Fried Noodle Production Cutting and Floating Frying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional processes for producing instant fried noodles of 1 to 7 cm length are inefficient and result in poor quality due to cutting issues and surface asperity, leading to non-uniform texture and clumping.
Innovation Solution
A process involving gelatinization, cutting, and surface-frying of noodles while they float in frying oil, followed by a soak-frying step to achieve uniform length and texture, preventing swelling and clumping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If long noodles are fried and then cut into short pieces (1 to 7 cm), then the desired noodle length is achieved, but the production efficiency decreases and yield is reduced due to the added cutting step and noodle breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The noodles are cut into short pieces (1 to 7 cm) before the frying step, rather than after. This preliminary cutting action avoids the need to handle and cut fried noodles, thereby maintaining production efficiency while achieving the desired short noodle length. The cutting is performed on gelatinized noodles which are more pliable and easier to cut uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The conventional sequence of operations is inverted: instead of frying long noodles and then cutting them, the invention cuts the noodles first and then fries them. This reversal of the process sequence eliminates the technical problems associated with cutting fried noodles while maintaining production efficiency.
2Length of moving object
If fried noodles are cut into short pieces, then the desired length is achieved, but the cut surfaces develop asperity which deteriorates the noodle texture
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting operation is performed on gelatinized noodles before frying, when the noodle material is softer and more pliable. This preliminary cutting produces smooth cut surfaces without asperity. The subsequent frying step then crisps the entire noodle surface uniformly without creating roughness at the cut edges.
3Productivity
If conventional frying methods are used for short noodles, then the noodles are fried, but they clump together and form lumps reducing quality
Solution Approach 1:
The frying process is designed to treat different parts of the noodle batch differently: noodles are first fried while floating on the oil surface, which keeps them separated and prevents clumping. Then, the entire batch is forcibly immersed for uniform frying. This two-stage approach with different local treatments solves the clumping problem while maintaining productivity.
4Ease of manufacture
If noodles are stored in a retainer and then soaked in frying oil, then the noodles are fried, but swelling occurs on the surfaces creating hollow structures that make noodles soggy
Solution Approach 1:
The noodles are cut to the final short length (1 to 7 cm) before the frying step, rather than storing them in retainers and then soaking. This preliminary cutting eliminates the retainer storage step and prevents the swelling that occurs during prolonged soaking. The noodles are fried immediately after cutting, maintaining surface integrity and preventing hollow structure formation.
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
This process efficiently produces high-quality noodles of uniform length and texture, reducing yield loss and surface irregularities, and prevents clumping, resulting in improved appearance and texture.
Implementation Method 1
a step of frying the cut noodles by allowing the same to float on the surface of the frying oil
Implementation Method 2
a step of frying the noodles, which are fried while floating on the surface of the frying oil, by forcibly immersing the same in the frying oil
Data Source
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AI summary
Fried noodles of excellent quality that are approximately 1 to 7 cm in length can be produced efficiently by a process for production of fried noodles including: a step of preparing raw noodles; a step of gelatinizing the raw noodles; a step of cutting the gelatinized raw noodles into noodles of 1 to 7 cm; and a step of frying the cut noodles by allowing the same to naturally float in frying oil.