Kanebo Foods, Ltd.

Hiroshi Takahashi

Sanpei Murakami

Ken Okada

Sadao Kokeguchi

Non-fried, oil-free instant cooking dry noodles which, when immersed in hot water, are easily transformed to an edible cooked state during a short period of time and give good sense, feel and taste. The noodles have a water content of 13% or less by weight and consist essentially of at least one starch-containing component comprised mainly of wheat flour, wherein the starch in the starch-containing component has an .alpha.-conversion degree of at least about 85% as measured by diastase enzyme process. These noodles have a fine porous texture providing communication between the external surfaces and the internal portions thereof by a network of fine pores, and have smooth surfaces devoid of blister-like bubble formations or mutually sticking portions. Further, the noodles can be stored stably for at least one year without developing substantial change in quality.

Non-fried instant cooking dry noodles

Instant-cooking dry macaroni-type food products are disclosed composed of wheat flour and substantially pre-cooked such that at least 85% of the starch contained in the product is converted to the .alpha.-phase, as measured by the diastase enzyme process. The products are characterized by numerous large diameter interconnected pores that provide communication between the external surfaces and the internal portions of the pieces and allow rapid hydration and conversion of the product from the dry to the cooked and edible state.

Instant-cooking dry macaroni and like dry foods

Instant-cooking dry macaroni products are manufactured by preparing a raw macaroni or like macaroni type food material containing at least 25% by weight of water by mixing, with substantially no kneading, components consisting mainly of wheat flour and water or additives; then subjecting this mixture to a preliminary steaming at a gauge pressure of 0.5-1.5 kg/cm.sup.2 for 2-5 minutes till an .alpha.-conversion degree of from 60% to 80% is reached; then shaping the resulting material into individual molded pieces of a desired configuration; thereafter, with or without application of water to the surfaces of the molded pieces so that these surfaces carry water in an amount not exceeding 100% by weight relative to the weight of the molded pieces; then subjecting the molded pieces to a further steaming step at similar pressure and time till an .alpha.-conversion degree of at least 90% is attained; and thereafter drying them till the water content of the molded pieces is reduced to at most 10% by weight relative to the weight of the molded pieces thus dried. These dry macaroni products have no portions sticking to each other, have smooth surfaces and have fine porous texture, and are easily transformed to an edible cooked state by immersion in hot water for a short time, and give good sense, feel and taste. Also, these dry foods are stable and have good durability without change in quality during storage for an extended period of time.

Instant-cooking dry macaroni and like dry foods and a method of their

Non-fried oil free instant cooking dry noodles are manufactured by preparing a mixture of raw noodle material containing at least 25% by weight of water by mixing, with substantially no kneading, components consisting mainly of wheat flour and water or additives; then rolling the mixture into a web form; thereafter with or without external application of water onto the surfaces of the web, steaming the web at gauge pressure of 0.5-1.5 kg/cm.sup.2 for 2-5 minutes until the starch therein has an .alpha.-conversion degree of at least 98%; followed by preliminary heating preferably at 80.degree.-110.degree. C. for 2-5 minutes to adjust the water content to 15-35% by weight; then shaping the web into individual noodles; and then further drying these noddles at 55.degree.-145.degree. C. until the water content becomes 10% or smaller by weight. These dry noodles are not sticking to each other, have smooth surfaces and have fine porous texture, and are easily transformed to cooked state by immersion in hot water for a short time, giving good sense, feel and taste. Also, these dry noodles are stable and have good durability during storage of an extended period of time.

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Suita, Japan

Hiroshi Takahashi