Dried soba noodles and how to prepare them

Abstract

To provide dried soba noodles that can shorten cooking time and reduce the amount of water used, and a method for cooking soba noodles using these dried soba noodles. [Solution] The dried buckwheat noodles have a moisture content of 14% or less, and the mass ratio of mixed buckwheat flour to strong wheat flour is 30-40:60-70, with the mixed buckwheat flour including regular buckwheat flour and gelatinized buckwheat flour. The cooking method for the dried buckwheat noodles involves using a cooking container that is resistant to microwave ovens, and boiling the dried buckwheat noodles by heating the cooking container containing the dried buckwheat noodles and boiling water in a microwave oven for a predetermined time, regardless of the amount of dried buckwheat noodles and boiling water.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to dried buckwheat noodles using buckwheat, particularly pregelatinized buckwheat flour, and a method for cooking buckwheat noodles using the dried buckwheat noodles.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, when cooking dried buckwheat noodles, a pot containing approximately 2 to 4 L of water is heated over a fire. When the water boils, the dried buckwheat noodles are added to the boiling water and boiled for 4 to 7 minutes.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] Thus, cooking dried buckwheat noodles requires a considerable amount of time to boil the water and cook the dried buckwheat noodles. Also, a considerable amount of water is required.

[0004] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to achieve the following. An object of the present invention is to provide dried buckwheat noodles that can shorten the cooking time and reduce the amount of water used, and a method for cooking buckwheat noodles using the dried buckwheat noodles.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the dried buckwheat noodles according to one aspect of the present invention, and a method for cooking buckwheat noodles using the dried buckwheat noodles have the following characteristics.

[0006] (1) The moisture content is 14% or less, and the mass ratio of the mixed buckwheat flour to the strong wheat flour is 30 to 40:60 to 70, and the mixed buckwheat flour includes normal buckwheat flour and pregelatinized buckwheat flour.

[0007] (2) The dried buckwheat noodles according to (1), The mixed buckwheat flour may be configured such that the mass ratio of the gelatinized buckwheat flour is greater than the mass ratio of the ordinary buckwheat flour. (3) Dried soba noodles as described in (1), The aforementioned strong wheat flour may also be second-grade flour.

[0008] (4) A method of preparing dried soba noodles as described in any one of (1) to (3), A cooking container that is resistant to microwave ovens is used. The method is characterized by having a step of boiling the dried soba noodles by heating the cooking container containing the dried soba noodles and hot water in a microwave oven for a predetermined time, regardless of the amount of dried soba noodles and the amount of hot water.

[0009] (5)(4) The method of preparing soba noodles as described above, The amount of hot water in the cooking container may be less than the amount of water used when boiling conventional dried soba noodles that do not contain gelatinized buckwheat flour in a pot. (6)(4) The method of preparing soba noodles as described above, The time for heating the cooking container may be shorter than the time for heating the pot with gas when boiling conventional dried soba noodles that do not contain gelatinized buckwheat flour. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, cooking time can be shortened and the amount of water used can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This table shows the contents of each test sample. [Figure 2] This is a table showing the results of moisture content measurements. [Figure 3] This table shows the results of measuring the boiling time for dried soba noodles. [Figure 4](A) is a table showing the measurement results of the free sugar content of dried soba noodles before cooking, and (B) is a table showing the measurement results of the moisture content and free sugar content of dried soba noodles after cooking. [Figure 5A] This table shows the measurement results of the free amino acid content of dried buckwheat noodles before cooking, for samples A through D, and samples F through S. [Figure 5B] This table shows the measurement results of the amount of free amino acids in dried buckwheat noodles before cooking, for samples C through S. [Figure 5C] (A) is a table showing the results of measuring the moisture content of dried soba noodles after cooking, and (B) is a table showing the results of measuring the free amino acid content of dried soba noodles after cooking. [Figure 6A] (A) is a table showing the results of the first sensory evaluation, and (B) is a table showing the results of the second sensory evaluation. [Figure 6B] This is a table showing the scoring criteria for sensory evaluation. [Figure 7] (A) is a table showing the relationship between the elapsed time after boiling and the fracture stress (×10⁵ Pa), and (B) is a table showing the relationship between the elapsed time after boiling and the fracture strain (%). [Figure 8] (A) is a bar graph representation of Figure 7(A), and Figure 8(B) is a bar graph representation of Figure 7(B). [Figure 9] (A) is a graph showing the relationship between fracture strain and fracture stress for each elapsed time for sample A (boiled in a pot), (B) is a graph showing the relationship between fracture strain and fracture stress for each elapsed time for sample B (boiled in a microwave oven), and (C) is a graph showing the relationship between fracture strain and fracture stress for each elapsed time for sample B (boiled in a pot). [Figure 10] (A) is a graph showing the relationship between fracture strain and fracture stress for each sample when the elapsed time after boiling is 2 minutes, (B) is a graph showing the relationship between fracture strain and fracture stress for each sample when the elapsed time after boiling is 5 minutes, and (C) is a graph showing the relationship between fracture strain and fracture stress for each sample when the elapsed time after boiling is 10 minutes. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] <First Embodiment> Hereinafter, embodiments of the dried buckwheat noodles according to the present invention will be described. The dried buckwheat noodles according to the present invention contain a mixed buckwheat flour and a strong wheat flour of low-grade flour. The mixed buckwheat flour contains a normal buckwheat flour (ordinary buckwheat flour) and a pregelatinized buckwheat flour (pregelatinized buckwheat flour). Suitable mass ratios of the mixed buckwheat flour to the strong wheat flour of low-grade flour (mixed buckwheat flour: strong wheat flour) are 30%:70% and 40%:60%. Also, a suitable moisture content of the dried buckwheat noodles according to the present invention is 9.5% to 14.0%. Note that the cross-sectional shape and length of the dried buckwheat noodles according to the present invention are not particularly limited and can be set as appropriate. Also, the mixed buckwheat flour is configured such that the mass ratio of the pregelatinized buckwheat flour is larger than the mass ratio of the normal buckwheat flour. However, the mass ratio of the normal buckwheat flour may be larger than the mass ratio of the pregelatinized buckwheat flour, or the mass ratio of the normal buckwheat flour and the mass ratio of the pregelatinized buckwheat flour may be substantially the same.

[0013] Next, a method for cooking buckwheat noodles using the above-described dried buckwheat noodles according to the present invention will be described. The method for cooking buckwheat noodles according to the present invention is performed using a cooking container for a microwave oven (hereinafter referred to as the "cooking container"). The cooking container has durability against a microwave oven and includes a main body part for putting dried buckwheat noodles therein and a lid part for opening and closing the main body part.

[0014] Note that the cooking container only needs to be configured to be able to put dried buckwheat noodles therein and be opened and closed, and may be composed of a commercially available general (existing) cooking container (for example, manufactured by Ebisu Co., Ltd., PPS6220, etc.) or a newly developed dedicated (new) cooking container.

[0015] Also, since the lid part only needs to be configured to be able to open and close the main body part, it may be detachable or non-detachable from the main body part. Furthermore, the shape of the main body part can be set as appropriate. For example, it is generally a rectangular parallelepiped, with a width of about 120 to 140 mm, a depth of about 270 to 300 mm, and a height of about 80 to 100 mm.

[0016] Furthermore, the soba cooking method according to the present invention comprises a serving step, a container closing step, and a boiling step. The order in which the steps are performed is as follows: first, the serving step is performed, followed by the container closing step and the boiling step in sequence.

[0017] Furthermore, the soba cooking method according to the present invention may include steps other than the adding step, the container closing step, and the boiling step (other steps). The other steps may be performed before the adding step, after the boiling step, or in between any of the adding step or the boiling step.

[0018] In the input process, dried soba noodles and hot water are added to the main unit. The appropriate amount of hot water varies depending on the amount of dried soba noodles used, but it is preferable to use about 3 to 4 times the weight of the dried soba noodles.

[0019] The order in which the dried soba noodles and hot water are added during the preparation process can be set as appropriate. That is, the dried soba noodles may be added first, the hot water may be added first, or the dried soba noodles and hot water may be added simultaneously.

[0020] In the container closing process, the lid is closed to seal the cooking container. The cooking container may be closed in a manner that completely seals it, or it may be closed in a manner that leaves a small gap rather than being completely airtight.

[0021] In the boiling process, the dried soba noodles and boiling water are placed in a sealed cooking container and heated in a microwave oven at 600W for a specified time to boil the noodles. The microwave heating time is constant regardless of the amount of dried soba noodles and boiling water, but for example, if the amount of dried soba noodles is 50g and the amount of boiling water is 200g, the suitable microwave heating time is approximately 3 minutes.

[0022] Then, after the boiling process, remove the boiled (cooked) dried soba noodles from the cooking container and drain them as needed to complete the soba.

[0023] In this embodiment, hot water is added during the input step, but this hot water may be, for example, boiled water from an electric kettle. Alternatively, before performing the input step, water may be added to the main body, the lid may be closed, and the cooking container may be heated in a microwave oven to boil water.

[0024] Next, we will describe the experiments (verification experiments) that verified the effectiveness of the dried soba noodles according to the present invention and the method for cooking soba noodles using these dried soba noodles. Each verification experiment is described below.

[0025] In the verification experiment, 11 noodle-shaped test samples were used. Figure 1 is a table showing the contents of each test sample. Samples A to S consist of dried buckwheat noodles, and samples C to S consist of raw material flour. Samples A to E are dried buckwheat noodles prototyped for the verification experiment, and samples F to S are commercially available dried buckwheat noodles from different manufacturers. All of samples A to E were manufactured under the following conditions: a Baume degree of 6 for the brine, a cutting blade number of 18, a noodle thickness of 1.05 mm in the center, and a length of 200 mm. Samples B to C are the dried buckwheat noodles according to the present invention.

[0026] In Figure 1, "regular buckwheat flour" refers to regular buckwheat flour that has not been gelatinized, while "gelatinized buckwheat flour" refers to regular buckwheat flour in Figure 1 that has been gelatinized. Also, "gelatinized wheat flour" in Figure 1 refers to regular wheat flour that has been gelatinized. Furthermore, sample A contains regular buckwheat flour but does not contain mixed buckwheat flour. In other words, sample A does not contain gelatinized buckwheat flour. Therefore, sample A is conventional, ungelatinized dried buckwheat, while samples B to D, which contain mixed buckwheat flour, can be classified as gelatinized dried buckwheat. In addition, the mass ratio of gelatinized buckwheat flour to regular buckwheat flour in samples B to D, which contain mixed buckwheat flour, is approximately the same.

[0027] 1. Verification Experiment 1 (Visual Observation) Visual observation of samples A through C revealed that the higher the proportion of mixed buckwheat flour, the more uneven the surface tended to become.

[0028] 2. Verification Experiment 2 (Measurement of Moisture Content) To calculate the dry matter equivalent of free sugars and free amino acids, the moisture content of samples A through S was measured. For the moisture content measurement, the weight percentage of the moisture content of 5g of coarsely ground sample (135°C, 3 hours) was measured for samples A through S using a roller mill, and the weight percentage of the moisture content of 5g of unprocessed sample (135°C, 3 hours) was measured for samples C through S using atmospheric pressure heating and drying. Figure 2 is a table showing the moisture content measurement results. The moisture content of samples A through S, which are dried buckwheat, ranged from 9.9% to 13.6%, while the moisture content of samples C through S, which are raw flour, ranged from 7.0% to 13.2%. Furthermore, the moisture content of samples B through D, which contain pregelatinized buckwheat flour, was lower than that of the other samples A and O through S.

[0029] 3. Verification Experiment 3 (Measurement of boiling time for dried soba noodles) To determine the optimal boiling time for dried soba noodles (the shortest time until the core is gone), the boiling times were measured for samples A through S of dried soba noodles. For the boiling time measurement, 20g portions were taken from each of samples A through S and folded in half to a length of 10cm. Next, 500ml of tap water was placed in an 18cm diameter aluminum pot and brought to a boil, creating a circulating environment for the dried soba noodles. Samples A through S were then added to the pot, and after that, samples A through S were removed every 15 seconds, cooled in 1L of cold water, and the time until the core was gone was measured using a pasta core-checking device. The measurement was performed twice. Figure 3 shows the measurement results for the boiling times of the dried soba noodles. Note that the boiling times in Figure 3 are the average values ​​of the two measurements.

[0030] As shown in Figure 3, when comparing sample A and sample B, both of which share a 30% mass ratio of buckwheat flour, the boiling time for sample B, which contains pregelatinized buckwheat flour, was 1 minute and 30 seconds shorter than the boiling time for sample A, which does not contain pregelatinized buckwheat flour. Furthermore, when comparing sample B and sample C, both of which share the presence of pregelatinized buckwheat flour, the boiling time for sample C, which has a relatively higher mass ratio of mixed buckwheat flour, was 15 seconds shorter than the boiling time for sample B, which has a relatively lower mass ratio of mixed buckwheat flour. In addition, the boiling times for commercially available samples C to S ranged from 3 minutes and 15 seconds to 7 minutes and 15 seconds, confirming a maximum range of 4 minutes.

[0031] 4. Verification Experiment 4 (Microwave Boiling Test) A microwave boiling test was conducted on samples A to C, which contained buckwheat flour and were prepared as prototypes. In this boiling test, first, 200g of boiling water was placed in a commercially available microwave cooking container (manufactured by Ebisu Co., Ltd., PPS6220; hereinafter simply referred to as "cooking container"), and 20g of each sample A to C was added to it. Next, the cooking container was heated in a microwave oven to boil samples A to C. The wattage of the microwave oven was 600W for all of samples A to C, and the heating time was 5 minutes for sample A and 3 minutes for samples B to C.

[0032] For all of samples A through C, almost no hot water (boiling water) remained in the cooking utensils after the test. Furthermore, for all of samples A through C, almost no noodle strands were observed adhering to the cooking utensils after being rinsed with running water. Normally, cooking methods involve using 10 to 20 times the weight of the noodles in a pot of water. This is to create convection in the pot, preventing the dried noodles from sticking, and to accelerate the gelatinization of the starch in the dried noodles with the heat of a large amount of water. However, in soba, functional components such as rutin and water-soluble proteins, which are nutrients, can leach out. Therefore, in soba restaurants, it is recommended to drink soba broth to replenish these components when serving zaru soba (cold soba noodles). Thus, it is thought that cooking soba using a cooking container would reduce the amount of these components leaching into the boiling water. Additionally, in microwave cooking methods, dried soba with a shorter boiling time reduces electricity costs and cooking time. Therefore, the prototype using mixed soba flour to shorten the boiling time is suitable for microwave cooking.

[0033] 5. Verification Experiment 5 (Measurement of Free Sugar Content) (1) Before cooking The amount of free sugar before cooking was measured for samples A-E, F-G, and C-S. Sugar is a component related to taste. To measure the amount of free sugar before cooking, 1 g of each sample was weighed out, 10 ml of 50% ethanol was added, and the sample was sonicated for 30 minutes to extract the measurement solution. Then, the measurement solution was quantitatively analyzed by HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) under the following measurement conditions. Measurement conditions ·Equipment:Waters 1525_2707_2424 • Detector: Evaporate light scattering detector (ELSD) • Column: Asahipak NH2P-50-4E Mobile phase: 70% acetonitrile ·Flow rate: 0.8ml / min

[0034] Figure 4(A) is a table showing the measurement results of free sugar content before cooking. As shown in Figure 4(A), for both dried buckwheat and raw flour, it was confirmed that the free sugar content of the gelatinized samples (Sample A, Sample C, Sample D, Sample S, Sample S) was lower than that of the non-gelatinized samples (Sample A, Sample F, Sample G, Sample L, Sample S). Furthermore, it was confirmed that the total values ​​of commercially available sample F and sample G were higher than the total values ​​of the prototype samples A through D, and that the composition of commercially available sample F and sample G differed from the composition of the prototype samples A through D. In Figure 4, the number before parentheses represents the free sugar content (mg% (w / v)), and the number inside parentheses represents the dry weight equivalent of the previous content. "ND" indicates that it was not detected.

[0035] (2) After cooking To determine the amount of residual free sugar in dried soba noodles made using a mixed buckwheat flour, under different cooking methods (stovetop vs. microwave), the moisture content and free sugar content were measured for sample A after cooking (boiling). Measurements were taken twice each for both pot cooking and microwave cooking, both before and after cooking.

[0036] For post-cooking measurements, first, 10 g of sample A was weighed out, 50% ethanol was added, and after grinding and mixing, the volume was adjusted to a fixed level. The sample was then sonicated for 30 minutes to extract the measurement solution. Quantitative analysis was then performed using HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) under the same measurement conditions as before cooking.

[0037] In the general cooking method using a pot, first, 2 liters of tap water are placed in the pot and brought to a boil. Next, 100g of sample A is weighed out and placed in the 2 liters of boiling water, and the dried soba noodles are boiled for 3 minutes and 30 seconds while creating convection. After that, the dried soba noodles are drained in a colander and rinsed with 5 liters of running tap water. On the other hand, in the cooking method using a microwave oven, first, 400ml of boiling water is placed in the cooking container used in verification experiment 4. Next, 100g of sample A is weighed out and placed in the cooking container, and the noodles are boiled in a microwave oven set to 600W for 3 minutes. After that, the dried soba noodles are drained in a colander and rinsed with 5 liters of running tap water. In addition, the moisture content was measured for use in dry matter conversion. For this moisture content measurement, 3g of boiled soba noodles was weighed out and its moisture content was measured using the aluminum foil method by heating and drying at 135°C for 2 hours.

[0038] Figure 4(B) is a table showing the measurement results of the moisture content and free sugar content of dried soba noodles after cooking. As shown in Figure 4(B), it was confirmed that more free sugar remained in the dried soba noodles (boiled soba) after cooking (approximately 16 times more) when cooked using a microwave oven than when cooked using a pot.

[0039] 6. Verification Experiment 6 (Measurement of Free Amino Acid Content) (1) Before cooking The amount of free amino acids before cooking was measured for samples A-E, F-G, and C-S. Amino acids are components related to taste. To measure the amount of free amino acids before cooking, 1 g of each sample was weighed out, and 10 ml of 2% sulfosalicylic acid was added and shaken well. The mixture was then left to stand overnight in a refrigerator to extract the measurement solution. The measurement solution was then quantitatively analyzed using a restricted amino acid automatic analyzer (L-8900, Hitachi High-Tech Corporation).

[0040] Figures 5A and 5B are tables showing the measurement results of free amino acid content in dried buckwheat before cooking. The numbers in parentheses in the total amount represent the dry weight equivalent of the free amino acid content above. As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, for samples C to S related to the raw flour, a tendency was observed for the total free amino acid content of alpha-gelatinized raw flour (samples S and S) to be lower than that of non-alpha-gelatinized raw flour (samples C and S). Possible reasons for this include differences in raw material origin (it is unclear whether the alpha-gelatinized buckwheat flour and the raw buckwheat flour used are equivalent) and losses during the alpha-gelatinization process. Furthermore, for samples A to D related to the trial-made dried buckwheat, a tendency was observed for the total free amino acid content to be lower when mixed buckwheat flour was included. This is presumed to be largely due to the difference in the total amount contained in the raw flour.

[0041] (2) After cooking To determine the amount of residual free amino acids in dried soba noodles made using a mixed buckwheat flour, under different cooking methods (stovetop vs. microwave), the moisture content and free amino acid content were measured for sample A after cooking (boiling). Measurements were performed twice for both the pot-cooked and microwave-cooked versions.

[0042] To measure the amount of free amino acids after cooking, first, 10 g of sample A was weighed out, and then quantitative analysis was performed using the same method as before cooking. The cooking method and moisture content were measured using the same method as in verification experiment 5(2).

[0043] Figure 5C(A) is a table showing the results of measuring the moisture content of dried soba noodles after cooking, and Figure 5C(B) is a table showing the results of measuring the amount of free amino acids in dried soba noodles after cooking. It was confirmed that the amount of free amino acids remaining in the dried soba noodles after cooking (after boiling) was greater (approximately 1.7 times) when cooked using a microwave oven compared to cooking using a pot. Together with the results of verification experiment 5(2), it is considered that cooking soba noodles using a microwave oven has the advantage of reducing the loss of nutrients during the boiling process compared to cooking soba noodles using a pot.

[0044] 7. Verification Experiment 7 (Sensory Evaluation) To investigate the effect of different cooking methods (pot vs. microwave) on the taste of dried buckwheat noodles after cooking (boiling), sensory evaluations were conducted on each of the three dried buckwheat noodle samples (A, B, and F) after cooking. The "Wheat Quality Evaluation Method (Noodle Suitability by Sensory Testing)" (November 1985, National Food Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) was used for the sensory evaluation. The cooking methods for the pot and microwave were the same as in Verification Experiment 5(2).

[0045] Furthermore, the sensory evaluation panel consisted of eight members from the Processed Foods Division of the Food Technology Department at the Nagano Prefectural Industrial Technology Center, and each panel member conducted their own individual sensory evaluation. The sensory evaluation was conducted twice. In the first sensory evaluation, sample A (sample A (boiled noodles)), which was boiled in a pot, was used as the baseline, and sample B (sample B (microwave boiled)), which was boiled in a microwave oven, and sample B (sample B (pot boiled)), which was boiled in a pot, were compared and evaluated to confirm the quality of using mixed buckwheat flour (pregelatinized buckwheat flour). In the second sensory evaluation, sample B (microwave boiled) was used as the baseline, and sample F (sample F (pot boiled)), which was boiled in a pot, and sample B (pot boiled), were compared and evaluated to confirm the quality of the commercially available product and the quality of microwave boiling.

[0046] Figure 6A(A) is a table showing the results of the first sensory evaluation, Figure 6A(B) is a table showing the results of the second sensory evaluation, and Figure 6B is a table showing the scoring criteria for the sensory evaluation. As shown in Figure 6A(A), both the average overall evaluation of sample I (microwave boiled) and the average overall evaluation of sample I (pot boiled) exceed the standard average overall evaluation of sample A (boiled noodles), which is 4. Therefore, it can be concluded that dried soba noodles made with mixed buckwheat flour (pregelatinized buckwheat flour) are generally rated better than (conventional) dried soba noodles made without mixed buckwheat flour (pregelatinized buckwheat flour). In particular, for sample I (pot boiled), the average value of almost all items was higher than the standard. Also, as shown in Figure 6A(B), sample I (microwave boiled) was rated higher than sample K (pot boiled) for most items. On the other hand, sample I (microwave boiled) was rated slightly lower than sample I (pot boiled) in terms of the average overall evaluation. However, in addition to being convenient, microwave cooking does not use gas, and there is less risk of spills or fires from the pot, making it more advantageous from a safety standpoint compared to cooking in a pot.

[0047] 8. Verification Experiment 8 (Physical Property Measurement) The physical properties of dried soba noodles after cooking (after boiling) were evaluated for each of the following samples: Sample A (boiled noodles), Sample B (boiled in a pot), and Sample B (boiled in a microwave oven). For the physical property evaluation, a creep meter (RE233005C, manufactured by Yamaden Co., Ltd.) was used to measure the fracture strength over time for one sample after cooking (after boiling) under the following measurement conditions. The fracture strength measurement was performed twice. Measurement conditions • Measurement method: Breaking stress of one sample • Load cell: 2N • Plunger: No. 49 (cutting type, contact area 1mm) 2 ) ·Measurement speed: 0.5mm / sec • Measurement distance (distortion): 99.9%

[0048] Figure 7(A) shows the results of the fracture strength measurement, comparing the elapsed time after cooking (after boiling) with the fracture stress (×105 Figure 7(B) is a table showing the relationship with Pa), and as a result of the fracture strength measurement, it shows the relationship between the elapsed time after cooking (after boiling) and the fracture strain (%). Note that the fracture stress in Figure 7(A) and the fracture strain in Figure 7(B) are the average values ​​of the results of two measurements. Furthermore, Figure 8(A) is a bar graph of Figure 7(A), and Figure 8(B) is a bar graph of Figure 7(B). In addition, Figure 9(A) is a graph showing the relationship between fracture strain and fracture stress for each elapsed time for sample A (boiled noodles), Figure 9(B) is a graph showing the relationship between fracture strain and fracture stress for each elapsed time for sample B (boiled in a microwave), and Figure 9(C) is a graph showing the relationship between fracture strain and fracture stress for each elapsed time for sample B (boiled in a pot). Figure 10(A) is a graph showing the relationship between fracture strain and fracture stress for each sample when the elapsed time after cooking (boiling) is 2 minutes, Figure 10(B) is a graph showing the relationship between fracture strain and fracture stress for each sample when the elapsed time after cooking (boiling) is 5 minutes, and Figure 10(C) is a graph showing the relationship between fracture strain and fracture stress for each sample when the elapsed time after cooking (boiling) is 10 minutes.

[0049] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, it was confirmed that the fracture stress of gelatinized dried soba noodles was higher than that of regular dried soba noodles until 15 minutes had elapsed since cooking (after boiling). In particular, when the cooking method was boiling in a pot, the fracture stress of gelatinized dried soba noodles within 5 minutes of cooking (after boiling) was about twice that of regular dried soba noodles, showing a significant difference in fracture stress depending on whether or not gelatinization was performed. This indicates that the texture of gelatinized dried soba noodles is harder than that of regular dried soba noodles. Furthermore, the fracture strain was higher for gelatinized dried soba noodles than for regular dried soba noodles at all elapsed times. This indicates that gelatinized dried soba noodles retain a chewier texture than regular dried soba noodles.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, it was confirmed that when the elapsed time after cooking (after boiling) was 2 minutes, the gelatinized dried soba noodles showed a waveform of ductile fracture (no fracture point, elasticity). This indicates that gelatinized dried soba noodles have a chewy texture when bitten through and are firm. On the other hand, it was confirmed that regular dried soba noodles showed a waveform of brittle fracture (fracture point occurs, becoming brittle the moment bitten through) immediately after cooking (immediately after boiling). This indicates that regular dried soba noodles tend to have a crisp texture when bitten through and are less firm.

[0051] In summary, according to the first embodiment of dried soba noodles, in which the moisture content is 14% or less, the mass ratio of mixed buckwheat flour to strong wheat flour is 30-40:60-70, and the mixed buckwheat flour includes ordinary buckwheat flour and gelatinized buckwheat flour, when heated (boiled) using a microwave oven in a shorter time (3 minutes 15 seconds to 3 minutes 30 seconds) and with a small amount of water than when boiled in a typical pot, it received a higher sensory evaluation than ordinary dried soba noodles boiled in a pot. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the cooking time, reduce the amount of water used, and improve the taste.

[0052] Furthermore, the taste of the mixed buckwheat flour can be improved by ensuring that the mass ratio of gelatinized buckwheat flour is greater than that of regular buckwheat flour. In addition, the color (appearance) of the dried buckwheat can be further improved by replacing the strong wheat flour in the dried buckwheat flour with second-grade flour.

[0053] Furthermore, according to the soba cooking method of the first embodiment, a cooking container that is resistant to microwave ovens is used, and the cooking container containing dried soba noodles and hot water is heated in a microwave oven for a predetermined time, regardless of the amount of dried soba noodles and hot water, thereby boiling the dried soba noodles. As a result, cooking time can be shortened, the amount of water used can be reduced, and the taste can be improved.

[0054] Furthermore, according to the soba cooking method of the first embodiment, the amount of hot water in the main body during the input step is less than the amount of water added to the pot when boiling conventional dried soba noodles that do not contain pregelatinized buckwheat flour. Therefore, the amount of water used can be reliably reduced. In addition, according to the soba cooking method of the first embodiment, the time spent heating the cooking container during the boiling step is shorter than the time spent heating the pot with gas when boiling conventional dried soba noodles that do not contain pregelatinized buckwheat flour. Therefore, the cooking time can be reliably shortened.

[0055] (modified version) The present invention has been described above based on the first embodiment. These embodiments are illustrative, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible in the combination of these components, and that such modifications also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0056] For example, the mass ratios of mixed buckwheat flour and strong wheat flour (second grade flour) contained in samples A to C, which correspond to the dried buckwheat according to the first embodiment, are 30%:70%, 40%:60%, and 30%:60%, but the specific values ​​of these mass ratios are not limited to these and may be appropriately changed within the range of 30-40:60-70.

[0057] In the first embodiment, second-grade flour is used as strong wheat flour, but other grades of flour, such as special grade flour, first grade flour, third grade flour, and lowest grade flour, may also be used as strong wheat flour.

[0058] Furthermore, the shape of the dried soba noodles according to the first embodiment may be straight, like the conventional dried soba noodles made from regular buckwheat flour and strong wheat flour, as in the prototype control product, or it may be a unique shape suited to the dried soba noodles according to the first embodiment. This unique shape may be a curly shape.

[0059] The microwave heating time during the boiling process for soba noodles is approximately 3 minutes, regardless of the amount of dried soba noodles and hot water used. However, it is not limited to 3 minutes and may be adjusted as needed. Furthermore, the microwave heating time does not need to be perfectly constant; it may be adjusted to some extent within a certain range, such as 3 to 4 minutes, depending on the amount of dried soba noodles and hot water used.

Claims

1. Dried soba noodles characterized by having a moisture content of 14% or less, a mass ratio of mixed buckwheat flour to strong wheat flour of 30-40:60-70, and the mixed buckwheat flour containing ordinary buckwheat flour and pregelatinized buckwheat flour.

2. Dried soba noodles according to claim 1, The dried soba noodles are characterized in that the mixed buckwheat flour is configured such that the mass ratio of the gelatinized buckwheat flour is greater than the mass ratio of the ordinary buckwheat flour.

3. Dried soba noodles according to claim 1, The aforementioned strong wheat flour is characterized by being second-grade flour, resulting in dried soba noodles.

4. A method for preparing soba noodles using dried soba noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A cooking container that is resistant to microwave ovens is used. A method for cooking soba noodles, characterized by comprising the step of boiling the dried soba noodles by heating the cooking container containing the dried soba noodles and hot water in a microwave oven for a predetermined time, regardless of the amount of dried soba noodles and the amount of hot water.

5. A method for preparing soba noodles according to claim 4, A method for cooking soba noodles, characterized in that the amount of hot water in the cooking container is less than the amount of water used when boiling conventional dried soba noodles that do not contain pregelatinized buckwheat flour in a pot.

6. A method for preparing soba noodles according to claim 4, A method for cooking soba noodles, characterized in that the time for heating the cooking container is shorter than the time for heating the pot with gas when boiling conventional dried soba noodles that do not contain gelatinized buckwheat flour.

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