Crosslinked Potato Starch Dried Noodles Prevent Cracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing instant dried noodles, particularly high-temperature hot air drying, suffer from 'noodle string cracking' due to uneven moisture evaporation, resulting in brittle and soft textures, which limits the thickness and reconstitutability of noodles.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating crosslinked gelatinized potato starch, specifically etherified or esterified crosslinked gelatinized potato starch with a viscosity of 50 mPa·s or less, into the noodle dough to prevent 'noodle string cracking' without using oily or fatty components, allowing for controlled moisture evaporation and improved texture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If high-temperature hot air drying is used to eliminate the shortcomings of low-temperature drying, then reconstitutability is improved, but noodle string cracking occurs resulting in poor texture and appearance

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereconstitutabilityVSAvoidnoodle string cracking
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the physical-chemical parameters of the starch by using crosslinked gelatinized potato starch with specific viscosity (50 mPa·s or less) instead of ordinary starch. This parameter change in the starch properties prevents excessive swelling and cracking during high-temperature drying while maintaining good reconstitutability, resolving the contradiction between improved reconstitutability and prevention of noodle string cracking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a composite starch system comprising crosslinked gelatinized potato starch mixed with wheat flour. This composite material approach combines the water-absorbing and swelling control properties of crosslinked starch with the structural properties of wheat flour, enabling the noodles to withstand high-temperature drying without cracking while maintaining texture quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If high-temperature hot air drying is used to rapidly evaporate water, then drying speed is improved, but uneven moisture evaporation causes cracking and brittle texture

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying speedVSAvoidtexture quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

By changing the starch parameters to crosslinked gelatinized potato starch with controlled viscosity, the invention enables rapid high-temperature drying without the harmful effects of uneven moisture evaporation. The modified starch parameters allow the noodle strings to swell controllably and dry uniformly, maintaining texture quality while achieving high drying speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If thick noodle strings are produced, then product variety is improved, but noodle string cracking occurs more frequently during drying

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct varietyVSAvoidnoodle string cracking
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the starch parameters to crosslinked gelatinized potato starch with specific viscosity characteristics that prevent excessive swelling. This parameter change allows thick noodle strings to be produced without experiencing the cracking problem that plagues conventional thick noodles during high-temperature drying, thereby expanding product variety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Prevents 'noodle string cracking' and excessive swelling, enabling the production of thicker noodles with a chewy texture, such as udon wheat noodles, and improves reconstitutability without the need for oils or fats.

Implementation Method 1

the capillary porosity is 0.03 mL/g to 0.08 mL/g... enabling the noodles to be ready to eat within a short period of time after having hot water poured thereon

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

Incorporating crosslinked gelatinized potato starch... into the noodle dough to prevent 'noodle string cracking' through controlled moisture evaporation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Implementation Method 3

high-temperature hot air drying... the flow rate of the hot air is roughly 10 m/sec, enabling the noodle strings to be dried by rapidly evaporating water contained in the noodles at a temperature higher than the boiling point of water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 4

rapidly evaporating water contained in the noodles at a temperature higher than the boiling point of water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 5

the capillary porosity is 0.03 mL/g to 0.08 mL/g... the hot water is able to quickly reach the inside of the noodle strings enabling starch granules to expand adequately

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary porosity: Capillary Action

Data Source

PatentEP3238549B1Dried noodles and production method thereof
Publication Date: 2024.03.06 SANYO FOODS CO LTD
  • EP3238549B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3238549B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3238549B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The purpose of the present invention is to produce dried noodles in which "cracking of noodle strings", which has been a problem accompanying high-temperature hot-air drying, is prevented or suppressed. Disclosed are dried noodles including: a main ingredient; and at least one crosslinked pregelatinized potato starch selected from the group consisting of etherified, cross-linked, pregelatinized potato starch, and esterified, cross-linked, pregelatinized potato starch, wherein the viscosity of the cross-linked, pregelatinized, potato starch is 50 mPa·s or less under measurement conditions where the slurry temperature is 20°C, the slurry concentration is 5% by mass, and the revolving speed is 60 rpm.