Method for producing cereal flour composition and noodles

Abstract

To provide a noodle flour composition from which noodles can be made, the noodles being superior in texture and having resistance against temporal degradation.SOLUTION: The invention relates to a noodle flour composition including wheat flour. The noodle flour composition contains in 100 pts.mass of the wheat flour 10-65 pts.mass of glutinous wheat flour and 35-90 pts.mass of wheat flour derived from Kitahonami. The noodle flour composition may also preferably contain relative to 100 pts.mass of the wheat flour 80 pts.mass or more of the total of the glutinous wheat flour and the wheat flour derived from Kitahonami. The invention also provides a production method of noodles, the method obtaining noodles using the noodle flour composition.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a flour composition for noodles and a method for producing noodles.

Background Art

[0002] Noodles are one of the popular foods among consumers. The forms of noodles include dried noodles, instant noodles, and cooked noodles refrigerated or frozen in a cooked state.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a flour for noodles containing 5 to 70% by weight of glutinous wheat flour for the purpose of obtaining noodles that do not deteriorate in texture even after long-term storage without affecting taste and flavor.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a flour for instant noodles containing low-amylose wheat flour with an amylose content of 15 to 25% for the purpose of obtaining instant noodles that have sufficient restorability in a short time and a texture close to that immediately after boiling.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, since the technologies of Patent Documents 1 and 2 use a relatively large amount of wheat flour with a low amylose content, excessive viscosity, which is a physical property related to the expression of the texture peculiar to noodles such as stickiness, may be obtained. As a result, the texture of the noodles deteriorates, or the resistance to deterioration over time of the noodles deteriorates. There was room for improvement in these points.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a flour composition for noodles that can produce noodles with a good texture and, in particular, resistance to deterioration over time due to low-temperature storage (refrigeration, freezing). [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention relates to a flour composition for noodles containing wheat flour, The present invention provides a flour composition for noodles, comprising 100 parts by mass of wheat flour, 10 to 65 parts by mass of glutinous wheat flour, and 35 to 90 parts by mass of wheat flour derived from Kitahonami. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The present invention provides a flour composition for noodles that can be used to produce noodles with a good texture and resistance to deterioration over time. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The present invention will be described below based on its preferred embodiments. In the following description, when "X~Y[Z]" (where X and Y are arbitrary numbers and [Z] is an arbitrary unit) is written, it means "X[Z] or greater and Y[Z] or less" unless otherwise specified.

[0011] The noodle flour composition of the present invention contains a specific type of wheat flour as the flour. Specifically, it contains predetermined amounts of glutinous wheat flour and wheat flour derived from Kitahonami wheat.

[0012] In this specification, glutinous wheat flour means wheat flour with an amylose content of 10% by mass or less. The amylose content of glutinous wheat flour is preferably 9% by mass or less, more preferably 7% by mass or less, and even more preferably 5% by mass or less. By using glutinous wheat flour, the viscoelasticity of the dough can be improved, and when this dough is applied to noodles, it is easy to achieve the appropriate firmness, chewiness, and smoothness that are characteristic of noodles. In addition, even when noodles are stored for a long period of time by refrigeration or freezing, structural changes in the noodles due to moisture movement and freeze-thaw cycles are less likely to occur, and the smooth texture of the noodles can be maintained, thus contributing to improved resistance to deterioration over time. The amylose content can be measured based on the concavanarin A method, for example, using the AMYLOSE / AMYLOPECTIN ASSAY KIT (Megazyme).

[0013] Waxy wheat flour can be easily obtained by using wheat in which the expression or function of starch synthase has been reduced or eliminated due to mutations (deletion or insertion of bases) in the gene encoding starch synthase, and then grinding and fractionating it using known methods. Examples of genes encoding starch synthase include, but are not limited to, one or more of the wheat Wx-A1 gene, wheat Wx-B1 gene, and wheat Wx-D1 gene.

[0014] Examples of wheat flour having an amylose content of 10% by mass or less include the wheat flour described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-125669. Commercially available wheat flour can also be used, such as Mochihime (manufactured by Fukin Flour Milling Co., Ltd.) and Kuwana Mochi Wheat Flour (manufactured by Sozaisha Co., Ltd.).

[0015] The amount of glutinous wheat flour in the flour that constitutes the noodle flour composition is preferably 10 to 65 parts by mass, more preferably 20 to 65 parts by mass, and even more preferably 25 to 55 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of flour. By including glutinous wheat flour within this range, it is possible to improve the handling of the dough while suppressing the development of excessive viscoelasticity caused by the presence of glutinous wheat flour, and to effectively develop the appropriate hardness, chewiness, and good mouthfeel that are characteristic of noodles.

[0016] The flour composition for noodles uses wheat flour derived from Kitahonami as the wheat flour component of the composition. "Kitahonami" is a type of wheat variety native to Japan. "Derived from Kitahonami" includes not only the use of Kitahonami itself, but also the use of derivative varieties that use Kitahonami as a parent in crossbreeding. Whether or not the wheat flour is derived from Kitahonami can be determined, for example, by its genetic characteristics. By using wheat flour derived from Kitahonami, the resulting noodles can exhibit appropriate hardness, viscoelasticity, and smoothness, thereby improving their texture, and deterioration over time when stored at low temperatures can be reduced.

[0017] Furthermore, although it is not clear why combining glutinous wheat flour with wheat flour derived from a specific wheat variety, Kitahonami, results in noodles with improved texture and resistance to deterioration over time, the following reasons are suspected. Specifically, the Kitahonami formula provides a hardness and smoothness that matches the viscosity of glutinous wheat, resulting in a viscoelastic balance of hardness and viscosity. It is also thought to suppress the deterioration of texture, such as the decrease in viscoelasticity in the center of the noodles that occurs during aging when stored at low temperatures.

[0018] The amount of Kitahonami-derived wheat flour in the wheat flour composition for noodles is preferably 35 to 90 parts by mass, more preferably 35 to 80 parts by mass, and even more preferably 45 to 75 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of wheat flour. By including Kitahonami-derived wheat flour within this range, it is possible to improve the handling of the dough while suppressing the development of excessive viscosity caused by the presence of glutinous wheat flour, and to effectively develop the appropriate hardness, chewiness, and smoothness that are characteristic of noodles.

[0019] The flour composition for noodles may be composed of glutinous wheat flour and wheat flour derived from Kitahonami as the wheat flour constituting the composition. In addition to this, other wheat flours other than glutinous wheat flour and wheat flour derived from Kitahonami may further be included. Examples of other wheat flours include strong wheat flour, semi-strong wheat flour, medium gluten wheat flour, weak wheat flour, durum flour, and whole grain flours thereof, which are derived from wheat other than Kitahonami. These can be used alone or in combination of two or more. The type of wheat flour may be appropriately selected according to the type of noodles to be produced, etc.

[0020] The total content of glutinous wheat flour and wheat flour derived from Kitahonami in the wheat flour constituting the flour composition for noodles is preferably 80 parts by mass or more, more preferably 80 to 100 parts by mass, still more preferably 85 to 100 parts by mass, and even more preferably 90 to 100 parts by mass in 100 parts by mass of the total amount of wheat flour. Also, the wheat flour constituting the flour composition for noodles may be composed only of glutinous wheat flour and wheat flour derived from Kitahonami, excluding inevitable contaminants. By setting the composition of the wheat flour within the above-mentioned range, the combination of glutinous wheat and Kitahonami can further improve the texture of the resulting noodles and the effect of resistance to deterioration over time.

[0021] The total content of other wheat flours in the wheat flour constituting the flour composition for noodles is preferably 20 parts by mass or less, more preferably 0 to 20 parts by mass, still more preferably 0 to fifteen parts by mass, and even more preferably 0 to 10 parts by mass in 100 parts by mass of the total amount of wheat flour. By setting the composition of the wheat flour within the above-mentioned range, the combination of glutinous wheat and Kitahonami can further improve the texture of the resulting noodles and the effect of resistance to deterioration over time.

[0022] The flour composition for noodles of the present invention may be composed only of wheat flour, or other raw materials can be contained in addition to wheat flour. As other raw materials, those conventionally used in the production of noodles can be used. For example, flours other than wheat flour, starches, protein materials, salt, kansui, animal and vegetable fats and oils, fats and oils such as powdered fats; dietary fiber, leavening agents, emulsifiers, saccharides, sweeteners, spices, seasonings, vitamins, minerals, pigments, flavors, dextrin, alcohol, enzyme agents, etc. can be mentioned, and one of these can be used alone or two or more can be used in combination. All of these are preferably in powder form.

[0023] Examples of flours other than wheat flour that can be used as other raw materials include rye flour, barley flour, buckwheat flour, rice flour, soybean flour, corn flour, wheat bran, etc. One of these can be used alone or two or more can be used in combination.

[0024] When the flour composition for noodles further contains a flour other than wheat flour, the content of the flour other than wheat flour in the composition may be 0 to 40 parts by mass, or may be 0 to 30 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the total amount of flour (including wheat flour) and starches.

[0025] Examples of starches that can be used as other raw materials include, for example, unprocessed starches such as tapioca starch, potato starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, wheat starch, etc., and processed starches obtained by subjecting the unprocessed starch to treatments such as gelatinization, etherification, esterification, acetylation, crosslinking treatment, oxidation treatment, etc. One of these can be used alone or two or more can be used in combination. From the viewpoint of improving texture, it is preferable to use processed starch.

[0026] When the flour composition for noodles further contains starch, the content of starches in the composition may be 0 to 40 parts by mass, or may be 0 to 30 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the total amount of flour (including wheat flour) and starches. By setting the content as described above, excellent resistance over time can be obtained. If the noodles are instant noodles, the rehydration in soup is improved and the texture is excellent.

[0027] Other protein materials that can be used as ingredients include wheat proteins such as gluten and gliadin, as well as soy protein, egg yolk powder, egg white powder, whole egg powder, and skim milk powder. These can be used individually or in combination of two or more. The inclusion of wheat protein further improves the strength and taste of the noodles.

[0028] When a protein material is further added to a flour composition for noodles, the amount of the protein material in the composition may be 0 to 15 parts by mass or 0 to 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of flour (including wheat flour) and starches.

[0029] When a noodle flour composition contains other flours, starches, and protein materials other than wheat flour, the total amount of these other powder materials in the composition is preferably 0 to 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of flours and starches including wheat flour.

[0030] The noodle flour composition of the present invention is used in the manufacture of noodles, and the method of manufacturing the noodles is in accordance with conventional methods. The types of noodles to which the present invention can be applied are not particularly limited, and examples include udon, somen, hiyamugi, as well as Chinese noodles, tsukemen, yakisoba, soba, pasta, etc. From the viewpoint of making it easier for consumers to effectively perceive improvements in texture such as viscoelasticity and smoothness due to the glutinous wheat flour and the wheat flour derived from Kitahonami, the noodles are preferably udon or Chinese noodles.

[0031] A method for producing noodles using a noodle flour composition typically involves adding water to a dough raw material containing the noodle flour composition and mixing it to prepare noodle dough, and then making noodles from the dough to obtain fresh noodles. Noodles produced in this way can be used for fresh noodles, cooked noodles (boiled noodles, steamed noodles, etc.), frozen noodles of fresh or cooked noodles, refrigerated noodles or chilled noodles, non-fried instant noodles, fried instant noodles, dried noodles, etc.

[0032] When preparing the noodle dough of the present invention, in addition to the main ingredients, the noodle flour composition and water, auxiliary ingredients may be added as needed. Examples of auxiliary ingredients include protein materials such as wheat protein such as gluten and gliadin, soy protein, egg yolk powder, egg white powder, whole egg powder, and skim milk powder; fats and oils such as animal and vegetable oils and powdered oils; dietary fiber, leavening agents, emulsifiers, lye water, salt, sugars, sweeteners, spices, seasonings, vitamins, minerals, pigments, flavorings, dextrin, alcohol, and enzymes. One of these may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0033] In the present invention, the amount of water added to the noodle flour composition can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the type of noodles, but is preferably 25 to 60 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of flour and starches including wheat flour. In addition to water, brine, and lye water that are normally used, gas-containing water (such as carbonated water) can also be used as the water. By setting the water content within this range, noodle-making performance is improved, yield stability during cooking is improved, and the texture of the resulting noodles is also improved.

[0034] The noodle dough obtained in this way can be processed to produce fresh noodles according to conventional methods. The noodle-making method is not particularly limited, and examples include applying pressure to the dough to stretch it to obtain a noodle sheet using various noodle-making methods such as rolling, roller, and extrusion, cutting the noodle sheet, and obtaining fresh noodles consisting of multiple strands of fresh noodles. Extrusion can be carried out according to conventional methods using a single-screw or twin-screw extruder for dry pasta production, and in this case, a die with a hole of the desired shape is installed in the extrusion section of the extruder to form the noodle strands, and fresh noodles with a shape corresponding to the hole are obtained. The cross-sectional shape of the noodle strands is not particularly limited and may be any shape such as square, circular, elliptical, or triangular.

[0035] The raw noodles obtained through this noodle-making process can be cooked by boiling them in hot water or steaming them in a steam bath, resulting in ready-to-eat noodles. Alternatively, dried noodles can be obtained by drying the fresh noodles directly using a known drying method such as hot air drying. Dried noodles can then be cooked and consumed by performing the aforementioned heating process. In any case, noodles obtained using the noodle flour composition of the present invention possess the appropriate hardness, viscoelasticity, and smoothness characteristic of noodles when eaten, resulting in a superior texture.

[0036] The obtained raw noodles may be consumed as raw noodles, or after being cooked, they may be refrigerated or frozen to become refrigerated or frozen noodles (cooked refrigerated noodles or cooked frozen noodles). For example, cooked noodles can be divided into predetermined portions as needed, for example, 150-300g per serving, placed on trays, and then packaged as needed before being refrigerated or frozen. In particular, refrigerated or frozen cooked noodles can be stored for a long time and can be easily consumed by simply reheating them by boiling or in a microwave oven. Furthermore, noodles obtained using the noodle flour composition of the present invention retain the appropriate hardness, viscoelasticity, and smoothness characteristic of noodles even after long periods of refrigeration or freezing, and have excellent texture and durability over time.

[0037] Furthermore, the obtained raw noodles can be made into instant noodles according to conventional methods. For example, fried instant noodles can be obtained by steaming the obtained raw noodles, then placing a predetermined amount of the steamed noodles into individual containers, and then deep-frying them. Alternatively, non-fried instant noodles can be obtained by steaming the obtained raw noodles, then placing a predetermined amount of the steamed noodles into individual containers, and then hot-air drying them. Regardless of the form of instant noodles, the noodles obtained using the noodle flour composition of the present invention have good resilience when eaten, and even after resilience, they possess the same appropriate hardness, viscoelasticity, and smoothness as immediately after cooking, resulting in a superior texture. [Examples]

[0038] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. The amylose content shown below is the value measured using the AMYLOSE / AMYLOPECTIN ASSAY KIT (Megazyme). In the table below, blank spaces indicate that the amylose is not present.

[0039] [Examples 1-14, Comparative Examples 1-25, and Control Examples 1-11] A powdered noodle flour composition was obtained by mixing the following powdered raw materials. All raw materials other than flour (including wheat flour) and starches were added as an external proportion to 100 parts by mass of the total amount of flour (including wheat flour) and starches. Wheat flour other than glutinous wheat flour was prepared by the following method. Specifically, the cereals of the raw wheat were ground in a grinder (Bühler Co., Ltd., Test Mill), and the ground material was divided into three fractions: high-grade flour, low-grade flour, and bran. Raw grain flour was prepared so that 60% by mass of the total amount of the ground material was high-grade flour. If there was a shortage of high-grade flour, the shortage was compensated for with low-grade flour. In this way, the desired wheat flour was obtained. These were mixed in the proportions shown in Tables 1 to 4 below to obtain the desired flour composition for noodles.

[0040] [Ingredients for flour compositions used in noodles] <Glutinous wheat flour> • Mochihime (manufactured by Fukin Flour Milling Co., Ltd.): Amylose content 2.2% by mass • Kuwana mochi wheat flour (manufactured by Sozaisha): Amylose content 2.5% by mass <Wheat flour derived from Kitahonami rice> • Kitahonami (crushed corn): Amylose content 21.6% by mass

[0041] <Glutinous wheat flour other than Kitahonami> • Satonosora (crushed corn): Amylose content 23.7% by mass • Sanuki no Yume 2009 (crushed corn): Amylose content 21.4% by mass • ASW (Australian Standard White, crushed corn): Amylose content 21.3% by mass <Other raw material powders besides wheat flour> • Starch: Modified starch, SAKURA1000, manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. • Protein: Gluten, A-Glu G, manufactured by Glico Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd. • Kansui: Kansui Red, manufactured by Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd. • Salt: Regular salt

[0042] [1. Preparation of chilled noodles (pre-cooked noodles)] As shown in Examples 1-9, Comparative Examples 1-15, and Control Examples 1-6, a noodle flour composition and water in which salt has been dissolved were mixed in the mass ratios shown in Tables 1 and 2, and the dough was prepared by mixing. The dough was rolled and compounded using a noodle-making roll to produce a noodle sheet, and the sheet was cut with a cutting blade (#10 square) to produce noodle strands (noodle thickness 3 mm). The obtained noodle strands were boiled in hot water to achieve a yield of approximately 170%, rinsed with water, and cooled to obtain cooked noodles (boiled udon). Subsequently, the cooked noodles were divided into 150g portions, packaged individually, and stored in a refrigerator (4°C) for 24 hours and 72 hours to obtain refrigerated cooked noodles, respectively.

[0043] [2. Preparation of frozen noodles (pre-cooked noodles)] As shown in Examples 10-11, Comparative Examples 16-19, and Control Examples 7-8, a noodle flour composition and water in which salt has been dissolved were mixed in the mass ratios shown in Table 3 and mixed to prepare dough. The dough was rolled and compounded using a noodle-making roll to produce a noodle sheet, and then cut with a cutting blade (#10 square) to produce noodle strands (noodle thickness 3 mm). The obtained noodle strands were boiled in hot water to achieve a yield of approximately 170%, rinsed with water and cooled to obtain cooked noodles (boiled udon). Subsequently, the cooked noodles were divided into 150g portions, packaged individually, and rapidly frozen in a freezer (-40℃) to obtain frozen cooked noodles.

[0044] [3-1. Preparation of instant noodles (fried instant noodles)] A noodle flour composition and water in which salt and lye water were dissolved and dispersed were mixed in the mass ratios shown in Table 4, and the dough was prepared by mixing. The dough was rolled and compounded using a noodle-making roll to produce a noodle sheet, and the sheet was cut with a cutting blade (#20 round) to produce noodle strands (noodle thickness 1.2 mm). The obtained noodle strands were steamed for 3 minutes to produce cooked noodles, and these noodles were divided into portions of approximately 65 g each and deep-fried for 2 minutes (150°C) to produce fried instant noodles (Chinese noodles).

[0045] [3-2. Preparation of instant noodles (non-fried instant noodles)] A noodle flour composition and water in which salt and lye water were dissolved and dispersed were mixed in the mass ratio shown in Table 4. The cooked noodles obtained by the method described in item [3-1] above were divided into portions of approximately 65g each, and these noodles were subjected to hot air treatment (90°C) for 20 minutes to produce non-fried instant noodles (Chinese noodles).

[0046] [Noodle dish evaluation] Sensory evaluation was conducted on the obtained chilled noodles, frozen noodles, and instant noodles. Ten trained panelists sensory evaluated the texture (hardness, viscoelasticity, smoothness) according to the evaluation criteria below, and the arithmetic mean score was calculated. A higher score indicates a superior texture. The evaluation was conducted using control examples (control examples 1-11, each scored at 3 points) of noodles manufactured using ASW's flour composition for noodles containing wheat flour, with the same mass ratio of wheat flour.

[0047] For the evaluation of chilled noodles, chilled, pre-cooked noodles (udon) were eaten with broth added and then evaluated. For the evaluation of frozen noodles, we used pre-cooked frozen noodles (udon) that had been boiled in hot water for 1 minute to reheat them. We had participants eat and evaluate two versions of the noodles: one with broth poured over it (heated), and another with broth poured over it (cooled). For the evaluation of instant noodles, fried or non-fried instant noodles were immersed in 400 mL of boiling water for 3 minutes to restore them to an edible state, and then the restored Chinese noodles were eaten and evaluated.

[0048] <Hardness Evaluation Criteria> 5 points: The firmness is significantly better than the control example, and the texture of the noodles is excellent. 4 points: Superior firmness compared to the control example, resulting in a better noodle texture. 3 points: The texture is comparable to the control example and is acceptable for noodles. Points 2: Softer than the control example, resulting in a slightly worse texture for noodles. 1 point: It is much softer than the control example, and the texture is very poor for noodles.

[0049] <Evaluation Criteria for Viscoelasticity> 5 points: It exhibits significantly better viscoelasticity than the control example, resulting in a much better texture for noodles. 4 points: It has better viscoelasticity than the control example, resulting in a better texture for noodles. 3 points: The viscoelasticity is equivalent to that of the control example, and the texture of the noodles is fine. Points 2: Viscoelasticity is not as noticeable as in the control example, resulting in a slightly worse texture for noodles. 1 point: Viscoelasticity is almost nonexistent compared to the control example, resulting in a very poor texture for noodles.

[0050] <Criteria for evaluating smoothness> 5 points: It is significantly smoother than the control example, and the texture of the noodles is excellent. 4 points: Smoother than the control example, resulting in a better mouthfeel for noodles. 3 points: The smoothness is comparable to the control example, and the texture of the noodles is acceptable. Points 2: It doesn't feel as smooth as the comparison example, and the texture of the noodles is slightly worse. 1 point: It is almost not as smooth as the comparison example, and the texture of the noodles is very poor.

[0051] As shown in Tables 1 to 4, regardless of the noodle form, noodles produced using the noodle flour composition of the Examples exhibit superior hardness, viscoelasticity, and smoothness compared to those of the Comparative Examples, and have superior textures characteristic of noodles, such as chewiness and mouthfeel. Furthermore, even when noodles are refrigerated for a long time or reheated after freezing, noodles produced using the noodle flour composition of the Examples maintain their characteristic texture well and have resistance to deterioration over time compared to those of the Comparative Examples.

[0052] [Table 1]

[0053] [Table 2]

[0054] [Table 3]

[0055] [Table 4]

Claims

1. A cereal flour composition containing wheat flour, The aforementioned 100 parts by mass of wheat flour contains 10 to 65 parts by mass of glutinous wheat flour and 35 to 90 parts by mass of wheat flour derived from Kitahonami. A cereal flour composition for pre-cooked refrigerated noodles, wherein the total content of the glutinous wheat flour and the wheat flour derived from Kitahonami is 80 parts by mass or more per 100 parts by mass of the wheat flour.

2. A method for producing noodles using the flour composition described in Claim 1, A method for manufacturing noodles, wherein the noodles are pre-cooked refrigerated noodles.

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