Instant Noodle Drying Using Controlled Humidity and Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing hot-air-dried instant noodles result in insufficient surface gelatinization and excessive chewiness, failing to meet consumer demands for improved taste and texture.
Innovation Solution
A process involving high-temperature hot-air drying of raw noodle strips under controlled humidity conditions, using hot air at 110 to 150°C and absolute humidity ranging from 10.7 kPa to 40.0 kPa, to enhance gelatinization and prevent surface hardening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-temperature hot-air drying is performed without steam-cooking, then drying time is reduced and porous structure is formed, but surface gelatinization is insufficient and surface hardening occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing steam-cooking treatment before hot-air drying to pre-gelatinize the starch in noodle strips. This preliminary gelatinization ensures that when high-temperature hot-air drying subsequently occurs, the surface does not harden excessively while the interior achieves proper gelatinization, thus resolving the contradiction between rapid drying and sufficient surface gelatinization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by controlling the temperature and humidity parameters during hot-air drying. Specifically, the drying air temperature is maintained at 60°C to 150°C with relative humidity control, which optimizes the drying rate while preventing surface hardening. This parameter optimization allows rapid drying to proceed without compromising surface gelatinization quality.
2Productivity
If high-temperature hot-air drying is performed without steam-cooking, then production efficiency is improved, but taste and texture quality deteriorate due to excessive chewiness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing steam-cooking treatment before hot-air drying to pre-gelatinize the starch. This preliminary treatment ensures proper taste and texture development while maintaining high production efficiency, as the subsequent hot-air drying proceeds rapidly without requiring extended steam-cooking times.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs continuity of useful action by seamlessly transitioning from steam-cooking to hot-air drying in a continuous process. The steam-cooking phase initiates gelatinization, and the hot-air drying phase continues the gelatinization process while removing moisture, thereby maintaining production efficiency without sacrificing taste and texture quality.
3Speed
If high-temperature hot-air drying is performed, then drying speed is increased, but surface hardening and resilient surface structure occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing steam-cooking treatment before hot-air drying to pre-gelatinize the starch and prepare the surface structure. This preliminary treatment creates a more resilient surface that can withstand high-temperature hot-air drying without excessive hardening, thus maintaining both high drying speed and acceptable surface structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by controlling the hot-air drying temperature between 60°C to 150°C and managing humidity levels. These parameter optimizations allow high drying speed to be achieved while preventing excessive surface hardening, as the controlled humidity prevents rapid surface moisture loss that would cause hardening.
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
The process achieves improved sensory properties, including better taste and texture, by controlling humidity and temperature, reducing the issues of resilient surfaces and excessive chewiness in conventional hot-air dried noodles.
Implementation Method 1
the gelatinization degree of the noodle strip may be characteristically high, compared with the conventional dried noodle
Implementation Method 2
drying the raw noodle strips by using hot air at a temperature range from 110 to 150°C with humidity-control
Data Source
Figure 1(A)~1(B)
Figure 2
AI summary
In the present invention, an uncooked noodle prepared from a main raw material including at least wheat flour and starch is dried in humidified high-temperature heated air using heated air having a humidity of 80 mmHg - 300 mmHg and a temperature of 110°C - 150°C. A heated-air-dried instant noodle is thereby obtained which has excellent restorability, and in which a dried noodle block has excellent strength.