further carrying out a drying process. However, the method described in Patent Document 3 requires a facility for irradiating far-infrared rays in addition to the dryer, which makes the manufacturing process complicated. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-194327 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-85532 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-181349 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing instant non-fried noodles that have a glossy surface after drying, using a method that allows for continuous production without using large-scale equipment, and to provide instant non-fried noodles obtained by this production method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The inventors of the present invention conducted extensive research into a method for producing instant non-fried noodles that have a glossy surface after drying, using a method that does not require large-scale equipment and is capable of continuous production, and as a result, they discovered that the above-mentioned objectives can be achieved by a method for producing instant non-fried noodles that involves a mixing step, a noodle-making step, a gelatinization step, and a drying step, in that order, in which the drying step is carried out using hot air at a temperature of 110°C or higher and a wind speed of 12 m / sec or higher, and in which the swelling of the noodle strands of the instant non-fried noodles obtained after the drying step is 1.4 times or less after 5 minutes of reconstitution.

[0009] That is, the present invention is as follows. Section 1. A method for producing instant non-fried noodles, which comprises a mixing step, a noodle-making step, a gelatinization step, and a drying step in this order, The mixing step is a step of mixing raw materials including raw material powder, The drying step is carried out using hot air at a temperature of 110°C or higher and a speed of 12 m / sec or higher, A method for producing instant non-fried noodles, wherein the degree of swelling of the non-fried noodles obtained after the drying step is 1.4 times or less after 5 minutes of reconstitution. Section 2. Item 1. The method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to Item 1, wherein the mixing step is carried out under reduced pressure. Section 3. Item 2. The method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to Item 1, wherein in the mixing step, the water content relative to the raw material flour is 30 to 55% by mass. Section 4. Item 2. The method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to Item 1, wherein in the mixing step, the blending ratio of starch in the raw material flour is 0 to 55% by mass. Section 5. In the mixing step, the raw material flour contains wheat flour and starch, and Item 1. The method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to Item 1, wherein the blending ratio of the starch in the raw material flour is 15 to 50 mass %. Section 6. Item 6. The method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to Item 5, wherein the starch is unmodified starch and / or modified starch. Section 7. A method for producing instant non-fried noodles, which comprises a mixing step, a noodle-making step, a gelatinization step, and a drying step in this order, In the mixing step, the raw material flour contains wheat flour and starch, the starch is unmodified starch and / or modified starch; the blending ratio of the starch in the raw material flour is 15 to 50% by mass, The water content of the raw material flour is 40 to 50% by mass, and The mixing step is carried out under reduced pressure, The drying step is carried out using hot air at a temperature of 110°C or higher and a wind speed of 12 m / sec or higher, Item 2. A method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to Item 1, wherein the degree of swelling of the noodle strands of the non-fried noodles obtained after the drying step is 1.4 times or less after 5 minutes of reconstitution. Section 8. Item 8. Instant non-fried noodles obtained by the method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to any one of Items 1 to 7. Section 9. Item 1. A method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to Item 1, wherein the salt adsorption of the instant non-fried noodles after the drying step is 0.85 g or more and 5.0 g or less when 70 g of the instant non-fried noodles are rehydrated in 450 ml of hot water containing 5.0 g of salt for 5 minutes.

[0010] In addition, in the instant non-fried noodles of the present invention, the manufacturing process is specified, and since it is currently impossible or impractical to specify all of the ingredients contained therein or the structure of the noodles, the instant non-fried noodles are described using a product-by-process claim. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the production method of the present invention, instant non-fried noodles that have a glossy surface after drying can be produced by a method that allows continuous production without using large-scale equipment. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a photograph showing the glossy instant non-fried noodles of Example 1 (left side) and the instant non-fried noodles of Comparative Example 1 (right side). [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a photograph (left side) showing an enlarged portion of the glossy instant non-fried noodles (right side) of Example 1 shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The method for producing instant non-fried noodles of the present invention comprises a mixing step, a noodle-making step, a gelatinization step, and a drying step. Each step is described in detail below.

[0014] Mixing process According to a conventional method for producing instant noodles, the raw materials for the instant noodles are mixed (kneaded) with water to produce noodle dough.

[0015] raw materials For instant non-fried noodles, any raw material that has conventionally been used in the production of instant non-fried noodles can be used, without any particular restrictions. The raw material flour for instant non-fried noodles preferably contains wheat flour, and more preferably contains wheat flour and starch.

[0016] The wheat flour used can be any wheat flour typically used as a raw material for various types of noodles, such as ramen, udon, and soba. The wheat flour may be of any origin or variety. Any wheat flour milled by a conventional method can be suitably used. For example, wheat flour classified into strong flour (protein content: about 11.8 to 14.5% by mass), semi-strong flour (protein content: about 11.0 to 13.5% by mass), medium-strength flour (protein content: about 8.5 to 11.0% by mass), and weak flour (protein content: about 7.0 to 10.0% by mass) can be used singly or in suitable combination of two or more types.

[0017] The starch includes raw starch that has not been processed (unmodified starch) and modified starch that has been processed from raw starch. Examples of raw starches include wheat starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, cassava starch, and corn starch.

[0018] Modified starch includes starch modified by physical treatment, starch modified by enzymatic treatment, and starch modified by chemical treatment. Examples of starches processed by physical treatment include pregelatinized starch and bleached starch. Examples of the enzymatically processed starch include enzyme-treated starch. Examples of the chemically processed modified starches include 12 types of starches that are approved as food additives and can be abbreviated as "modified starch" (acetylated adipate cross-linked starch, acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, acetylated oxidized starch, sodium octenylsuccinate starch, starch acetate, oxidized starch, hydroxypropyl starch, hydroxypropylated phosphate cross-linked starch, phosphate monoesterified phosphate cross-linked starch, phosphated starch, phosphate cross-linked starch, and sodium starch glycolate).

[0019] The starches can be used alone or in appropriate combination of two or more. The starch is preferably a raw starch and / or a modified starch, i.e., the starch may be raw starch only, modified starch only, or a mixture of raw and modified starch, with modified starch being preferred. In the mixing step, the blending ratio of the starch in the raw material powder is, for example, 0 to 55% by mass (for example, 0 to 55% by mass or less, 0.1 to 55% by mass, 1 to 55% by mass, 5 to 55% by mass, 10 to 55% by mass, 15 to 55% by mass, 20 to 55% by mass, 25 to 55% by mass, 30 to 55% by mass, 35 to 55% by mass, 40 to 55% by mass, 45 to 55% by mass, 50 to 55% by mass; 0 to 50% by mass or less, 0.1 to 50% by mass, 1 to 50% by mass, 5 to 50% by mass, 10 to 50% by mass, 15 to 50% by mass, 20 to 50% by mass, 25 to 50% by mass, 30 to 50% by mass, 35 to 50% by mass, 40 to 50% by mass, 45 to 50% by mass; 0 to 45% by mass or less, 0.1 to 45% by mass, 1 to 45% by mass, 5 to 45% by mass, 10 to 45% by mass, 15 to 45% by mass, 20 to 45% by mass, 25 to 45% by mass, 30 to 45% by mass, 35 to 45% by mass, 40 to 45% by mass; 0 to 40% by mass or less, 0.1 to 40% by mass, 1 to 40% by mass, 5 to 40% by mass, 10 to 40% by mass, 15 to 40% by mass, 20 to 40% by mass, 25 to 40% by mass, 30 to 40% by mass, 35 to 40% by mass; 0 to 35% by mass or less, 0.1 to 35% by mass, 1 to 35% by mass, 5 to 35% by mass, 10 to 35% by mass, 15 to 35% by mass, 20 to 35% by mass, 25 to 35% by mass, 30 to 35% by mass; 0 to 30% by mass or less, 0.1 to 30% by mass, 1 to 30% by mass, 5 to 30% by mass, 10 to 30% by mass, 15 to 30% by mass, 20 to 30% by mass, 25 to 30% by mass; 0 to 25% by mass or less, 0.1 to 25% by mass, 1 to 25% by mass, 5 to 25% by mass, 10 to 25% by mass, 15 to 25% by mass, 20 to 25% by mass; 0 to 20% by mass or less, 0.1 to 20% by mass, 1 to 20% by mass, 5 to 20% by mass, 10 to 20% by mass; 0 to 15% by mass or less, 0.1 to 15% by mass, 1 to 15% by mass, 5 to 15% by mass, 10 to 15% by mass; or 0 to 10% by mass or less, 0.1 to 10% by mass, 1 to 10% by mass, 5 to 10% by mass). In the present invention, when starch is blended, the blending ratio of the starch in the raw material powder is, for example, more than 0 and 55% by mass or less (for example, more than 0 and 55% by mass or less, 0.1 - 55% by mass, 1 - 55% by mass, 5 - 55% by mass, 10 - 55% by mass, 15 - 55% by mass, 20 - 55% by mass, 25 - 55% by mass, 30 - 55% by mass, 35 - 55% by mass, 40 - 55% by mass, 45 - 55% by mass, 50 - 55% by mass; more than 0 and 50% by mass or less, 0.1 - 50% by mass, 1 - 50% by mass, 5 - 50% by mass, 10 - 50% by mass, 15 - 50% by mass, 20 - 50% by mass, 25 - 50% by mass, 30 - 50% by mass, 35 - 50% by mass, 40 - 50% by mass, 45 - 50% by mass; more than 0 and 45% by mass or less, 0.1 - 45% by mass, 1 - 45% by mass, 5 - 45% by mass, 10 - 45% by mass, 15 - 45% by mass, 20 - 45% by mass, 25 - 45% by mass, 30 - 45% by mass, 35 - 45% by mass, 40 - 45% by mass; more than 0 and 40% by mass or less, 0.1 - 40% by mass, 1 - 40% by mass, 5 - 40% by mass, 10 - 40% by mass, 15 - 40% by mass, 20 - 40% by mass, 25 - 40% by mass, 30 - 40% by mass, 35 - 40% by mass; more than 0 and 35% by mass or less, 0.1 - 35% by mass, 1 - 35% by mass, 5 - 35% by mass, 10 - 35% by mass, 15 - 35% by mass, 20 - 35% by mass, 25 - 35% by mass, 30 - 35% by mass; more than 0 and 30% by mass or less, 0.1 - 30% by mass, 1 - 30% by mass, 5 - 30% by mass, 10 - 30% by mass, 15 - 30% by mass, 20 - 30% by mass, 25 - 30% by mass; more than 0 and 25% by mass or less, 0.1 - 25% by mass, 1 - 25% by mass, 5 - 25% by mass, 10 - 25% by mass, 15 - 25% by mass, 20 - 25% by mass; more than 0 and 20% by mass or less, 0.1 - 20% by mass, 1 - 20% by mass, 5 - 20% by mass, 10 - 20% by mass; more than 0 and 15% by mass or less; 0.1 - 15% by mass, 1 - 15% by mass, 5 - 15% by mass, 10 - 15% by mass; or; more than 0 and 10% by mass or less, 0.1 - 10% by mass, 1 - 10% by mass, 5 - 10% by mass). Furthermore, when starch is blended, the content of starch relative to 100 parts by mass of wheat flour is preferably 10 to 200 parts by mass, more preferably 15 to 150 parts by mass, and even more preferably 18 to 120 parts by mass (for example, 18 to 50 parts by mass, 18 to 40 parts by mass, 18 to 30 parts by mass, 80 to 120 parts by mass, 80 to 110 parts by mass, 90 to 120 parts by mass, 90 to 110 parts by mass, etc.). When the raw material flour contains starch in the above-mentioned blending ratio, the amount of water added to the noodle dough increases, and the proportion of gelatinized noodle dough increases, which increases the extensibility of the dough and makes it easier for the surface of the noodles to develop a gloss after drying.

[0020] The raw material flour for instant non-fried noodles may further contain vegetable protein. Vegetable protein is protein obtained from grains, vegetables, etc. Specifically, various plant-derived proteins obtained by processing soybeans, wheat, corn, rice, etc. can be used. Wheat proteins such as gluten, gliadin, glutenin, albumin, and globulin extracted from wheat are preferred, with gluten being more preferred. As gluten, any of commercially available powdered gluten, powdered activated gluten, and powdered decomposed gluten can be used. When the raw material flour contains the vegetable protein, the amount of the vegetable protein to be added is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 to 40 parts by mass, more preferably 2 to 30 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of wheat flour.

[0021] Furthermore, additives commonly used in the production of instant noodles, such as alkaline agents (kansui), salt, amino acids (e.g., glutamic acid, inosinic acid, etc.), soy sauce (e.g., light, dark, etc.), chicken extract, thickeners, noodle quality improvers, liquid oils and fats, emulsified oils and fats, pigments such as carotenoid pigments, preservatives, etc., can be added to the above-mentioned raw materials as needed. There are no particular restrictions on the amount of the additives added, but for example, the amount of additives added is usually 0.01 to 10 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the raw material powder. When the additive is table salt, the amount added is usually 0.5 to 10 parts by mass, preferably 0.7 to 6 parts by mass, and more preferably 1 to 4 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of raw material powder. When the additive is an alkaline agent (lye water), the amount added is usually 0.01 to 1 part by mass, preferably 0.05 to 0.7 parts by mass, and more preferably 0.1 to 0.4 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the raw material powder.

[0022] These additives are used by mixing with water, and as a method of addition, they may be added in a solid state together with the raw material powder, etc., or they may be added as an aqueous solution or suspension by dissolving or suspending in kneading water.

[0023] In the mixing step, water (mixing water) is added to the raw materials, and then the raw materials are mixed uniformly using a mixing device such as a noodle mixer to produce noodle dough. The mixing step may be carried out either under normal pressure or under reduced pressure, but is preferably carried out under reduced pressure. When the pressure is reduced, the degree of vacuum (gauge pressure) is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, less than atmospheric pressure (0 MPa). Among these, a preferred degree of vacuum is -0.101 MPa to -0.040 MPa, and more preferably -0.098 MPa to -0.080 MPa. The temperature in the mixing step is not particularly limited, and is usually 15 to 30°C, and preferably 20 to 25°C. The time for the mixing step is not particularly limited, and is usually 5 to 30 minutes, and preferably 10 to 15 minutes.

[0024] The amount of water (kneading water) used in the mixing step need only be the amount of water necessary to form the noodle dough. The amount of water added is typically 30 to 60 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of raw material flour, preferably 35 to 55 parts by mass, more preferably 38 to 53 parts by mass, and particularly preferably 39 to 51%. In terms of hydration rate (the ratio of water to the total mass of raw material flour), this is 30 to 60%, preferably 35 to 55%, more preferably 38 to 53%, and particularly preferably 39 to 51%. By maintaining the hydration rate within this range, instant non-fried noodles with an even greater luster can be obtained.

[0025] Noodle making process The resulting noodle dough is formed into noodle strands in the usual manner. Specifically, the noodle dough is combined to prepare a noodle band, which is then rolled using multiple rolling rolls and cut out using cutting blades to produce noodle strands.

[0026] Alphaling process In the gelatinization process, the starch contained in the noodle strands undergoes gelatinization (gelatinization). A steaming process using steam is carried out as a method for gelatinizing the noodle strands. The steaming process is preferably carried out using a steamer that uses steam. The quality of the steam used in the steaming process can be dry steam, moist steam, or the like, and in order to improve the texture of the resulting noodle strands, it is preferable to use moist steam. Alternatively, steam generated in a boiler can be reduced in pressure and sprayed into a steamer, and the noodle strands can be passed through the steamer to gelatinize them. The temperature of the steam in the gelatinization step is not particularly limited, and is, for example, usually 96 to 110°C, preferably 98 to 108°C, and more preferably 100 to 105°C. The time for the gelatinization step is not particularly limited, and is, for example, usually 20 seconds to 3 minutes, preferably 30 seconds to 2 minutes, and more preferably 40 seconds to 1 minute.

[0027] A moisture-adding step may be carried out after the gelatinization step. There are no particular limitations on the method for adding (replenishing) moisture, and examples include a method in which water or a flavoring liquid (an aqueous solution containing salt, seasonings, etc.) is sprayed onto the noodle strings obtained in the gelatinization step using a raindrop or spray method, or a method in which the noodle strings obtained in the gelatinization step are immersed in water or a flavoring liquid, with the immersion method being preferred. Furthermore, when a liquid flavoring is used, it is preferable that the liquid flavoring does not contain raw materials that act as loosening agents (specifically, emulsifiers, soybean dietary fiber, etc.) that are used in general instant non-fried noodles. When a liquid flavoring that does not contain these raw materials is used, it becomes easier to obtain glossy instant non-fried noodles.

[0028] Drying process Next, the noodle strings are cut into pieces each having a weight for one serving, and each piece is molded and packed into a drying mold, and then subjected to the next drying step. The drying method is not particularly limited as long as it is a drying method that does not involve frying (drying in oil), and hot air drying is preferred. The drying temperature is usually 110°C or higher (e.g., 110-180°C, 110-170°C, 110-160°C, 110-150°C, 110-140°C, 110-130°C, 110-120°C; 120-180°C, 120-170°C, 120-160°C, 120-150°C, 120-140°C, 120-130°C; 130-180°C, 130-170°C, 130-140°C, 130-150°C, 130-160°C, 130-170°C, ... The heating temperature is preferably 0 to 160°C, 130 to 150°C, 130 to 140°C; 140 to 180°C, 140 to 170°C, 140 to 160°C, 140 to 150°C; 150 to 180°C, 150 to 170°C, 150 to 160°C; 160 to 180°C, 160 to 170°C; 170 to 180°C, etc.), preferably 120 to 180°C, and more preferably 130 to 160°C. The wind is preferably in a state where air flows in an up-down or left-right direction. The wind speed is not particularly limited as long as it is 12 m / s (for example, 12 to 120 m / s, 12 to 100 m / s, 12 to 80 m / s, 12 to 60 m / s, 12 to 40 m / s, 12 to 30 m / s, 12 to 25 m / s, 12 to 22 m / s, etc.). In particular, the wind speed is preferably 12 to 30 m / s, more preferably 15 to 25 m / s, and even more preferably 18 to 22 m / s. By using this method of drying with hot air at a temperature of 110°C or higher and a wind speed of 12 m / s or higher, it is possible to produce instant non-fried noodles that have a glossy surface after drying, using a method that does not require large-scale equipment and allows for continuous production. Drying the noodle strands using hot air at a temperature of 110°C or higher and a wind speed of 12 m / s or higher allows the noodle strands to be rapidly dehydrated and dried. This causes the resulting noodle strands to foam and swell, reducing the degree of swelling of the noodle strands when reconstituted to 1.4 times or less, and allowing for the production of instant non-fried noodles with an improved surface gloss. The swelling degree is 1.4 times or less (for example, 0.8 times or more and 1.4 times or less, 0.9 times or more and 1.4 times or less, 1.0 times or more and 1.4 times or less, 1.1 times or more and 1.4 times or less, 1.2 times or more and 1.4 times or less, 1.3 times or more and 1.4 times or less; 0.8 times or more and 1.3 times or less, 0.9 times or more and 1.3 times or less, 1.0 times or more and 1.3 times or less, 1.1 times or more and 1.3 times or less, 1.2 times or more and 1.3 times or less; 0.8 times or more and 1.2 times or less, 0.9 times or more and 1.2 times or less, 1.0 times or more and 1.2 times or less, 1.1 times or more and 1.2 times or less; 0.8 times or more and 1.1 times or less, 0.9 times or more and 1.1 times or less, 1.0 times or more and 1.1 times or less, etc.). The drying time is usually 1 minute or more, preferably 1 minute to 60 minutes, more preferably 1 minute 15 seconds to 30 minutes, and even more preferably 1 minute 30 seconds to 20 minutes. The moisture content of the instant non-fried noodles after drying should be 14.5% or less, and within this range, the moisture content is preferably 4 to 14%, more preferably 6 to 13%, and even more preferably 8 to 12%.

[0029] After drying, the lid is removed and the noodle block is taken out of the container. The removed noodle block is cooled for a predetermined period of time to obtain instant non-fried noodles.

[0030] Instant non-fried noodles The degree of swelling of dried instant non-fried noodles after 5 minutes of rehydration is typically 1.4 times or less, preferably 1.3 times or less, and more preferably 1.2 times or less. In the present invention, a degree of swelling closer to 1 is preferable. Here, the above 5 minutes of rehydration refers to the 5 minutes after placing the instant non-fried noodles in a special cup, pouring in hot water at 98°C to 100°C, and quickly covering the cup.

[0031] Swelling degree Here, the swelling degree refers to the rate of increase or decrease in the cross-sectional area of ​​the noodle strands when they are cut perpendicular to the axis of the long side after 70 g of dried noodles are placed in a special container, 450 ml of hot water is poured over them, and the noodles are allowed to rehydrate for 5 minutes. The swelling degree can be expressed by the following formula 1.

[0032]

number

[0033] The method for measuring the swelling degree will be described in detail below. First, a noodle string sample after 5 minutes of reconstitution is prepared using the following procedure. Place instant non-fried noodles in a special cup, pour in boiling water at 98-100°C, quickly cover, and leave to rest for 5 minutes (rehydration). Then, quickly remove the lid and start measuring the time after rehydration. Use chopsticks to loosen the noodles from 0 to 15 seconds after rehydration, and at 15 seconds after rehydration, quickly remove the noodles from the water using a colander and cut out a single noodle strand about 5-10 mm long from the removed noodles. The prepared noodle string sample is observed using a digital microscope, and the cross-sectional area is measured. The digital microscope that can be used is, for example, a VHX-7000 manufactured by Keyence Corporation. Furthermore, for the "noodles before reconstitution," a single noodle strand approximately 5 to 10 mm in length is cut from the dried noodles and similarly observed under an electron microscope, and the cross-sectional area is measured.

[0034] gloss The instant non-fried noodles of the present invention have excellent luster. While the surface of ordinary non-fried noodles is not glossy, the instant non-fried noodles of the present invention have a glossy surface. In the present invention, the noodle strands are rapidly dehydrated and dried using hot air at a temperature of 110°C or higher and a wind speed of 12 m / s or higher, which causes the surface of the noodle strands to be stretched and gelatinized, and also causes them to rapidly swell, resulting in glossy noodles. While high-temperature hot air drying as described above produces glossy noodles, it is believed that an even greater gloss can be achieved by adding the series of steps and operating conditions described above to high-temperature hot air drying. While the detailed mechanism is not clear, it is currently thought to be as follows: First, wheat flour is used as the main ingredient, and a dough containing starch is mixed under reduced pressure with a large amount of water, resulting in a strongly bonded dough. After forming the dough into noodle strands, the starch in the dough is gelatinized, giving the dough extensibility. Therefore, by rapidly dehydrating the noodles using high-temperature hot air drying, the surface of the noodle strands is stretched and gelatinized, and they also rapidly expand. The result is glossy noodles.

[0035] The instant non-fried noodles of the present invention have excellent gloss and also have good soup absorption. In this specification, "absorbing the soup" refers to the process by which the noodles absorb the flavor components contained in the soup, such as salt, amino acids, and sugars, into the inside of the noodle strands at the same time as absorbing the hot water when non-fried noodles are reconstituted in hot water, or when they are eaten after being reconstituted. The instant non-fried noodles of the present invention are able to absorb soup well during reconstitution because not only hot water but also flavor components such as salt and sugar easily penetrate into the inside of the noodles. The soup absorption can be evaluated by the amount of salt adsorption.

[0036] Salt adsorption Here, the salt adsorption amount refers to the amount of salt adsorbed inside and on the surface of the noodle strands while the noodles are being reconstituted after pouring hot water over the dried noodle strands and leaving them to stand for 5 minutes. Specifically, 70 g of dried noodles are placed in a special container, and 450 ml of hot water containing 5.0 g of salt is poured over them to rehydrate the noodles for 5 minutes. At this time, the amount of sodium (Na) adsorbed inside and on the surface of the noodle strands is measured using an analyzer (Shimadzu Corporation, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer AA-7000), and the amount of adsorption equivalent to salt is calculated from the measured amount of Na adsorption. Hereinafter, this test will be referred to as the salt adsorption test.

[0037] The amount of salt adsorption during 5 minutes of reconstitution can be expressed by the following formula. Equation 2: Salt adsorption (g) = X (g) - Y (g) (In the formula: X indicates the amount of salt contained in instant non-fried noodles that have been rehydrated for 5 minutes using 450 ml of boiling water in which 5 g of salt has been dissolved. Y indicates the amount of salt contained in instant non-fried noodles rehydrated in 450 ml of boiling water for 5 minutes. Here, Y refers to the amount of salt contained in the instant non-fried noodles themselves after reconstitution in salt-free boiling water for 5 minutes.

[0038] The amount of salt adsorption can be calculated by subtracting the amount of salt equivalent contained in noodles that have been rehydrated for 5 minutes in 450 ml of boiling water containing no salt (the amount of salt originally contained in the noodles) from the amount of salt contained in noodles that have been rehydrated for 5 minutes in 450 ml of boiling water containing 5.0 g of salt. This allows us to calculate only the amount of salt adsorbed to the noodles from the amount of salt contained in the soup during rehydration.

[0039] In the above salt adsorption test, the lower limit of the salt adsorption amount is usually 0.01 g or more, preferably 0.85 g or more, and more preferably 2.0 g or more. The upper limit of the salt adsorption amount is preferably higher, and is preferably closer to 5.0 g. As such, the instant non-fried noodles of the present invention are able to adsorb a larger amount of salt during reconstitution, and therefore, more components such as salt, amino acids, and sugars are adsorbed to the noodles, which means that the noodles can absorb soup well. [Example]

[0040] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0041] <Ingredients> The raw materials used are as follows: flour Wheat flour A (protein content: 10.9% by mass) starch Tapioca processed starch (starch acetate) manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. (product name) "Matsutani Sakura" Potato starch, manufactured by the Shari Town Agricultural Cooperative Association's Nakashari Starch Factory, (product name) "Nakashari" Plant protein Gluten: Glico Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd. (product name) "A-Glu (registered trademark) CC" salt Manufactured by Diasalt Co., Ltd., (product name) "Normal Salt" lye water Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd. (product name) "Red Kansui Powder"

[0042] Example 1 A mixing water prepared by dissolving 24 g of salt and 3.6 g of alkaline mineral water in 480 g of water was added to 1000 g of wheat flour and 200 g of starch (tapioca processed starch, Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., "Matsutani Sakura" (trade name)), and the mixture was mixed or kneaded for 10 minutes using a horizontal kneader mixer. Mixing (kneading) was carried out for 3 minutes under normal pressure, followed by 7 minutes under reduced pressure (vacuum pressure (gauge pressure) -0.084 MPa to -0.094 MPa). The amount of starch added per 100 parts by mass of wheat flour was 20 parts by mass, and the starch content relative to the mass of wheat flour was 20% by mass. The amount of water added (hydration amount) per 100 parts by mass of raw material flour (total amount of wheat flour and processed starch) was 40 parts by mass, and the water content relative to the mass of raw material flour (hydration rate) was 40% by mass. The resulting small pieces of dough were passed through a roll to form noodle sheets, and two of these sheets were then passed through a roll again to combine them, and then rolled further through four pairs of rolls, after which they were passed through a No. 16 round cutting blade to obtain noodle strands with a thickness of 1.42 mm. The obtained noodle strings were gelatinized by passing them through a steamer for 40 seconds, in which steam generated in a boiler was depressurized and then sprayed. Thereafter, the resulting gelatinized noodle strings were immersed in water for 40 seconds. The noodle strands were then cut to a length of approximately 20 cm and packed into a truncated conical drying frame (top inner diameter 130 mm, bottom inner diameter 110 mm, height 45 mm, with multiple 1.5 mm diameter round holes formed in the bottom) for individual servings, so that each serving weighed approximately 105 g. The top cover was fitted with a lid formed with multiple 1.5 mm diameter round holes, and the noodle block was then dried in a dryer with an internal temperature set to 160°C and an air speed set to 18-22 m / s. Hot air was flowing within the dryer, and the air direction was alternately changed between blowing upward from below and downward from above, passing the hot air vertically across the noodle block to dry it. After drying, the top cover was removed, and the noodle block was removed from the drying frame and cooled, yielding instant non-fried noodles (approximately 70 g per serving). Note that approximately 70 g is 70 ± 4 g (66-74 g) (the same applies below).

[0043] Example 2 The same conditions as in Example 1 were used except that potato starch was used instead of Matsutani Sakura starch.

[0044] Example 3 The same conditions as in Example 1 were used except that the drying temperature was changed to 120°C.

[0045] Example 4 The same conditions as in Example 1 were used except that the mixing (kneading) step was carried out for 10 minutes under normal pressure (no reduced pressure was applied).

[0046] Example 5 The same conditions as in Example 1 were used except that in the mixing (kneading) step, the amount of water was changed to 396 g (water content: 33% by mass) and the pressure in the mixing step was not reduced.

[0047] Example 6 The same conditions as in Example 1 were used except that in the mixing (kneading) step, no starch was added (starch blending ratio 0%) and the amount of water added was changed from 480 g to 380 g (water content 38% by mass).

[0048] Example 7 The same conditions as in Example 1 were used except that in the mixing (kneading) process, the amount of starch added was 1000 g (starch blending ratio 50% by mass), 80 g of vegetable protein (wheat protein) was added, and the amount of water was changed to 1040 g (water content 50% by mass).

[0049] Example 8 The mixing (kneading) step was carried out under the same conditions as in Example 1, except that the amount of water was changed to 396 g (water content: 33% by mass).

[0050] Comparative Example 1 The same conditions as in Example 1 were used except that the drying temperature was changed to 90°C.

[0051] Comparative Example 2 The experiment was carried out under the same conditions as in Example 1, except that the wind speed was changed to 10.7 to 11.2 m / sec.

[0052] Comparative Example 3 The experiment was carried out under the same conditions as in Example 1, except that the wind speed was changed to 9.0 to 9.6 m / sec.

[0053] <Test example> Test Example 1 (Swelling degree) The swelling degree of the instant non-fried noodles obtained in Examples 1 to 8 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 was calculated using the following method. The degree of swelling is the rate of increase or decrease in the cross-sectional area of ​​the noodles when they are cut perpendicular to the axis of the long side of the noodle strands after 70g of dried noodles are placed in a special container, 450ml of hot water is poured over them, and they are left to rehydrate for 5 minutes. The degree of swelling can be expressed by the following formula 1.

[0054]

number

[0055] The method for measuring the swelling degree will be described in detail below. First, a noodle string sample after 5 minutes of reconstitution is prepared using the following procedure. Place instant non-fried noodles in a special cup, pour in boiling water at 98-100°C, quickly cover, and leave to rest for 5 minutes (rehydration). Then, quickly remove the lid and start measuring the time after rehydration. Use chopsticks to loosen the noodles from 0 to 15 seconds after rehydration, and at 15 seconds after rehydration, quickly remove the noodles from the water using a colander and cut out a single noodle strand about 5-10 mm long from the removed noodles. The prepared noodle string samples were observed using a digital microscope, VHX-7000 manufactured by Keyence Corporation, and their cross-sectional areas were measured. For the "noodles before reconstitution," a single noodle strand approximately 5 to 10 mm in length was cut from the dried noodles and similarly observed under an electron microscope, and the cross-sectional area was measured.

[0056] <Evaluation of swelling degree> The degree of swelling was calculated using the above formula from the cross-sectional area of ​​the "noodles before rehydration" and the cross-sectional area of ​​the "noodles after 5 minutes of rehydration." A value of 1.4 or less was evaluated as "Good," and a value exceeding 1.4 was evaluated as "Poor."

[0057] Test example 2 (glossiness) The resulting instant non-fried noodles were evaluated for gloss. Here, gloss refers to the presence of a brilliant sheen on the surface of the instant non-fried noodles. Gloss was evaluated visually by sensory evaluation, and the average score given by five evaluators was used as the gloss value. Gloss evaluation was performed as follows. The evaluation was carried out in a private room with fluorescent lighting adjusted to an illuminance of 1600 to 1660 lux. The illuminance was measured using a digital illuminance meter LX-105 manufactured by Custom Co., Ltd. A white table was prepared, and the non-fried noodle sample was placed directly on the table. The sample was then visually inspected from any angle. The gloss level was evaluated. Evaluations were carried out by five panelists. Each panelist scored the gloss level using a scale of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 according to the following evaluation criteria.

[0058] <Gloss evaluation> 4: The noodles have a strong sheen overall, and the surface is smooth and glossy. 3: There is a gloss overall, but the degree is weaker than 4 above. 2: The overall gloss is weak. 1: There is a weak luster, but it is localized and not uniform. 0: No gloss. The average score of the five panelists was calculated from the scores of each panelist and used as the gloss rating for that sample. An average score of 3.0 or more was given a "◎", an average score of more than 2 but less than 3 was given a "〇", and an average score of 2 or less was given an "×". Furthermore, a photograph of the instant non-fried noodles of Example 1 is shown on the left side of Figure 1, and an enlarged photograph of that photograph is shown in Figure 2. Furthermore, a photograph of the instant non-fried noodles of Comparative Example 1 is shown on the right side of Figure 1.

[0059] Test Example 3 (salt adsorption amount) The amount of salt adsorption to the noodle strands of the resulting instant non-fried noodles during reconstitution was measured. The salt adsorption amount referred to here was determined by placing 70 g of dried noodles in a special container, pouring 450 ml of hot water containing 5.0 g of salt dissolved therein, and allowing the noodles to reconstitute for 5 minutes. The amount of sodium (Na) adsorbed inside and on the surface of the noodle strands at this time was measured using an analyzer, and the amount of adsorption equivalent to salt was calculated from the measured amount of Na adsorption. The amount of salt adsorption at this time was used to evaluate the soup absorption of the noodles. The amount of salt adsorption during 5 minutes of reconstitution can be expressed by the following equation 2. In the present invention, the salt equivalent contained in noodles reconstituted for 5 minutes in 450 ml of boiling water containing 5.0 g of salt was calculated, and then the salt equivalent contained in noodles reconstituted for 5 minutes in 450 ml of boiling water containing no salt was subtracted from that value to obtain the salt adsorption value. In this way, only the amount of salt adsorbed from the amount of salt contained in the soup at the time of reconstitution was calculated.

[0060] Equation 2: Salt adsorption (g) = X (g) - Y (g) (In the formula: X indicates the amount of salt contained in non-fried noodles that have been rehydrated for 5 minutes using 450 ml of boiling water in which 5.0 g of salt has been dissolved. Y indicates the amount of salt contained in non-fried noodles rehydrated in 450 ml of boiling water for 5 minutes. Here, Y refers to the amount of salt contained in non-fried noodles that have been rehydrated in plain hot water for 5 minutes.

[0061] (Method for measuring salt adsorption) The amount of salt adsorption was measured using a sodium (Na) analyzer (Shimadzu atomic absorption spectrophotometer AA-7000). The measurement method is as follows. Noodle samples (specimens) after 5 minutes of reconstitution were prepared using the following procedure. Instant non-fried noodles were placed in a special cup, and 450 ml of boiling water (98-100°C) containing 5.0 g of salt was poured in. The cup was quickly covered and left to rest for 5 minutes (reconstitution). The lid was then quickly removed, and the noodles were quickly removed from the water using a colander. The sodium content of the entire amount of noodles removed was measured using a sodium analyzer. The sodium equivalent was calculated from the obtained sodium value. The same procedure was carried out when hot water containing no salt was used, and the Na content of the resulting noodles was measured, from which the amount of salt adsorption was calculated. <Evaluation of salt adsorption> Salt adsorption of 2.0g or more was marked as "◎", 0.85g or more but less than 2.0g was marked as "〇", 0.5g or more but less than 0.85g was marked as "△", and less than 0.5g was marked as "×".

[0062] [Table 1]

[0063] <Result> The instant non-fried noodles of Examples 1 to 8 all had a degree of swelling of 1.4 times or less, and the resulting noodles had a strong luster, as shown on the left side of FIG. 1 and in FIG. Furthermore, the instant non-fried noodles of Examples 1 to 7 were able to adsorb more salt when reconstituted. This suggests that the noodles absorb more of the soup because they are more likely to adsorb salt, amino acids, sugars, and other ingredients. As a result, the noodles are more united with the soup, making them more delicious to eat. In contrast, the instant non-fried noodles of Comparative Examples 1 to 3 all had a degree of swelling of more than 1.4 times, and the resulting noodles had a weak gloss and low salt adsorption, as shown on the right side of Figure 1. [Industrial Applicability]

[0064] According to the production method of the present invention, instant non-fried noodles that have a glossy surface after drying can be produced by a method that allows continuous production without using large-scale equipment.

Claims

1. A method for producing instant non-fried noodles, which comprises a mixing step, a noodle-making step, a gelatinization step, and a drying step in this order, The mixing step is a step of mixing raw materials including raw material powder, The drying step is carried out using hot air at a temperature of 110°C or higher and a speed of 12 m / sec or higher, A method for producing instant non-fried noodles, wherein the degree of swelling of the noodle strands of the non-fried noodles obtained after the drying step is 1.4 times or less after 5 minutes of reconstitution.

2. The method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to claim 1, wherein the mixing step is carried out under reduced pressure.

3. 2. The method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to claim 1, wherein in the mixing step, the water content relative to the raw material flour is 30 to 55% by mass.

4. 2. The method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to claim 1, wherein in the mixing step, the blending ratio of starch in the raw material flour is 0 to 55% by mass.

5. In the mixing step, the raw material flour contains wheat flour and starch, and 2. The method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to claim 1, wherein the blending ratio of the starch in the raw material flour is 15 to 50 mass%.

6. 6. The method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to claim 5, wherein the starch is unmodified starch and / or modified starch.

7. A method for producing instant non-fried noodles, which comprises a mixing step, a noodle-making step, a gelatinization step, and a drying step in this order, In the mixing step, the raw material flour contains wheat flour and starch, the starch is unmodified starch and / or modified starch; the blending ratio of the starch in the raw material flour is 15 to 50% by mass, The water content of the raw material flour is 40 to 50% by mass, and The mixing step is carried out under reduced pressure, The drying step is carried out using hot air at a temperature of 110°C or higher and at a speed of 12 m / sec or higher, 2. The method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to claim 1, wherein the degree of swelling of the noodle strands of the non-fried noodles obtained after the drying step is 1.4 times or less after 5 minutes of rehydration.

8. Instant non-fried noodles obtained by the method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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