Instant fried noodles and their manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide instant oil-fried noodles having hard palate feeling and suppressed in expansion due to heat, and to provide a production method of the same.SOLUTION: A production method of instant oil-fried noodles includes steps of: mixing a powder raw material containing wheat hard flour and starch with water, and preparing dough; preparing noodle strips from the dough; and oil-frying the noodle strips. A mixing amount of the water is 31.0 mass% or less based on a total of the mixing amounts of the wheat hard flour and the starch. The starch has a breakdown value of 2,000 mPa s or less when an aqueous solution at concentration of 10 mass% is analyzed by a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) under the following conditions: (i) holding at 50°C for 1 minute, (ii) increasing a temperature to 95°C at 11.2°C / minute, (iii) holding 95°C for 2.5 minutes, (iv) decreasing a temperature to 50°C at 11.2°C / minute, and (v) holding at 50°C for 2 minutes.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing instant fried noodles, and more particularly to a method for producing instant fried noodles containing strong wheat flour and starch, and instant fried noodles produced by said method. [Background technology]

[0002] Instant fried noodles are widely known as a food that can be cooked by rehydrating in hot water in a short time. Patent Document 1 describes that instant fried noodles prepared from dough containing strong wheat flour, glucose oxidase, catalase, wheat gluten, pea starch, and the like have a good texture. Patent Document 2 describes that instant fried noodles containing medium-strength flour and potato starch, and the like, are free from blistering during frying, have an excellent appearance, and also have a good texture after rehydrating in hot water. Patent Document 3 describes that instant fried noodles containing semi-strong wheat flour, modified starch, propylene glycol alginate, carboxymethylcellulose, and the like have reduced oil absorption during frying, resulting in improved texture and appearance. On the other hand, Patent Documents 1 to 3 do not specifically describe reducing the amount of water when mixing strong wheat flour, a specific starch, and water to prepare dough for instant fried noodles. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-180305 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 07-194328 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-158518 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When noodles are fried, they give off a unique fragrant flavor, but the swelling of the noodle structure results in a soft texture. Potential ways to produce instant fried noodles with a firm texture include using strong flour as the main ingredient or adding a gelling agent, but if the noodle structure becomes more viscous due to the promotion of gluten formation or an increase in the amount of thickening components, it becomes difficult for moisture to escape from the inside of the noodles during frying, causing uneven swelling (blistering) on the surface of the noodles and impairing the appearance and texture of the noodles. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide instant fried noodles that have a firm texture and are suppressed from swelling due to heat, and a method for producing the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] As a result of extensive research aimed at solving the above problems, the present inventors discovered that by using a dough prepared by mixing strong wheat flour, a specific starch, and a small amount of water, it is possible to produce instant fried noodles that have a firm texture and are also less likely to blister when cooked, and this discovery led to the completion of the present invention. Specifically, the present invention provides the following method for producing instant fried noodles and the instant fried noodles. [1] A method for producing instant fried noodles, comprising: A step of mixing wheat flour, starch, and water to prepare dough; preparing noodle strings from the dough; frying the noodle strings in oil; The amount of water is 31.0% by mass or less of the total amount of the strong wheat flour and the starch, The starch was dissolved in a 10% by mass aqueous solution and analyzed by a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) under the following conditions: (i) 50°C for 1 minute; (ii) heating to 95°C at 11.2°C / min; (iii) 95°C for 2.5 minutes; (iv) Decrease temperature to 50°C at 11.2°C / min. (v) 50°C for 2 minutes; The breakdown value when analyzed by the method is 2000 mPa·s or less. [2] The manufacturing method described in [1], wherein the dough does not contain an oxidoreductase and / or a gluten strengthening agent. [3] The method according to [1] or [2], wherein the starch comprises high amylose starch or cross-linked starch. [4] The manufacturing method according to [3], wherein the high amylose starch contains 25% by mass or more of amylose relative to the total amount of starch in the raw material. [5] The manufacturing method according to [3] or [4], wherein the high amylose starch comprises starch derived from one or more raw materials selected from the group consisting of peas, sago palm, high amylose rice, high amylose wheat, corn, and mung beans. [6] The step of preparing the noodle strings comprises: a step of rolling the dough to prepare a noodle sheet; a step of cutting the noodle band to prepare the noodle strings; The method for producing a semiconductor device according to any one of [1] to [5] above, comprising: [7] The method of manufacturing according to [6] above, wherein the noodle strips are prepared by cutting the noodle sheet with cutting blades spaced apart by 1.4 mm or less. [8] Instant fried noodles containing strong wheat flour and starch, which do not develop blisters on the surface of the noodles after frying, The starch is dissolved in an aqueous solution having a concentration of 10% by mass by RVA under the following conditions: (i) 50°C for 1 minute; (ii) heating to 95°C at 11.2°C / min; (iii) 95°C for 2.5 minutes; (iv) Decrease temperature to 50°C at 11.2°C / min. (v) 50°C for 2 minutes; Instant fried noodles having a breakdown value of 2000 mPa·s or less when analyzed by [9] The instant fried noodles according to [8], which do not contain an oxidoreductase and / or a gluten strengthening agent.

[10] The instant fried noodles according to [8] or [9], wherein the starch comprises high-amylose starch or cross-linked starch.

[11] The instant fried noodles according to any one of [8] to

[10] above, wherein the noodle width is 1.8 mm or less. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, by using a dough prepared by mixing strong wheat flour, the above-mentioned specific starch, and water in an amount of 31.0 mass% or less relative to the total amount of the strong wheat flour and the starch, it is possible to produce instant fried noodles that have a firm texture while suppressing blistering, thereby providing instant fried noodles with a firm texture and good appearance. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention will now be described in further detail. The method for producing instant fried noodles of the present invention comprises the steps of: A step of mixing wheat flour, starch, and water to prepare dough; preparing noodle strings from the dough; frying the noodle strings in oil; "Instant fried noodles" as used herein refers to noodles that have been fried in edible oil and then dried, among noodles that have been processed so that they can be eaten simply by boiling them for a few minutes or by pouring hot water over them and leaving them for a few minutes. The instant fried noodles are distributed in the form of packaged noodles or cup noodles, and can be used in dishes that include Chinese noodles, Japanese noodles, or European noodles.

[0008] In the present invention, instant fried noodles are produced using strong wheat flour. Because strong wheat flour has a high protein content, the addition of water produces a large amount of gluten, imparting a firm texture to the resulting instant fried noodles. Furthermore, the amount of water used in the dough preparation process of the present invention (added water amount) is less than conventional, being approximately 31.0% by mass or less, preferably approximately 28.0% to approximately 31.0% by mass or approximately 28.4% to approximately 29.4% by mass, based on the total amount of strong wheat flour and starch. Generally, a low amount of water reduces the risk of blistering, but also leads to insufficient formation and development of a gluten network, resulting in a brittle dough with little stickiness or elasticity. However, in the present invention, the use of a specific starch prevents blistering while maintaining good dough sheetability, enabling the production of instant fried noodles with the desired texture. Note that the "dough sheetability" used in this specification refers to the extensibility of the dough when processed in a rolling machine.

[0009] The starch used in the production method of the present invention is an aqueous solution of 10% by mass of starch, which is analyzed by a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) under the following conditions: (i) 50°C for 1 minute; (ii) heating to 95°C at 11.2°C / min; (iii) 95°C for 2.5 minutes; (iv) Decrease temperature to 50°C at 11.2°C / min. (v) 50°C for 2 minutes; The breakdown value when analyzed by RVA is approximately 2000 mPa·s or less, approximately 1000 mPa·s or less, or approximately 400 mPa·s or less. RVA is a viscometer that adds water to a sample containing starch and suspends it, continuously recording the change in viscosity of the sample under set conditions. Generally, starch maintains a crystalline structure until gelatinization begins. When the starch loses its crystallinity at the gelatinization temperature, water molecules enter the spaces between the starch molecules and begin to expand. As the sample is heated, water absorption progresses, eventually reaching its maximum viscosity. With further heating, the starch granules collapse and disperse, causing the starch to leak out, lowering the viscosity and reaching its minimum viscosity. The difference between the maximum and minimum viscosities is called breakdown. As the temperature subsequently decreases, the leaked starch forms a mesh-like network, causing the viscosity to rise again and reach its final viscosity. The difference between the minimum and final viscosities is called consistency or setback. Without being bound by any particular theory, it is thought that when starch granules break down, the noodle structure becomes uniformly connected, preventing the moisture within the noodle structure from escaping and resulting in blisters. However, the starch specified in this invention has a small breakdown value and is less likely to break down starch granules when heated. As a result, gaps between the starch granules in the noodle structure are maintained during frying, allowing moisture to escape through these gaps, thereby suppressing blisters.

[0010] The starch may be any starch commonly used in the art without any particular limitation, and may include, for example, high-amylose starch or crosslinked starch. The high-amylose starch refers to a starch containing a relatively high proportion of amylose relative to the total amount of starch in the raw material. For example, the high-amylose starch may contain about 25% by mass or more of amylose. The high-amylose starch is not particularly limited, and may include, for example, starch derived from one or more raw materials selected from the group consisting of pea, sago palm, high-amylose rice, high-amylose wheat, corn, and mung bean. Specifically, it may include pea starch, sago palm starch, corn starch, mung bean starch, or modified starches thereof. The amylose content of these specific starches is 25% by mass or more; for example, the amylose content of pea starch is about 35% by mass, and the amylose content of corn starch is about 26% by mass. Potato starch has an amylose content of about 20% by mass. The cross-linked starch is not particularly limited, and may include, for example, phosphate-cross-linked starch, hydroxypropylated phosphate-cross-linked starch, acetylated phosphate-cross-linked starch, or acetylated adipic acid-cross-linked starch. The starch may also be in the form of a cereal flour containing the starch, or may be starch purified from cereals.

[0011] The amounts of the strong wheat flour and the starch that can be mixed are not particularly limited as long as they allow the preparation of noodle dough, but for example, the strong wheat flour and the starch may be mixed in a mass ratio of about 98:2 to about 86:14, preferably about 97:3 to about 90:10. When the starch is included in these amounts, the sheetability of the dough and the appearance of the resulting instant fried noodles can be improved.

[0012] The dough may further contain any food ingredients and / or additives commonly used in the art, as long as they do not impair the objectives of the present invention. The optional food ingredients and / or optional additives are not particularly limited, and may include, for example, gluten, texture modifiers such as alginic acid, seasoning ingredients, or kansui (kansui powder). In one embodiment, the dough may be free of oxidoreductases such as transglutaminase and glucose oxidase, and / or gluten strengtheners, in order to avoid the formation of excessive gluten networks.

[0013] The steps of preparing the dough, preparing the noodle strands, and frying specified by the manufacturing method of the present invention can be carried out using means commonly used in the art, without any particular restrictions. For example, the step of preparing the noodle strands may be carried out by cutting or extrusion. In the former case, the step of preparing the noodle strands includes a step of rolling the dough to prepare a noodle band, and a step of cutting the noodle band to prepare the noodle strands.

[0014] The thickness of the noodle sheet and the width of the noodle strands can be adjusted appropriately depending on the type and intended use of the instant fried noodles to be produced. For example, the thickness of the noodle sheet may be approximately 1.2 mm or less, preferably approximately 0.90 mm to approximately 1.1 mm, and more preferably approximately 0.92 mm to approximately 1.0 mm. The noodle strands may also be prepared by cutting the noodle sheet with cutting blades spaced approximately 1.4 mm or less apart, preferably with cutting blades spaced approximately 1.1 mm to approximately 1.3 mm apart. When strong wheat flour is used and the amount of water added is reduced to produce so-called thin, hard noodles with a narrow noodle width and a hard texture, this tends to reduce the extensibility of the sheet and therefore the sheetability. However, the present invention uses a specific starch, which enables the production of instant fried noodles with the desired texture while maintaining good dough sheetability.

[0015] The step of frying the noodle strands may be carried out, for example, by steaming the noodle strands, packing them into a metal frame, and placing the metal frame and the noodle strands in frying oil. The conditions for placing the noodle strands in the frying oil are not particularly limited, but for example, the noodle strands may be placed in frying oil at about 110°C to about 160°C for about 1 to 2 minutes. Conventional instant fried noodles have problems in that frying oil adheres to the surface of the noodles after frying, soiling the equipment used in subsequent processes and causing unpleasant sensations such as sticky hands during cooking. However, instant fried noodles produced by the production method of the present invention have less oil adhered to the noodle surface than conventional noodles, making equipment less susceptible to contamination and reducing unpleasant sensations during cooking. Without being bound by any particular theory, it is believed that the starch specified in the present invention has a small breakdown value and is less susceptible to disintegration of starch granules due to heating. This maintains gaps between starch granules in the noodle structure during frying, allowing frying oil to penetrate through these gaps into the noodle structure, resulting in less frying oil remaining on the surface of the noodle.

[0016] The production method of the present invention may further include production steps commonly used in the art, such as a step of cooling the noodles after frying and / or a step of packaging the noodles together with seasonings.

[0017] In another aspect, the present invention relates to instant fried noodles that contain strong wheat flour and starch and that do not develop blisters on the surface of the noodles after frying, wherein the starch has the above-mentioned properties. The instant fried noodles may further contain an oil or fat such as vegetable oil. The instant fried noodles of the present invention have a firm texture and a good appearance.

[0018] In one embodiment, the instant fried noodles may have a noodle width of approximately 1.8 mm or less, and preferably from approximately 1.3 mm to approximately 1.7 mm. The instant fried noodles of the present invention do not blister when cooked and therefore have a good texture, and because they are able to maintain a firm texture despite their thinness, they are ideal for use as so-called thin, hard noodles.

[0019] The present invention will be specifically explained below with reference to examples, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples. [Example]

[0020] 1. Production and evaluation of instant fried noodles Dough (wheat dough) was prepared by mixing the wheat flour and starch listed in Table 1 below, 0.8 parts by weight of powdered active gluten, 0.15 parts by weight of alginic acid, and 0.5 parts by weight of other seasoning ingredients with the amount of water listed in Table 1 containing 0.3 parts by weight of powdered kansui water.

[0021] [Table 1] *1 Mass percentage of the total amount of wheat flour and starch

[0022] The dough (wheat dough) was rolled to prepare a noodle band with a thickness of 0.96 mm, which was then cut with a 1.2 mm cutting blade to prepare noodle strands. The noodle strands were steamed at approximately 100°C for 90 seconds, cut into a serving size, and fried at approximately 130°C for 1 minute 20 seconds to produce the instant fried noodles of Examples 1 to 8 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3. The instant fried noodles produced had a noodle width of 1.4 mm and a thickness of 1.3 mm. The dough (wheat dough) and the produced instant fried noodles were then evaluated for the following items.

[0023] (Suitability of wheat dough for sheets) ◎: Has stretchability that allows stable processing in a rolling machine ○: Can be manufactured without problems by fine-tuning the rolling equipment △: Large variations between parts ×: Not a sheet (Appearance of instant fried noodles) ◎: Almost no blisters are visible ○: There are a few small blisters, but they are not noticeable △: There are several large blisters ×: Large blisters have appeared all over the noodles

[0024] Furthermore, immediately after frying, two pieces of instant fried noodles were placed on kitchen paper and left to stand for 30 seconds, and the amount of oil adhering to the kitchen paper was measured. (amount of oil attached) ◎: 1.2g or less ○: Over 1.2g to 2.4g ×: More than 2.4g

[0025] The instant fried noodles were boiled in hot water for 1 minute 30 seconds and then transferred to a bowl containing soup. Five panelists evaluated the texture of the noodles using the following criteria, with the most common score representing the score for the instant fried noodles. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2. (Texture after rehydration) 5: Good chewiness and stickiness, wheat flour noodle-like texture (Example 3) 4: Not as chewy as "5", but has a good texture and stickiness similar to wheat flour noodles. 3: Texture and stickiness between "4" and "2" 2: Not as chewy as "1", but with a less sticky texture 1: The texture is like soggy noodles with no chewiness at all.

[0026] [Table 2]

[0027] When strong wheat flour was used to achieve a firm texture, the conventional amount of water added increased viscosity, but blistering occurred throughout the noodles, marring the noodle's appearance (Comparative Example 1). Therefore, by reducing the amount of water added, blistering was suppressed, but the sheetability of the dough deteriorated (Comparative Example 2). On the other hand, when specific starches, namely, phosphate cross-linked pea starch, phosphate cross-linked potato starch, pea starch, corn starch, mung bean starch, or sago starch, were used in combination with strong wheat flour, blistering was suppressed while maintaining good sheetability (Examples 1 to 8). Instant fried noodles containing these starches exhibited good chewiness and stickiness (Examples 1 to 8), but these effects were not achieved when potato starch was used as the starch (Comparative Example 3). Furthermore, the amount of oil adhering to the instant fried noodles of Examples 1 to 8 was reduced compared to the instant fried noodles of Comparative Examples 1 and 2.

[0028] 2. Characteristics of the starch used A 10% by mass aqueous solution of the starch used in item 1 above was prepared and analyzed using a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) under the following conditions: (i) 50°C for 1 minute; (ii) heating to 95°C at 11.2°C / min; (iii) 95°C for 2.5 minutes; (iv) Decrease temperature to 50°C at 11.2°C / min. (v) 50°C for 2 minutes; The maximum viscosity, breakdown (difference between the maximum viscosity and the minimum viscosity), final viscosity, and setback (difference between the minimum viscosity and the final viscosity) of each aqueous solution were determined. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0029] [Table 3]

[0030] Considering this together with the test results for item 1 above, the smaller the breakdown value of the starch blended into the dough, the higher the evaluation score for texture after rehydration. This type of starch, which changes viscosity little when heated, is thought to improve the swelling stability of the instant fried noodles during frying and contribute to suppressing blistering.

[0031] From the above, it was found that by using a dough prepared by mixing strong wheat flour, the above-mentioned specific starch, and 31.0% by mass or less of water relative to the total amount of the strong wheat flour and the starch, it is possible to produce instant fried noodles that have a firm texture while suppressing blistering, thereby making it possible to provide instant fried noodles with a firm texture and good appearance.

Claims

1. A method for producing instant fried noodles, comprising: A step of mixing wheat flour, starch, and water to prepare dough; preparing noodle strings from the dough; frying the noodle strings in oil; The amount of water is 28.0% by mass or more and 31.0% by mass or less relative to the total amount of the strong wheat flour and the starch, The starch was dissolved in an aqueous solution having a concentration of 10% by mass and analyzed by a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) under the following conditions: (i) 50°C for 1 minute; (ii) Ramp to 95°C at 11.2°C / min; (iii) 95°C for 2.5 minutes; (iv) Decrease temperature to 50°C at 11.2°C / min; (v) holding at 50°C for 2 minutes; The breakdown value when analyzed is 2000 mPa s or less, The method of manufacturing, wherein the dough does not contain oxidoreductase.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the starch comprises a high amylose starch or a cross-linked starch.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the high amylose starch contains 25% by mass or more of amylose based on the total amount of starch in the raw material.

4. 4. The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein the high amylose starch comprises starch derived from one or more sources selected from the group consisting of pea, sago palm, high amylose rice, high amylose wheat, corn, and mung bean.

5. The step of preparing the noodle strings comprises: a step of rolling the dough to prepare a noodle sheet; a step of cutting the noodle band to prepare the noodle strings; The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising:

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the noodle strings are prepared by cutting the noodle sheet with cutting blades spaced apart from each other by 1.4 mm or less.

7. An instant fried noodle containing strong wheat flour and starch, not containing oxidoreductase, and having no blister on the surface of the noodle after frying, The starch is dissolved in an aqueous solution having a concentration of 10% by mass by RVA under the following conditions: (i) 50°C for 1 minute; (ii) Ramp to 95°C at 11.2°C / min; (iii) 95°C for 2.5 minutes; (iv) Decrease temperature to 50°C at 11.2°C / min; (v) holding at 50°C for 2 minutes; The breakdown value when analyzed is 2000 mPa s or less, A step of preparing dough by mixing the wheat flour, the starch, and water; preparing noodle strings from the dough; frying the noodle strings in oil; It is manufactured by a manufacturing method including The instant fried noodles, wherein the amount of water blended in the dough preparation step is 28.0% by mass or more and 31.0% by mass or less of the total amount of the strong wheat flour and the starch blended.

8. 8. The instant fried noodles of claim 7, wherein the starch comprises a high amylose starch or a cross-linked starch.

9. 9. The instant fried noodles according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the noodle width is 1.8 mm or less.

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