Cooked Noodle Texture Preservation via Sugar-Starch Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooked noodles suffer from texture degradation during refrigerated or frozen storage, leading to undesirable hardness or softness, and the methods to prevent this often impair the flavor.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a sugar solution with specific sugar and starch concentrations is applied to heat-cooked noodles, allowing them to maintain texture and flavor even after long-term refrigerated or frozen storage without flavor impairment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If cooked noodles are refrigerated or frozen for long-term storage, then storability and convenience are improved, but texture degradation occurs leading to hard or soft noodles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by coating noodles with a sugar solution containing specific concentrations of sugars (1-15% by mass) and starches (0.5-8% by mass) before refrigeration or freezing. This pre-treatment creates a protective layer that prevents texture degradation during subsequent storage, allowing noodles to maintain their quality for extended periods without becoming hard or soft.
2Stability of the object's composition
If sugar solutions are used to prevent texture degradation, then noodle texture is improved, but taste and flavor are impaired due to sugar influence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the concentration ranges of sugars (1-15% by mass) and starches (0.5-8% by mass) in the coating solution. This optimization of parameters achieves the dual goal of preventing texture degradation while minimizing sugar-induced flavor impairment. The specific parameter ranges were determined to balance protective function with sensory quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite coating material consisting of multiple components: sugars (monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, or sugar alcohols) combined with starches. This composite approach provides synergistic effects where the combination of sugar and starch components offers superior texture protection compared to single ingredients, while allowing for optimized flavor profiles.
3Adaptability or versatility
If temperature varies during production, distribution, and storage, then distribution flexibility is improved, but quality degradation becomes more noticeable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by preparing noodles with a protective sugar-starch coating before they undergo temperature variations during production, distribution, and storage. This pre-established protective layer acts as a buffer that cushions the noodles against the harmful effects of temperature fluctuations, preventing quality degradation even when distribution flexibility requires temperature variations.
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 method ensures cooked noodles retain a fresh-boiled texture and original flavor when reheated after storage, preventing texture degradation and maintaining taste quality.
Implementation Method 1
allowing a liquid comprising specific amounts of a sugar and a starch to attach to a heat-cooked noodle
Implementation Method 2
a liquid comprising 1.0 to 15.0% by mass of a sugar... and 0.5 to 8.0% by mass of a starch... to attach to a heat-cooked noodle
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a cooked noodle capable of maintaining a good texture and good taste and flavor even after refrigerated or frozen-stored. A method for producing a cooked noodle, comprising allowing a liquid comprising 1.0 to 15.0% by mass of a sugar and 0.5 to 8.0% by mass of a starch to attach to a heat-cooked noodle.