NZ555574A - Process for the manufacture of non-fried instant cooking dry noodles - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a process for the manufacture of non-fried instant cooking dry noodles, comprising the steps of : a) preparing a mixture of oil, wheat flour, water and a concentrate comprising sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and sodium polyphosphate, b) reacting said mixture above atmospheric pressure, c) preparing a dough mixture comprising wheat flour, water, kansui solution and a part of the preceding reaction mixture, d) processing said dough mixture by kneading, rolling into sheets, cutting into strips and steaming and e) drying the dough mixture with air.

Description

New Zealand Paient Spedficaiion for Paient Number 555574 555574 Process for the manufacture of a non-fried instant cooking dry noodles.

The present invention concerns a process for the 5 manufacture of a non-fried instant cooking or soaking dry noodles.

It is already known to prepare non-fried dry instant cooking noodles. The US patent No. 4'098'906 concerns a 10 process of preparing non-fried dry, instant noodles which comprises coating the surface of raw noodles with an aqueous emulsion of an edible oil, heating said coated noodles with steam and drying said steamed noodles. The problem with the noodles obtained according to this process 15 is that the taste obtained for the consumer after cooking or soaking in hot water is not really like fried noodles.

Therefore, an object of the invention is to develop a process, wherein the obtained non-fried noodles have a 20 fried taste, although prepared without any frying. It a further object of the invention to at least provide a useful alternative to known processes for the manufacture of non-fried instant cooking dry noodles.

In one aspect of the invention there is provided a process for the manufacture of a non-fried instant cooking or soaking dry noodles, comprising the steps of : a) preparing a mixture of oil, wheat flour, water and a concentrate comprising sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and sodium polyphosphate, b) reacting said mixture above atmospheric pressure, c) preparing a dough mixture comprising wheat flour, water, kansui solution and a part of the preceding reaction mixture, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N,Z. 19 AUG 2008 RFP.PIWEn 555574 d) processing said dough mixture by kneading, rolling into sheets, cutting into strips and steaming and e) drying the dough mixture with air.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided non-fried instant cooking dry noodles containing oil in an amount comprising between 0 and 3 %, said oil being in the dough, having a moisture content below 5 % and further comprising wheat flour, potato and tapioca starch and a 10 small amount of a flavour, which is a reaction product between oil, wheat flour and a concentrate comprising sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and sodium polyphosphate.

The specificity of the present invention is to make a pre-reaction in a wok or any other reactor. During this flavour reaction stage, at least 60 time more concentrated of ingredients in a solution were fried with flour in oil. The concentrate contains common ingredients used in noodle manufacturing, like mentioned above. The ratio in weight oil/wheat flour/concentrate is comprised between 1/1/1 and 3/2/10. Most preferably this ratio is 3/2/4.

The oil used for this pre-reaction step can be any edible 25 oil. Most preferably this oil is palm oil or palm olein, alone or in combination.

The conditions of the pre-reaction are not critical. But , preferably the reaction is carried out at a pressure above atmospheric pressure. According to a preferred embodiment, the pressure is comprised between 2 and 6 bar. The duration of the reaction is normally comprised between 10 and 90 minutes. The higher the pressure in the system, the shorter the time reaction. The temperature for the pre-reaction is higher than 100 °C. This temperature is comprised between INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.2.

I 19 AUG 2008 555574 110 and 150 °C. Preferably, this temperature is comprised between 125 and 140 °C.

After this pre-reaction, a small part of this concentrated 5 flavouring agent is added in the conventional dough mixture comprising wheat flour, water, kansui solution and other additives. The amount of the concentrated flavouring agent used is normally comprised between 0.5 and 5 % (flour basis). The amount used is preferably around 1 %. All the 10 percentages given in the present description are in weight. The kansui solution is an aqueous solution containing 1 % by weight of sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, potassium-carbonate and sodium polyphoshate. The amount of kansui solution in the dough mixture is comprised between 10 and 15 25 parts.

The wheat flour used according to the invention is not critical. Preferably, the wheat flour used is normal soft wheat flour.

Other additives can be added to the dough mixtures. These additives are tapioca and potato starch, a small amount of oil and other common additives taken from the group consisting of potassium carbonate, sodium chloride, sodium 25 polyphosphate, sodium carbonate and edible gums.

The amount of oil is comprised between 0 and 5 % of the final composition. The amount of tapioca and potato starch is comprised between 0 and 20 %. These ingredients can be 30 used alone or in combination.

The step of drying can be carried out in a hot air oven or by impingement drying. The temperature of drying depends on the type of drying used . In the case of an oven drying, this temperature can be lower, like 70 °C or higher. In the . w<fcu£CTUAL PROPERTY OFFICF OF N.Z.

I 9 AUG 2008 555574 case of impingement drying, this temperature used can reached 200°C and below.

Concerning also the velocity of the air used for drying, 5 it is also depending on the type of drying. In the oven drying, a lower velocity can be used , for example 2-10 m/s. On the contrary , in the case of impingement drying a higher velocity can be used, like between 20 and 60 m/s.

Concerning the duration of drying, it is also depending on the way of drying. In the case of oven drying, it takes between 30 and 60 minutes. In the case of impingement drying, it is quicker and take between 1 and 5 minutes.

The final moisture content of the noodles is below 12 %. In a preferred embodiment, the moisture content is below 5 %.

The present invention concerns further the product obtained according to the invention, that is a non-fried instant 20 cooking dry noodles containing oil in an amount comprised between 0 and 3 %, said oil being in the dough, having a moisture content below 5 % and comprising further wheat flour, potato and tapioca starch and a small amount of a flavour, which is a reaction product between oil, wheat 25 flour and a concentrate kansui comprising sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and sodium polyphosphate.

When the consumer is ready to use the non-fried noodles, 30 the noodles can either be prepared by cooking or by soaking in hot water. The soaking is carried out at a temperature comprised between 70 and 100 °C. Preferably, the soaking temperature is comprised between 90 and 10 0 °C. The taste is really near a fried noodle product.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 9 AUG 2008

Claims (20)

555574 - 5 - The following examples further illustrate the present invention. Example 1 5 20 parts of dry wheat flour, 30 parts of palm oil, 32parts of water and 12 parts of concentrate kansui are mixed together and reacted at a pressure of 3 bar during 1 hour. 10 3% of the pre-reacted flavour (flour basis) was added to the dough during dough mixing. The dough is then processed through normal noodle processing. The noodles after steaming are dried in impingement dryer at 150°C for 5 minutes. 15 This noodles has a good fried taste compared to noodles without addition of pre-reacted flavour and dried with conventional dryer. 20 Example 2 20 parts of dry wheat flour, 25 parts of palm oil, 25 parts of water and 15 parts of concentrated kansui are mixed together and reacted at a pressure of 6 bar for 30 minutes. 25 2% of the pre-reacted flavour (flour basis), 2% oil and 5% starch are added into the dough during dough mixing. Subsequently, the dough is processed as the normal noodle processing procedure. The steamed noodles are dried in 30 impingement dryer at 180°C for 2 minutes. This noodles has good fried taste and appearance and texture as fried noodles. 35 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 9 AUG 2008 555574 - 6 - Claims

1) A process for the manufacture of a non-fried instant cooking dry noodles, comprising the steps of : 5 a) preparing a mixture of oil, wheat flour, water and a concentrate comprising sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and sodium polyphosphate, b) reacting said mixture above atmospheric pressure, 10 c) preparing a dough mixture comprising wheat flour, water, kansui solution and a part of the preceding reaction mixture, d) processing said dough mixture by kneading, rolling into sheets, cutting into strips and steaming and 15 e) drying the dough mixture with air.

2) The process according to claim 1, wherein the oil used is any edible oil. 20

3) The process according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the mixture is reacted at a pressure comprised between 2 and 6 bar.

4) The process according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 25 wherein the mixture is reacted during 10 to 90 minutes.

5) The process according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein between 0.5 and 5 % of the reaction mixture is added to the dough mixture. 30

6) The process according to any one of c wherein other additives are added to the laims 1 to 5, dough mixture, INThLu=CTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.2. 19 AUG 2008 RECEIVED 555574 " 7 " said additives are tapioca and potato starch, a small amount of oil and other common additives taken from the 5 group consisting of potassium carbonate, sodium chloride, sodium polyphosphate, sodium carbonate and edible gums.

7) The process according to claim 6, wherein the amount of oil comprises between 0 and 5 %. 10

8) The process according to claim 6, wherein the amount of tapioca and potato starch comprises between 0 and 20 %.

9) The process according to any one of claims 1 to 8, 15 wherein the drying is carried out in a hot air oven or by impingement drying.

10) The process according to claim 9, wherein the drying is carried out at a temperature comprising between 70 and 200 20 °C.

11) The process according to claim 9, wherein the drying is carried out with an air velocity comprising between 2 and 60 m/s.

12) The process according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the drying is carried out by impingement drying for 1 to 5 minutes. 30 13) The process according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the drying is carried out in a hot air oven for 30 to 60 minutes.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 3 AUG 2008 received 555574 - 8 "

14) The process according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the final noodles have a moisture content below 12 %. 5

15) The process according to any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein the oil used is palm oil or palm olein.

16) Non-fried instant cooking dry noodles containing oil in 10 an amount comprising between 0 and 3 %, said oil being in the dough, having a moisture content below 5 % and further comprising wheat flour, potato and tapioca starch and a small amount of a flavour, which is a reaction product between oil, wheat flour and a concentrate comprising 15 sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and sodium polyphosphate.

17) The non-fried instant cooking dry noodles formed by the process of any one of claims 1 to 15.

18) The process for the manufacture of non-fried instant cooking dry noodles as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15 and substantially as herein described. 25

19) The process for the manufacture of non-fried instant cooking dry noodles substantially as herein described with reference to Example 1 or Example 2.

20) The non-fried instant cooking dry noodles as claimed in 30 claim 16 and substantially as herein described with reference to Example 1 or Example 2. 20 1 9 AUG 2008 RECEIVED