Instant noodle manufacturing method

Abstract

To develop a novel method of further improving loosening when drawing out a noodle line group after steaming.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing an instant noodle includes: steaming a noodle line group cut out in a wave state from a cutting edge by a steamer; further heating and humidifying the noodle line group after moving the noodle line group from the steamer to the outside; and drawing out a noodle line in a heated and humidified state or thereafter. Preferably, the heating and humidifying are carried out by holding the noodle line group in a chamber at 60-200°C and a humidity of 50% or more for 10-200 seconds, and the noodle line is drawn out before the temperature of the noodle line group reaches 40°C or lower.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a new method for improving the loosening of noodle strands when stretching the noodle strands after steaming in the process of producing instant noodles. [Background technology]

[0002] In the production of instant noodles, a method is often adopted in which a group of wavy noodle strands cut out from a cutting roll is steamed, and then the group of noodle strands is stretched by stretching, and then a dried noodle block is produced by going through steps such as cutting, molding, and drying. In the process of stretching the noodle strands, in order to improve the loosening of the noodle strands and make them easier to stretch, emulsified oil is sprayed on the noodle strands before steaming, and after steaming, the noodle strands are sprayed with or soaked in water, emulsified oil, or a soybean dietary fiber solution to prevent the noodle strands from sticking together (improving loosening and stretching).

[0003] However, if a loosening agent or water is used after steaming, the moisture content will increase, increasing the load on the subsequent drying process. In response to this situation, the following Patent Document 1 is disclosed as a prior art for improving the loosening of noodle strings: [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] Patent Publication No. 10-84896

[0005] The method described in the above patent document is an excellent method, but the equipment required is expected to be somewhat complicated. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to develop a new method for improving the loosening of noodle strings when stretching the noodle strings after steaming. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of extensive research, the inventors discovered that by steaming a group of noodle strands that have been cut out in a wavy state from a cutting blade in a steamer, and then removing the noodle strands from the steamer and further heating and humidifying them, and then stretching the noodle strands under or after this heated and humidified condition, it is possible to improve the loosening of the noodle strands when they are stretched. That is, the first invention of the present application is: "A method for producing instant noodles, comprising the steps of steaming a mass of noodle strands cut out in a wavy state from a cutting blade in a steamer, and then, after being taken out of the steamer, further heating and humidifying the noodle strands, and stretching the noodle strands under or after said heated and humidified conditions."

[0008] Next, with regard to the heated and humidified state described in claim 1, it is preferable to carry out the heated and humidified state by placing the container in a cabinet with a temperature of 60° C. to 200° C. and a humidity of 50% or more. That is, the second invention of the present application is: "The method for producing instant noodles according to claim 1, wherein the heated and humidified state is achieved by placing the noodles in a cabinet having a temperature of 60°C to 200°C and a humidity of 50% or more."

[0009] Next, in the second invention of the present application, it is preferable to hold the food in the heating and humidifying chamber for 10 to 200 seconds. That is, the third invention of the present application is: "The method for producing instant noodles according to claim 2, wherein the heated and humidified state is maintained in the heating and humidifying chamber for 10 to 200 seconds."

[0010] Next, in the present invention, it is preferable to stretch the noodle strands after the heating and humidifying state and before the temperature of the noodle strands drops below 40°C. That is, the fourth invention of the present application is: "A method for producing instant noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the noodle strands are stretched before the temperature of the noodle strands drops below 40°C after the heating and humidifying state."

[0011] Next, in the present invention, after steaming, the moisture loss rate of the noodle strings before and after heating and humidifying is preferably 0.5 to 9.0% by weight. That is, the fifth invention of the present application is: "The method for producing instant noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the moisture loss rate of the noodle strings before and after the heating and humidifying is 0.5 to 9.0% by weight."

[0012] Next, in the present invention, the heat medium for heating and humidifying the noodle strings is preferably steam or superheated steam. That is, the sixth invention of the present application is: "The method for producing instant noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the heat medium for heating and humidifying the noodle strands is steam or superheated steam."

[0013] Next, in the present invention, it is preferable to blow hot air circulating inside the oven at a speed of 0.2 m / sec to 50 m / sec onto the noodle strings during the heating and humidification. That is, the seventh invention of the present application is: "The method for producing instant noodles according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein hot air circulating inside the oven at a speed of 0.2 m / sec to 50 m / sec is blown onto the noodle strings during the heating and humidifying process." [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] By adopting the configuration of the present invention, the noodle strings can be easily stretched, and the moisture content does not increase, which has the effect of making drying easier when drying (hot air drying or oil drying). [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the manufacturing method of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the process of each test example of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are photographs of the side and top views of a noodle block obtained in the production process of Test Example 1. [Figure 4] 1 shows photographs of the side and top views of a noodle block obtained in the production process of Test Example 2. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are photographs of the side and top views of a noodle block obtained in the production process of Test Example 3. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are photographs of the side and top views of a noodle block obtained in the production process of Test Example 4. [Figure 7] 1 shows photographs of the side and top views of a noodle block obtained in the production process of Test Example 5. [Explanation of symbols]

[0016] 1 Cutting edge roll 2 Kasuri 3 Conduit 4 Steam Locomotive 5 Heating / humidifying chamber DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The present invention will be described in detail below. The first invention of the present application is "A method for producing instant noodles, comprising the steps of steaming a mass of noodle strands cut out in a wavy state from a cutting blade in a steamer, and then, after being taken out of the steamer, further heating and humidifying the noodle strands, and stretching the noodle strands under or after said heated and humidified conditions."

[0018] Figure 1 shows an image of a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, in the process of producing instant noodles, noodle strands are generally transferred on multiple conveyors and passed through a tunnel-type steamer. Figure 1 also shows an embodiment in which the noodle strands continuously pass through a heating and humidifying chamber, which is a configuration of the present invention.

[0019] In the first embodiment of the present application, dough prepared from raw ingredients such as wheat flour is formed into a noodle sheet through processes such as combining and rolling. The noodle sheet is then fed to a cutting blade device as shown in Figure 1 and turned into noodle strands, and can be discharged in a wavy state using a conduit. The wavy noodle strands are then transported on a conveyor and steamed through a steamer. After steaming, the noodle strands are subjected to the heating and humidifying treatment of the present invention, and then moved to the stretching process (Figure 1). However, the present invention is not limited to a continuous processing mode such as the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and it goes without saying that each step may be carried out individually and sequentially in a so-called batch system.

[0020] ─Instant noodles─ The instant noodles referred to in the present invention include both cup noodles and packaged noodles, including cup noodles that can be eaten simply by adding hot water and packaged noodles that can be eaten by heating and cooking in a pot, and particularly refer to dried cup noodles or packaged noodles. Here, instant cup noodles refer to instant cup noodles that contain dried noodle blocks, soup, and, if necessary, ingredients or ingredient packs, in a container made of paper, plastic, etc. Usually, they are cooked by pouring hot water over them and are ready to eat after a predetermined time has passed.

[0021] In addition, bag noodles are usually the type that are cooked using a pot or the like before eating. Methods for drying the noodle blocks used for instant noodles include fried noodles, which are dried by deep-frying in oil, and hot air dried noodles, which are dried by hot air drying. The present invention can be applied when either type of dried noodle block is used, but is particularly suitable for use when using a hot air dried noodle block.

[0022] ─Instant noodle manufacturing process─ Instant noodles (dried type) are generally produced through a series of processes: kneading ingredients such as wheat flour and water, rolling the noodle sheet, cutting the noodle strands using cutting rollers, steaming (steaming or boiling), stretching, cutting, filling into molds, and drying (with a seasoning step added if necessary). Of these steps, the present invention particularly relates to the step of "steaming (steaming or boiling) → stretching."

[0023] - Noodle strings cut out in a wavy shape from the cutting blade - Noodle manufacturing methods generally involve mixing and kneading noodle ingredients such as wheat flour and starch to form a noodle dough, which is then rolled out to a specified thickness to produce a strip-shaped noodle band, and then cutting this noodle band into linear noodle strands of a specified thickness using a noodle string cutting device to produce fresh noodle strands.These fresh noodle strands are then further processed and manufactured through the required processing steps, such as cutting or steaming, depending on the final product form of the noodle, such as fresh noodles, dried noodles, steamed noodles, or instant noodles.

[0024] For instant noodles, it is almost essential to perform a steaming process after the noodle strands have been cut out, and the noodle strand cutting device and the steaming device are connected in an almost continuous process via a noodle strand transport conveyor, and the transport of the noodles is automated. In the manufacture of instant noodles, instant noodles are mass-produced industrially, and in terms of land costs and other factors, it is ideal to keep the production line as short as possible and reduce the installation space. Here, by creating a slightly clogged state in the guide tube and creating a wave, as described above, the noodle strands are concentrated on the conveyor, making it possible to shorten the physical length of the production line. In this case, the conveyor transport speed is slower than the speed at which the noodle strands are cut out from the cutting blades.

[0025] That is, in noodle string cutting devices for instant noodles, a pair of cutting blade rolls is arranged horizontally or at an appropriate incline, and a guide pipe (conduit) is arranged directly below them, either vertically or at a backward incline with respect to the direction of travel of the conveyor for transporting the noodle strings, and the cut noodle strings are made to be in a wavy state (bent) by being slightly clogged in the guide pipe, and these are then led to the transport conveyor arranged below (Figure 1). In the present invention, the term "a group of noodle strings cut out in a wavy state from a cutting blade" refers to a group of noodle strings in this wavy state.

[0026] ─Steamed in a steamer─ In the instant noodle manufacturing process, the noodle strands are transferred to a steaming device by conveyor while still in the wavy (bent) state described above, and the noodle strands are gelatinized (gelatinized) by steaming (steaming or boiling).

[0027] ─After being taken out of the steamer, it is further heated and humidified─ Next, after the steaming, a method is often adopted in which the noodle strings are stretched by being stretched, and then the noodle strings are moved to a process such as cutting. By stretching the noodle strings in this manner, the loosening of the noodle strings is promoted, making it easier to process the noodle strings in the subsequent process such as cutting.

[0028] On the other hand, in the present invention, after the above-mentioned steaming, the mass of noodle strings that emerges from the steamer at a stage before the mass of noodle strings is stretched is further heated and humidified. The heating and humidifying method is not particularly limited. For example, a heating and humidifying chamber can be installed midway along the conveyor that carries the noodle strings coming out of the steamer, and the noodle strings can be heated and humidified by passing through the chamber, or the noodle strings can be transported on a conveyor and then sprayed with steam or superheated steam to heat and humidify them while they are still in an open system.

[0029] Here, steam or superheated steam can be used as a heat medium for heating and humidification. Regarding heating and humidification, the temperature is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 60°C to 200°C, more preferably 70°C to 180°C, and most preferably 80°C to 160°C. Next, the humidity is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 50% or higher. For example, if the noodle strings are passed through a heating and humidifying chamber, the humidity inside the chamber should be 50% or higher. The humidity is preferably 70% or higher, and most preferably 90% or higher.

[0030] The heating and humidifying time is not particularly limited, but is preferably in the range of approximately 10 to 200 seconds. More preferably, it is 20 to 180 seconds. Most preferably, it is 30 to 170 seconds. For example, if the noodle strings placed on the conveyor are configured to pass through a heating and humidifying chamber (heating and humidifying chamber, heating and humidifying machine, etc.), it is preferable to add the heating and humidifying chamber for each of the above-mentioned seconds. It should be noted that the name of the heating and humidifying chamber (heating and humidifying machine) referred to in the present invention is not particularly important as long as it can create a heated and heated environment for the noodle strings to pass through.

[0031] Furthermore, when using the heating and humidifying chamber, there are no particular limitations on the airflow speed, but it is preferable that the hot air circulating inside the chamber be blown onto the noodle strings at an airflow speed of 0.2 m / s to 50 m / s during heating and humidification. An airflow speed of approximately 0.5 m / s to 40 m / s is more preferable. An airflow speed of approximately 1 m / s to 30 m / s is most preferable. Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the rate of moisture loss of the noodle strings before and after heating and humidifying, but if the moisture content of the noodle strings before heating and humidifying is taken as 100% by weight, it is preferably approximately 0.5 to 9.0% by weight, and even more preferably approximately 1.0 to 8.0% by weight.

[0032] ─Stretching the noodles under or after heated and humidified conditions─ Next, in the present invention, a step of stretching the noodle strands is carried out after or during the heating and humidifying process, where the waves of the wavy noodle strands are stretched. Specifically, when a heating and humidifying chamber is used, one method is to stretch the noodle strands after they have left the chamber. The timing for stretching the noodle strands may be immediately after they have left the chamber, or after they have been conveyed on a conveyor for a predetermined period of time.

[0033] Typically, stretching can be achieved by increasing the conveying speed of another conveyor when transferring the noodle strands to that conveyor (Figure 1). However, the stretching step is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and may include any type of embodiment that can stretch the noodle strings. Furthermore, although the above describes a mode in which the noodle strings are stretched after leaving the heating and humidifying chamber, stretching may also be carried out inside the heating and humidifying chamber, for example, near the exit of the heating and humidifying chamber if the noodle strings pass through the chamber in a tunnel-like manner. However, in order to allow heat to be dissipated from the noodle strings, it is preferable to stretch the noodle strings once they have left the chamber.

[0034] Next, when stretching the noodle strands after the heating and humidifying conditions, it is preferable to stretch the noodle strands before the temperature of the noodle strands drops below 40°C. It is even more preferable to stretch the noodle strands before the temperature drops below 50°C. And it is most preferable to stretch the noodle strands before the temperature drops below 60°C.

[0035] ─Other─ The reason why the effects of the present invention are achieved is not clear. However, it is assumed as follows: Namely, the effect of making stretching easier: When the noodle strands come into contact with steam and condensation water adheres to them, the adhesive strength between the noodle strands that are stuck together by starch glue or the like weakens, making stretching easier. Furthermore, when the noodle strands receive thermal energy, the heat that accumulates in the noodle strands during the stretching process is released, causing the moisture on the noodle surface to evaporate, leaving the noodle surface in a smooth state. This prevents re-sticking during stretching, and it is assumed that this ultimately improves the loosening of the noodle strands. In the present invention, an emulsifier (emulsified oil or fat) may also be used for the noodle strings, which is expected to further loosen the noodles. [Example]

[0036] Examples of the present invention will be described below, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples. The noodle strings used in the following Test Examples 1 to 5 were prepared as follows.

[0037] 820 g of wheat flour was mixed with 180 g of starch, to which 400 ml of mixing water in which 24 g of salt and 4 g of alkaline mineral water had been dissolved was added, and the mixture was kneaded for 15 minutes in a normal pressure mixer to obtain a noodle dough. The resulting noodle dough was shaped and combined to form a noodle sheet, which was then repeatedly rolled to a final thickness of 1.4 mm, after which noodle strands were cut into wavy strips using a No. 12 cutting blade. These noodle strands were then subjected to steaming and heating / humidification treatments under various conditions as shown in the following Test Examples 1 to 6. The noodle strands obtained under each set of conditions were then subjected to a hot air drying process in the next drying step, whereby a dried noodle block was obtained by hot air drying.

[0038] [Test Example 1] (After steaming, the material was left for a specified time without heating or humidifying, and then stretched) The noodle strands cut into a wave shape were immediately steamed for 1 minute and 40 seconds, then left to stand for 1 minute, after which they were stretched and cut into lengths of approximately 40 cm. These were then placed in a loosening machine with rotating jaws, packed into a retainer, and dried by blowing hot air from above and below the retainer at a temperature of 125°C at a speed of 70 m / s for 8 minutes, yielding a noodle block weighing 78 g.

[0039] [Test Example 2] (When the product is left for a specified time without heating or humidifying after steaming, then immersed in cold water and stretched) The noodle strands cut into a wave shape were immediately steamed for 1 minute 40 seconds, left to stand for 30 seconds, then immersed in cold water at 3°C ​​for 3 seconds, and left to stand for another 30 seconds. After that, the noodle strands were stretched and cut to lengths of approximately 40 cm, placed in a loosening machine with rotating jaws, and packed into a retainer. Hot air at a temperature of 125°C was blown from above and below the retainer at a speed of 70 m / s, yielding an 80 g noodle block.

[0040] [Test Example 3] (When the material is left for a specified time without heating or humidifying after steaming, then sprayed with water and then stretched.) The noodle strands that had been cut into a wave shape were immediately steamed for 1 minute 40 seconds and then left to stand for 30 seconds, after which water at approximately 20°C was sprayed from above and below so that 5 g of water was sprayed on each side per 100 g of raw noodle strands before steaming. The noodle strands were then stretched and cut to lengths of approximately 40 cm, placed in a loosening machine with rotating jaws, and loaded into a retainer. Hot air at a temperature of 125°C was blown from above and below the retainer at a speed of 70 m / s for 8 minutes, yielding an 80 g noodle block.

[0041] [Test Example 4] (When the material is left for a specified time without heating or humidifying after steaming, then sprayed with water and then stretched.) The noodle strands cut into a wave shape were immediately steamed for 1 minute 40 seconds and then left to stand for 30 seconds, after which an emulsified oil with a loosening effect was sprayed from above and below so that 5 g was sprayed on each side of 100 g of raw noodle strands before steaming. The noodle strands were then stretched and cut to lengths of approximately 40 cm, placed in a loosening machine with rotating jaws, and packed into a retainer. Hot air at a temperature of 125°C was blown from above and below the retainer at a speed of 70 m / s for 8 minutes, yielding an 80 g noodle block.

[0042] [Test Example 5] (When the noodles are heated and humidified after steaming, and then stretched) The noodles are cut into wavy shapes and immediately steamed for 1 minute and 40 seconds. Hot air with a temperature of 80°C and humidity of 92% was sprayed from above and below the nozzles at a speed of 30 m / s onto the noodle strands, which were then stretched and cut to lengths of approximately 40 cm. These were then placed in a loosening machine with rotating jaws and packed into a retainer, where they were dried for 8 minutes with hot air from above and below the retainer at a temperature of 125°C and a speed of 70 m / s, yielding an 80 g noodle block. The outline of the treatment conditions for each test example is shown in Figure 2.

[0043] Next, the results of each test example are shown below. [Test Example 1] The noodle strands stuck together strongly when stretched, and did not separate well when packed into a frame or when eaten. The moisture content after drying was below 7.0%, which was good, but the shape of the noodle block was poor, with an irregular top surface. A photograph of the resulting noodle block is shown in Figure 3.

[0044] [Test Example 2] The water that adhered to the noodles during soaking weakened the binding strength of the noodle strands, which were held together by starch glue, and although this temporarily improved when stretching, over time starch eluted from inside the noodle strands, causing them to re-bind when packed into frames, significantly worsening their unraveling. Similarly, unraveling was poor when eaten, and the noodle block was misshapen, resulting in poor results. Furthermore, the moisture content after drying was over 7.0%, also resulting in poor results. A photograph of the resulting noodle block is shown in Figure 4.

[0045] [Test Example 3] As in Test Example 2, the sprayed water weakened the adhesive strength of the noodle strands held together by starch glue, and although the results were temporarily good when stretching, they also failed to come apart when packed into a frame and when eaten. Although the moisture content after drying was not as high as in Test Example 2, it was still above 7.0%, which was a poor result, and the shape of the noodle block was irregular, resulting in poor results. A photograph of the resulting noodle block is shown in Figure 5.

[0046] [Test Example 4] When emulsified oil, a mixture of water and oil, is sprayed onto the noodles, the water weakens the adhesive strength of the noodle strings that are held together by starch paste, and the starch dissolved by the oil prevents them from re-binding, so the noodles loosen easily when packed into frames. However, there is a drawback in that the emulsified oil that adheres to the noodle strings during drying scatters inside the noodle dryer, soiling the drying frame and the inside of the drying chamber. The noodles came apart easily when eaten and the shape of the noodle block was remarkably good. However, the moisture content after drying was over 7.0%, probably because the increased moisture content from spraying the emulsified oil was difficult to evaporate, so although the results were acceptable, they were not the best. A photograph of the resulting noodle block is shown in Figure 6.

[0047] [Test Example 5] The noodles are placed in a chamber filled with high-temperature steam, and when the forcibly circulating steam comes into contact with the noodles, condensation adheres to them, weakening the adhesive strength between the noodle strands that were held together by starch glue, making them easier to stretch and resulting in good stretching. Furthermore, the noodles that have received thermal energy have their moisture removed from their surface by dissipating the heat that has accumulated in the noodles during the stretching process, leaving the surface of the noodles smooth and dry, preventing them from re-sticking when stretched and allowing them to easily separate when packed into frames. The noodle block had a good shape due to good loosening of the noodle block from the frame, and because the condensed water had evaporated, the moisture content before drying was low and after drying was less than 7.0%, resulting in a good drying condition. A photograph of the resulting noodle block is shown in Figure 7.

[0048] The results of the evaluation are shown below. The evaluation was carried out by five noodle manufacturing technicians. The evaluation covered seven items: "stretching condition," "disentanglement when packed into the mold," "noodle block shape," "disentanglement when eaten," "dirtiness in the drying chamber," and "moisture of the noodle block when drying." Each item was rated on a five-point scale from 1 to 5. The evaluation was rounded to the nearest average. Specifically, the test was rated on a five-point scale: 1: extremely poor, 2: poor, 3: fair, 4: good, and 5: extremely good, with a score of 3 or higher being considered a pass. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0049] [Table 1]

[0050] It was found that good results were obtained in Test Example 5, which is an embodiment of the present invention. Note that Test Example 4 is good if dirt inside the dryer is not a consideration. Furthermore, although emulsified oils and fats were not used in Test Example 5, it goes without saying that emulsified oils and fats may be used in combination in this embodiment.

Claims

1. The method for producing instant noodles includes the steps of steaming a group of noodle strands cut out in a wavy state from a cutting blade in a steamer, removing the noodle strands from the steamer, and then heating and humidifying the noodle strands by placing them in a chamber at a temperature of 60°C to 200°C and a humidity of 50% or more; and stretching the noodle strands under or after the heated and humidified conditions.

2. The method for producing instant noodles according to claim 1, wherein the heating and humidifying step is carried out by holding the noodles in a heating and humidifying chamber for 10 to 200 seconds.

3. 3. The method for producing instant noodles according to claim 1, wherein the noodle strands are stretched after the heating and humidifying step and before the temperature of the noodle strands drops below 40°C.

4. 4. The method for producing instant noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the moisture loss rate of the noodle strings before and after the heating and humidifying step is 0.5 to 9.0% by weight.

5. The method for producing instant noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heat medium for heating and humidifying the noodle strings is steam or superheated steam.

6. The method for producing instant noodles according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein hot air circulating inside the oven at a speed of 0.2 m / sec to 50 m / sec is blown onto the noodle strings during the heating and humidifying.

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