Instant non-fried noodles and their manufacturing method

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing instant non-fried noodles having a glossy surface after drying, by a method that does not use large-scale equipment and that enables continuous production, and to provide instant non-fried noodles obtained by the production method. The present invention relates to 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 strings of the non-fried noodles obtained after the drying step is 1.4 times or less after 5 minutes of reconstitution.

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 usually made by steaming raw noodle strands to subject them to a gelatinization process, and then drying them with hot air or the like. These instant non-fried noodles can be eaten by either pouring hot water over 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 close to that of fresh noodles. Furthermore, the following prior art documents regarding the gloss of non-fried noodles are known (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3, etc.).

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a method for producing oil-free dried noodles, which is characterized by gelatinizing fresh noodles or dried noodles, drying them, then moistening them, and drying them again. However, to obtain a glossy noodle using the method described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to rehydrate the noodles that have already been dried, which poses the problem that the humidification 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 raw 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 because the noodle strings are dried under reduced pressure in an autoclave, it is difficult to continuously produce large quantities of noodles like instant noodles.

[0005] Patent Document 3 describes a method for producing dried noodles, which is characterized by irradiating raw noodles or steamed noodles with far-infrared rays to dry and harden the surface portion 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 production process complicated. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-194327 [Patent Document 2] JP 2013-85532 A [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 181349 / 1983 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, by a method that does not use large-scale equipment and that enables continuous production, and to provide instant non-fried noodles obtained by this production method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The inventors of the present invention have thoroughly investigated a method for producing instant non-fried noodles that have a glossy surface after drying, by a method that does not use large-scale equipment and is capable of continuous production, and have found that the above-mentioned object 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, wherein 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 more, and wherein the swelling degree of the noodle strings 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, comprising carrying out 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 strings of the non-fried noodles obtained after the drying step is 1.4 times or less after 5 minutes of reconstitution. Section 2. Item 2. 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 addition rate relative to the raw material flour is 30 to 55 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 mass%. Section 5. In the mixing step, the raw material flour contains wheat flour and starch, and Item 2. 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, comprising carrying out 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 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 more and a wind speed of 12 m / sec or more; Item 2. A method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to Item 1, wherein the degree of swelling of the noodle strings 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 2. 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 after the instant non-fried noodles are reconstituted for 5 minutes in 450 ml of boiling water containing 5.0 g of salt per 70 g of the instant non-fried noodles.

[0010] In addition, in the present invention, since it is impossible or impractically difficult to specify at present what ingredients the instant non-fried noodles defined by the manufacturing process contain or what their structure is, they are described using a product-by-process claim. Effect 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 for continuous production without using large-scale equipment. [Brief description 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). [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a photograph (left side) showing an enlarged portion of the glossy instant non-fried noodles of Example 1 (right side) shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

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

[0016] As the wheat flour, wheat flour that is usually used as a raw material for various noodles such as ramen, udon, and soba can be used. The origin and variety of the wheat flour are not important. Any flour milled by a normal 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 flour (protein content: about 8.5 to 11.0% by mass), weak flour (protein content: about 7.0 to 10.0% by mass), etc. can be used alone or in appropriate combination of two or more kinds.

[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, corn starch, and the like.

[0018] Modified starches include starches modified by physical treatment, starches modified by enzymatic treatment, and starches modified by chemical treatment. Examples of starches processed by physical treatment include pregelatinized starch and bleached starch. The enzymatically processed starch includes, for example, 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 kinds. The starch is preferably a raw starch and / or a modified starch, i.e. the starch may be only raw starch, only modified starch or a mixture of raw and modified starch, preferably a modified starch. In the mixing process mentioned above, the blending ratio of the above-mentioned powder in the above-mentioned raw material powder is, for example, 0 to 55 mass% (for example, 0 to 55 mass% or less, 0.1 to 55 mass%, 1 to 55 mass%, 5 to 55 mass%, 10 to 55 mass%, 15 to 55 mass%, 20 to 55 mass%, 25 to 55 mass%, 30 to 55 mass%, 35 to 55 mass%, 40 to 55 mass%, 45 to 55 mass%, 50 to 55 mass%; 0 to 50 mass% or less, 0.1 to 50 mass%, 1 to 50 mass%, 5 to 50 mass%, 1 0-50 mass%, 15-50 mass%, 20-50 mass%, 25-50 mass%, 30-50 mass%, 35-50 mass%, 40-50 mass%, 45-50 mass%; 0-45 mass% or less, 0.1-45 mass%, 1-45 mass%, 5-45 mass%, 10-45 mass%, 15-45 mass%, 20-45 mass%, 25-45 mass%, 30-45 mass%, 35-45 mass%, 40-45 mass%; 0-40 mass% or less, 0.1-40 mass%, 1-40 mass%, 5-40 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; 0-35% 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; 0-30% 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 % 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; 0-20% by mass or less, 0.1-20% by mass, 1-20% by mass, 5-20% by mass, 10-20% by mass; 0-15% by mass or less, 0.1-15% by mass, 1-15% by mass, 5-15% by mass, 10-15% by mass; and 0-10% by mass or less, 0.1-10% by mass, 1-10% by mass, 5-10% by mass). Also, 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 (e.g., more than 0 and 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; more than 0 and 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; more than 0 and 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; more than 0 and 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; more than 0 and 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; more than 0 and 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; more than 0 and 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; more than 0 and 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; more than 0 and 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; more than 0 and 10% by mass or less, 0.1 to 10% by mass, 1 to 10% by mass, 5 to 10% by mass). Furthermore, when starch is blended, the content of the 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 increases, which increases the extensibility of the dough and makes it easier for the surface of the noodles to become glossy after drying.

[0020] The raw material flour of the 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, and gluten is 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 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 to 40 parts by mass, and more preferably 2 to 30 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of wheat flour.

[0021] Furthermore, to the raw materials, 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, colorants such as carotenoid pigments, preservatives, etc. can be added as necessary. There are no particular limitations on the amount of the additives added, but for example, the amount of the 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 the raw material powder. When the additive is an alkaline agent (kansui), 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. As for the 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 the kneading water.

[0023] In the mixing step, water (kneading water) is added to the raw materials, and then the various raw materials are kneaded 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. In the case of reduced pressure, the degree of vacuum (gauge pressure) is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, less than atmospheric pressure (0 MPa). Among them, 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 usually 30 to 60 parts by mass, preferably 35 to 55 parts by mass, more preferably 38 to 53 parts by mass, and particularly preferably 39 to 51%, relative to 100 parts by mass of raw material flour. In other words, the hydration rate (the ratio of water to the total mass of raw material flour) is 30 to 60%, preferably 35 to 55%, more preferably 38 to 53%, and particularly preferably 39 to 51%. By keeping the hydration rate within the above range, instant non-fried noodles with an even better luster can be obtained.

[0025] Noodle making process The obtained noodle dough is made into noodle strings in a conventional manner. Specifically, the noodle dough is combined to prepare a noodle band, which is then rolled using a number of rolling rolls and cut out using a cutting blade to produce noodle strings.

[0026] Alphaling process In the gelatinization process, the starch contained in the noodle strings is gelatinized (gelatinized). A steaming process using steam is carried out as a method for gelatinizing the noodle strings. 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, etc., and in order to improve the texture of the resulting noodle strings, 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 strings 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 imparting step may be carried out after the gelatinization step. The method for providing (replenishing) moisture is not particularly limited, 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, and 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. When a flavoring liquid is used, it is preferable that the flavoring liquid 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 flavoring liquid that does not contain these raw materials is used, it becomes easier to obtain instant non-fried noodles that have a glossy finish.

[0028] Drying process Next, the noodle strings are cut into portions each having a weight sufficient for one meal, and then molded and packed into a drying mold in portions for one meal, 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 (for example, 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, ... The heating temperature is preferably 120 to 180°C, more preferably 130 to 160°C, and more preferably 130 to 160°C, and more preferably 140 to 180°C, and more preferably 150 to 170°C, and more preferably 160 to 170°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 / sec (for example, 12 to 120 m / sec, 12 to 100 m / sec, 12 to 80 m / sec, 12 to 60 m / sec, 12 to 40 m / sec, 12 to 30 m / sec, 12 to 25 m / sec, 12 to 22 m / sec, etc.). Among them, the wind speed is preferably 12 to 30 m / sec, more preferably 15 to 25 m / sec, and further preferably 18 to 22 m / sec. By using this method of drying with hot air at a temperature of 110°C or higher and a speed of 12 m / sec or more, it is possible to produce instant non-fried noodles that have a glossy surface after drying, using a method that allows for continuous production without using large-scale equipment. Drying the noodle strands using hot air at a temperature of 110°C or higher and a speed of 12 m / sec or higher allows the noodle strands to be rapidly dehydrated and dried. This causes the resulting noodle strands to foam and swell, so that when the noodle strands are reconstituted, their degree of swelling is reduced to 1.4 times or less, allowing the production of instant non-fried noodles with an improved surface gloss. The degree of swelling 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 or more and 60 minutes or less, more preferably 1 minute 15 seconds or more and 30 minutes or less, and even more preferably 1 minute 30 seconds or more and 20 minutes or less. 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 and cooled for a prescribed 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 reconstitution is usually 1.4 times or less, preferably 1.3 times or less, and more preferably 1.2 times or less. In the present invention, it is preferable that this degree of swelling is closer to 1. Here, the above-mentioned 5 minutes of reconstitution refers to the 5 minutes after the instant non-fried noodles are placed in a special cup, boiled water at 98°C to 100°C is poured in, and the lid is quickly closed.

[0031] Swelling degree Here, the swelling degree refers to the rate of increase or decrease in the cross-sectional area when 70 g of dried noodles are placed in a special container, 450 ml of hot water is poured in, and the noodles are allowed to rehydrate for 5 minutes, and then the cross-sectional area is measured when the noodles are cut in a direction perpendicular to the axis that is the long side of the noodle string. 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 sample after 5 minutes of reconstitution is prepared according to the following procedure. Place instant non-fried noodles in a special cup, pour in boiling water at 98℃~100℃, quickly cover and leave to rest for 5 minutes (reconstitution). Then quickly remove the lid and at the same time start measuring the time after reconstitution. Use chopsticks to loosen the noodles from 0 to 15 seconds after reconstitution, and at 15 seconds after reconstitution, quickly remove the noodles from the water using a colander and cut out a single noodle strand about 5~10mm long from the removed noodle. The prepared noodle string sample is observed using a digital microscope to measure the cross-sectional area. For example, a VHX-7000 digital microscope manufactured by Keyence Corporation can be used. In addition, 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 an excellent luster. Conventional non-fried noodles do not have a luster on the surface, but the instant non-fried noodles of the present invention have a luster. In the present invention, the noodle strands are rapidly dehydrated and dried using hot air at a temperature of at least 110°C and a speed of at least 12 m / sec, which causes the surface of the noodle strands to be stretched and gelatinized, and also causes them to rapidly swell, resulting in the production of glossy noodles. By carrying out the high-temperature hot air drying as described above, shiny noodles are obtained, but it is presumed that an even stronger shine can be obtained by adding the above-mentioned series of steps and operating conditions to the high-temperature hot air drying. The detailed mechanism is not clear, but it is currently thought to be as follows. First, wheat flour is used as the main ingredient, and dough containing starch is mixed with a large amount of water under reduced pressure, resulting in a strongly bonded dough. After forming the dough into noodle strands, the starch in the dough is gelatinized, giving the dough extensibility. Then, by rapidly dehydrating the dough using high-temperature hot air drying, the surface of the noodle strands is stretched and gelatinized, and they also rapidly swell. The result is shiny noodles.

[0035] The instant non-fried noodles of the present invention have excellent luster and also have good soup absorption properties. In the present invention, "absorbing the soup" refers to the process in which the noodles absorb flavor components contained in the soup, such as salt, amino acids and sugar, into the inside of the noodle strings together with the hot water when non-fried noodles are reconstituted with hot water or when eaten after reconstitution. 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 dried noodle strings when hot water is poured over the noodle strings and the noodle strings are allowed to stand for 5 minutes to reconstitute the noodles. Specifically, 70 g of dried noodles are placed in a special container, and 450 ml of boiling water in which 5.0 g of salt has been dissolved is poured in to reconstitute the noodles for 5 minutes. At this time, the amount of sodium (Na) adsorbed inside and on the surface of the noodle strings 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 is referred to as the salt adsorption test.

[0037] The amount of salt adsorption during the 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 reconstituted for 5 minutes using 450 ml of boiling water in which 5 g of salt has been dissolved. Y indicates the salt equivalent content of instant non-fried noodles rehydrated in 450 ml of boiling water for 5 minutes. Here, Y means 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 contained in noodles that have been rehydrated for 5 minutes in 450 ml of boiling water that does not contain 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 that contains 5.0 g of salt. This makes it possible to calculate only the amount of salt adsorbed to the noodles from the amount of salt contained in the soup at the time of 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 more preferably closer to 5.0 g. In this way, the instant non-fried noodles of the present invention are able to adsorb more salt during reconstitution, and therefore, more components such as salt, amino acids, and sugars are adsorbed to the noodles, which means that the noodles absorb soup well. EXAMPLES

[0040] The present invention will be described 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) Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. (product name) "Matsutani Sakura" Potato starch: Produced by the Shari Town Agricultural Cooperative Association Nakashari Starch Factory, (product name) "Nakashari" Plant Protein Gluten: Glico Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd. (product name) "A-Glu (registered trademark) CC" Salt "Normal Salt" (product name), manufactured by Diasalt Co., Ltd. Kansui Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd. (Product name) "Powdered Kansui Red"

[0042] Example 1 A mixing water prepared by dissolving 24 g of salt and 3.6 g of alkaline 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" (product name)), and mixed or kneaded for 10 minutes using a horizontal kneader mixer. The mixing (kneading) was carried out for 3 minutes under normal pressure, and then for 7 minutes under reduced pressure (vacuum pressure (gauge pressure) -0.084 MPa to -0.094 MPa). Here, the amount of starch added per 100 parts by mass of wheat flour was 20 parts by mass, and the ratio of starch added to the mass of wheat flour was 20% by mass. The amount of water added (amount of water added) per 100 parts by mass of raw material flour (total amount of wheat flour and processed starch) was 40 parts by mass, and the ratio of water added to the mass of raw material flour (water addition rate) was 40% by mass. The obtained small pieces of dough were passed through a roll to make a noodle sheet, and two of these sheets were then passed through a roll again to be integrated, 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 for 40 seconds through a steamer in which steam generated in a boiler was sprayed after the pressure was reduced. Thereafter, the resulting noodle strings after the gelatinization step were immersed in water for 40 seconds. The noodle strings were then cut to a length of about 20 cm, and packed into a truncated cone-shaped drying frame (top inner diameter 130 mm × bottom inner diameter 110 mm × height 45 mm, with multiple 1.5 mm diameter round holes formed on the bottom) for one serving at a time so that each serving would weigh about 105 g. The noodle block was then covered with a top lid with multiple 1.5 mm diameter round holes formed, and the noodle block was then dried in a dryer with an internal temperature of 160°C and an air speed of 18 to 22 m / sec. The hot air was in a flowing state inside the dryer, and the air direction was alternately changed between blowing upward from below and blowing downward from above against the noodle block, so that the hot air was passed above and below the noodle block to dry it. After drying, the top lid was removed, and the noodle block was taken out of the drying frame and cooled to obtain instant non-fried noodles (one serving is about 70 g). Note that about 70 g is 70±4 g (66 to 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, starch was not 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 in the mixing (kneading) process, except that the amount of starch added was 1000 g (starch blending ratio 50 mass%), 80 g of vegetable protein (wheat protein) was added, and the amount of water was changed to 1040 g (water content 50 mass%).

[0049] Example 8 The same conditions as in Example 1 were used in the mixing (kneading) step, 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 based on the following method. The degree of swelling is the rate of increase or decrease in the cross-sectional area when the noodle strand is cut perpendicular to the axis that is the long side of the noodle string when 70 g of dried noodles are placed in a special container, 450 ml of boiling water is poured in, and the noodles are allowed 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 sample after 5 minutes of reconstitution is prepared according to the following procedure. Place instant non-fried noodles in a special cup, pour in boiling water at 98℃~100℃, quickly cover and leave to rest for 5 minutes (reconstitution). Then quickly remove the lid and at the same time start measuring the time after reconstitution. Use chopsticks to loosen the noodles from 0 to 15 seconds after reconstitution, and at 15 seconds after reconstitution, quickly remove the noodles from the water using a colander and cut out a single noodle strand about 5~10mm long from the removed noodle. The prepared noodle string samples were observed using a digital microscope (Keyence VHX-7000) to measure the cross-sectional area. In addition, 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 reconstitution" and the cross-sectional area of ​​the "noodles after 5 minutes of reconstitution." Values ​​of 1.4 or less were evaluated as "good," and values ​​exceeding 1.4 were evaluated as "poor."

[0057] Test Example 2 (Glossiness) The obtained instant non-fried noodles were evaluated for gloss. Here, gloss means that the surface of the instant non-fried noodles has a lustrous shine. The gloss was evaluated by visual sensory evaluation, and the average score given by five evaluators was used. The gloss was evaluated 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 illuminometer LX-105 manufactured by Custom Co., Ltd. A white table was prepared, and the non-fried noodle sample was placed directly on the table and visually inspected from any angle. The glossiness was evaluated. The evaluation was carried out by five panelists. Each panelist scored the glossiness with a score of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 according to the following evaluation criteria.

[0058] <Gloss evaluation> 4: The noodles have a strong overall sheen and a smooth, glossy surface. 3: There is an overall gloss, but the gloss is weaker than 4 above. 2: The overall gloss is weak. 1: There is a weak gloss, 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 "◯", and an average score of 2 or less was given a "×". 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 the same is shown in Figure 2. Moreover, 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) The amount of salt adsorption to the noodle strands of the obtained instant non-fried noodles during reconstitution was measured. The amount of salt adsorption referred to here is a value obtained by placing 70 g of dried noodles in a special container, pouring in 450 ml of boiling water in which 5.0 g of salt has been dissolved, and reconstituting the noodles for 5 minutes. At this time, the amount of sodium (Na) adsorbed inside and on the surface of the noodle strands 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 formula 2. In the present invention, the salt equivalent contained in the noodles that were 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 the noodles that were reconstituted for 5 minutes in 450 ml of boiling water that did not contain salt was subtracted from that value to obtain the salt adsorption value. In this way, only the amount of adsorption 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 salt content of non-fried noodles rehydrated in 450 ml of boiling water for 5 minutes.) Here, Y refers to the amount of salt contained in the non-fried noodles themselves after being 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 according to the following procedure. Instant non-fried noodles were placed in a special cup, 450 ml of boiling water (98°C to 100°C) containing 5.0 g of salt was poured in, the lid was quickly replaced, and the noodles were left to stand for 5 minutes (reconstitution). The lid was then quickly removed, the noodles were quickly removed from the water using a colander, and the Na content of the entire amount of noodles removed was measured using a Na analyzer. The salt equivalent was calculated from the obtained Na value. The same procedure was carried out when salt-free hot water was used, and the Na content of the resulting noodles was measured and the amount of salt adsorption was calculated from this value. <Evaluation of salt adsorption> Salt adsorption was evaluated as 2.0g or more as "◎", 0.85g or more but less than 2.0 as "◯", 0.5g or more but less than 0.85g as "△", and less than 0.5g as "X".

[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 obtained noodles had a strong luster, as shown in the left side of FIG. 1 and FIG. Furthermore, the instant non-fried noodles of Examples 1 to 7 were able to adsorb more salt when reconstituted. This means that more salt, amino acids, sugars, and other ingredients are adsorbed to the noodles, which means that the noodles absorb the soup better. As a result, the noodles and soup are more united, making the noodles 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 FIG. [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 for continuous production without using large-scale equipment.

Claims

1. A method for producing instant non-fried noodles, comprising carrying out 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 raw material flour contains wheat flour and starch, and The mixing step is carried out under reduced pressure, The drying step is carried out using hot air at a temperature of 130° C. or more and 180° C. or less and at a wind speed of 12 m / sec. or more and 120 m / sec. or less, the moisture content of the non-fried noodles obtained after the drying step is 4 to 14.5%, A method for producing instant non-fried noodles, wherein the non-fried noodles obtained after the drying step have a degree of swelling of the noodle strings after 5 minutes of reconstitution of the noodles of 0.8 to 1.4 times their original size.

2. A method for producing instant non-fried noodles as described in claim 1, wherein the drying process is carried out at a temperature of 140°C or higher and 180°C or lower.

3. 2. The method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to claim 1, wherein in the mixing step, the water addition rate 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 mass%.

5. In the mixing step, the raw material flour contains wheat flour and starch, and 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. 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, comprising carrying out 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 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 130° C. or more and 180° C. or less and at a wind speed of 12 m / sec or more and 120 m / sec or less, the moisture content of the non-fried noodles obtained after the drying step is 4 to 14.5%, 2. The method for producing instant non-fried noodles according to claim 1, wherein the degree of swelling of the noodle strings of the non-fried noodles obtained after the drying step and during the 5 minutes of reconstitution is 0.8 to 1.4 times the original swelling degree.

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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