Asian Noodle Manufacturing

Ingredients, Technology, and Quality

Gary G. Hou

• Publisher: Woodhead Publishing and AACC International Press
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9780128128732
• eBook ISBN: 9780128128749
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Food Science
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Asian Noodle Manufacturing: Ingredients, Technology, and Quality is a comprehensive handbook for the manufacture of noodles that includes traditional styles and gluten free and whole grain varieties. The book is split into three main sections, with the first detailing the ingredients in noodles and information on how ingredient functionality affects their processing. The second section details the actual manufacture and quality assurance in producing noodle products, with the final section detailing advances in varieties of noodles. Particular attention is paid to gluten free and whole grain noodles, both of which are becoming increasingly popular around the world.Written by an expert with over twenty years of experience in the production and quality assurance of noodles, the book is essential reading for those in the food industry who are tasked with the development of new noodle based products.- Contains coverage of ingredient functionality in noodle processing- Presents sections on traditional noodles, along with whole grain and gluten free varieties- Presents the latest developments in processing technology- Discusses how ingredients affect processes- Includes information on quality control

Chapter 1: Introduction to Asian noodles

Gary G. Hou SPC Group, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Abstract

Asian noodles were invented more than 4000 years ago in China. They have evolved into many types and forms and become a global food today. Asian noodles can be made from a variety of raw materials such as wheat flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, or starches derived from rice, wheat, mung bean, tapioca, sweet potato, sago, or corn. Wheat flour noodles can be classified based on the presence or absence of alkaline salts, type of flour used, noodle strand sizes, and noodle processing technology. White salted noodles have simple formulations containing flour, water, and sodium chloride, but they can be made into different marketing forms. Yellow alkaline noodles contain kansui (a mixture of sodium and potassium carbonates) that modifies noodle color and texture. Rice noodles are classified into two major groups, qiefen (cutting pregelatinized starch sheet) and zhafen (extrusion of pregelatinized starch) based on the molding methods, but the products have different shapes, dimensions, and moisture content. Other starch noodles have also been widely available in Asia. Today, both wheat flour noodles and gluten-free noodles have gained popularity worldwide.

Keywords

Asian noodle history; Ingredients; Noodle classification; Noodle formulation; Processing technology

1. 1. Introduction
2. 2. Classifications
   1. 2.1 Wheat flour noodles
   2. 2.2 Rice and other starch noodles
3. 3. Wheat noodle formulations
4. 4. Summary
5. References

1. Introduction

The origin of Asian noodles can be dated back to at least 4000 years ago. The discovery of a pot of well-preserved 4000-year-old noodles unearthed in 2005 by Chinese archaeologists in the Lajia archaeological site in northwestern China suggested that the noodles were consumed at least 1000 years earlier than previously speculated, and many centuries before such dishes were documented in Europe (Lu et al., 2005). The noodles were thin (∼0.3 cm in diameter), more than 50 cm in length, and yellow in color. They resemble the La-Mian noodle, a traditional Chinese noodle that is made by repeatedly pulling and stretching the dough by hand. It turned out that these 4000-year-old noodles were made from millet, not from wheat flour as they are commonly made today.

Many Chinese studies have reported the evolution of Chinese noodles (Wei et al., 2017). Bing (flatbread) was considered the prototype of Chinese noodles, and knife-cut buckwheat noodles were their early product. The earliest form of extruded noodles was Hele noodles and they were the primary noodles manufactured in large-scale production. Handmade noodles, a form typically produced at home using the processing skills associated with knife-cut buckwheat noodles and laomian, were developed after wheat was introduced into the western, central Shaanxi plain, and central plain regions of China.

Chinese handmade noodles and its processing technology were introduced to Japan about 1200 years ago (Nagao, 1996). Japanese white salted noodles were thus developed to meet the tastes of local people. Later, Chinese alkaline noodle was introduced to Japan by the Chinese immigrants in Yokahama city at the beginning of the 20th century. Likewise, Chinese noodles were introduced into other Asian countries and beyond where they...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Contributors
• About the editor
• Chapter 1. Introduction to Asian noodles
• Chapter 2. Wheat and flour quality requirements
• Chapter 3. Functional ingredients in Asian noodle manufacturing
• Chapter 4. Processing technology of wheat flour noodle
• Chapter 5. Quality evaluation of noodles
• Chapter 6. Whole grain noodles
• Chapter 7. Gluten-free noodles
• Index