AU2021209787A1

AU2021209787A1 - A kit of parts for a packed noodle product

Info

Publication number: AU2021209787A1
Application number: AU2021209787A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ayan Chattopadhyay; Jasleen KAUR; Tian Seng Toh
Original assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA; Nestle SA
Current assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA
Priority date: 2020-01-24
Filing date: 2021-01-14
Publication date: 2022-05-26
Also published as: WO2021148298A1; EP4093215A1; CN114786498A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a kit of parts for a packed noodle product comprising a) a dried noodle cake and b) a tastemaker tablet, characterized in that the dried noodle cake comprises a formed hollow three-dimensional space and wherein the tastemaker tablet is embedded in that formed hollow three-dimensional space.

Description

A KIT OF PARTS FOR A PACKED NOODLE PRODUCT

The present invention relates to a kit of parts for a packed noodle product. In particularly the invention relates to a kit of parts for a packed noodle product comprising a) a dried noodle cake and b) a tastemaker tablet, characterized in that the dried noodle cake comprises a formed hollow three-dimensional space and wherein the tastemaker tablet is embedded in that formed hollow three-dimensional space.

It is already known to have a packed noodle product comprising a noodle cake and a tastemaker. In all commercial available products the tastemaker is packed separately, normally using a metalized packaging for example aluminium packaging. Consumers are increasingly becoming sensitive to additional packaging, especially for metalzied and/or aluminium packaging. Many of them perceive an aluminium packaging as not environmentally sustainable. News mention the high energy efforts needed to obtain an aluminium packaging, the chemicals used and their environmental impact to obtain aluminium, the polluted sewage of aluminium factories and also the still limited recycling of aluminium packaging ending often on landfills.

Therefore, in order to provide a more environmentally sustainable packaging, an additional aluminium packaging for the tastemaker should be avoided. This will avoid high energy and chemicals used to manufacture aluminium, and that an aluminium packaging ends up on landfills. In addition, further processing steps to obtain an aluminium packed tastemaker is avoided and the cost can be reduced.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to improve the state of the art and to provide an improved or at least an alternative solution to overcome at least some of the inconveniences described above. The object of the present invention is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. The dependent claims further develop the idea of the present invention.

Particularly, the object of the present invention is to provide a tastemaker tablet, which is not separately packed, especially not separately packed in aluminium and therefore avoid the high energy and chemicals used to manufacture aluminium, and that an aluminium packaging ends up on landfills. In addition, it is the object of the invention to reduce the process step to package the tastemaker and reduce the related cost. Nevertheless, the noodle product should be self-stable for at least 3 months. Accordingly, the present invention provides in a first aspect a kit of parts for a packed noodle product comprising a) a dried noodle cake; b) a tastemaker tablet; characterized in, that the dried noodle cake comprises a formed hollow three-dimensional space, and wherein the tastemaker tablet is embedded in that formed hollow three- dimensional space.

In a second aspect, the invention relates to a process for the production of a kit of parts for a packed noodle product comprising a) a dried noodle cake and b) a tastemaker tablet, characterized in that the dried noodle cake comprises a formed hollow three- dimensional space and wherein the tastemaker tablet is embedded in that formed hollow three-dimensional space, the process comprising the steps of preparing the dried noodle cake, preparing and forming the tastemaker tablet, putting the tastemaker tablet into the formed hollow three-dimensional space of the noodle cake and packing the kit of parts.

In a third aspect, the invention relates to use of a kit of parts for a packed noodle product for preparing a food product.

It has been surprisingly found by the inventors, that by using a dried noodle cake comprising a formed hollow three-dimensional space, a tastemaker tablet can be embedded in that formed hollow three-dimensional space of the dried noodle cake, wherein the tastemaker tablet is not separately packed, especially not separately packed in aluminium. This leads to a more sustainable packaging solution of the kit of parts for the packed noodle product, reduces the packaging cost, avoid the high energy and chemicals used to manufacture aluminium and avoid that aluminium packaging ends up in landfills. Nevertheless, the noodle product should be self-stable for at least 3 months. It has been surprisingly found by the inventors, that the dried noodle cake comprising a formed hollow three-dimensional space has a more homogenous moisture content after drying or frying.

Detailed Description of the invention

In a first aspect, the present invention pertains to a first aspect a kit of parts for a packed noodle product comprising a) a dried noodle cake; b) a tastemaker tablet; characterized in, that the dried noodle cake comprises a formed hollow three-dimensional space, and wherein the tastemaker tablet is embedded in that formed hollow three- dimensional space.

In a second aspect, the invention relates to a process for the production of a kit of parts for a packed noodle product comprising a dried noodle cake and a tastemaker tablet, characterized in that the dried noodle cake comprises a formed hollow three-dimensional shape and wherein the tastemaker tablet is embedded in that formed hollow three- dimensional space, the process comprising the steps of preparing the dried noodle cake, preparing and forming the tastemaker tablet, putting the tastemaker tablet into that formed hollow three-dimensional space of the dried noodle cake and packing the kit of parts.

Fig 1 shows a standard dried noodle cake without a formed hollow three-dimensional space and a separate packed tastemaker.

Fig 2 shows an example of a dried noodle cake with a formed hollow three- dimensional space and a tastemaker tablet embedded in that formed hollow three- dimensional space of the dried noodle cake. The tastemaker tablet will not be separate packed.

Fig 3 shows an example of a dried noodle cake with a different shape and form of the dried noodle cake and the formed hollow three-dimensional space of the dried noodle cake compared to Fig 2. No tastemaker tablet is shown, but can be adapted by the skilled person to the corresponding cylindric form of the formed hollow three-dimensional space.

The term “noodle cake” according to this invention means noodles, which are cut into suitable lengths and moulded into conventional noodle cake of the required shape before drying or frying. The dimensions of the noodle cakes are chosen to give a cake which may weigh from about 25 to 250g, preferably from about 50 to 150g, more preferably from 50 to 100g. The noodle cake comprises flour, Kansui salts, oil, and optionally wheat gluten.

The term “tastemaker tablet” according to this invention means a composition in form of a sphere, ellipsoid, cuboid, rectangular, cylinder, cone or pyramid shape comprising salt, sugar, lipids, flavours or a combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment tastemaker tablet means a tablet or cube obtained by pressing a powder into a tablet or cube form. In an embodiment, the tastemaker tablet comprises 15 to 45wt% of salt (by weight of the total composition), preferable 20 to 40wt%, preferably 25 to 37wt% (by weight of the total composition). The term “salt” according to this invention means sodium chloride, but can also comprise other edible salts capable of imparting or enhancing a salty taste perception, such as potassium chloride. In an embodiment, the tastemaker tablet comprises 0.5 to 15wt% of sugar (by weight of the total composition), preferable 1 to 10wt%, preferably 2 to 8wt% (by weight of the total composition). In an embodiment, the tastemaker tablet comprises 1 to 40wt% of flavours (by weight of the total composition), preferable 10 to 35wt%, preferably 15 to 35wt% (by weight of the total composition). In an embodiment, the tastemaker tablet comprises 1 to 30wt% of lipids (by weight of the total composition), preferable 5 to 25wt%, preferably 10 to 25wt% (by weight of the total composition). The term “flavours” according to this invention means a composition comprising yeast extract, glutamate, vegetable powder, animal extract, bacterial extract, vegetable extract, animal powder, reaction flavour, hydrolyzed plant protein, herbs or combinations of thereof. A bacterial extract is described within W02009040150 or WO2010105842. A vegetable extract is described within WO2013092296. Vegetable powder means at least one ingredient of onion powder, chilli powder, cardamom powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, ginger powder, pepper powder, pepper grans, anis powder, garlic powder, tomato powder, celery root powder or a combination thereof. Animal powder means at least one ingredient of meat powder, fish powder, crustacean powder or combination thereof. Meat powder means chicken powder or beef powder. Animal extract means at least one ingredient of meat extract, fish extract, crustacean extract or combination thereof.

The term “formed hollow three-dimensional space” according to this invention means a three-dimensional concavity formed on one face. The formed hollow three-dimensional space has an opening to the exterior surface of the noodle cake. In an embodiment, the formed hollow three-dimensional space represents at least 3vol% (per cent of the total volume of the noodle cake) of the total dried noodle cake volume, preferably between 3 to 40vol%, preferably 3 to 30vol%, preferably 3 to 20vol%. In an embodiment, the formed hollow three-dimensional space is selected from the group consisting of a sphere, ellipsoid, cuboid, rectangular, cylinder, cone or pyramid shape. The term “flour” according to this invention means at least one ingredient of wheat flour, oat flour, corn flour, rice flour, barley flour, lentil flour, pulses flour, ancient grain flour, millet flour or combinations thereof, preferably wheat flour. The flour has a particle size of 50 to 400 pm. A finer particle size could mean a high chance of starch to be damaged in the flour leading to higher water absorption. The dough would become sticky and causes operation issues. In addition noodle would turns sticky, starchy and non-elastic. A flour with a large particle size, on the other hand, needs longer water absorption time and often forms large dough lumps. In an embodiment the flour is standard refined wheat flour. In an embodiment the dried noodle cake comprises 45 to 80 wt% of flour (by weight of the total composition), preferable 48 to 80wt%, preferably 50 to 75wt%, preferably 52 to 72wt% (by weight of the total composition).

The term “kansui salts” comprises a mixture of alkaline salts comprising sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and sodium phosphate. In an embodiment the noodle cake comprises 0.2 to 3.5wt% of kansui salts (by weight of the total composition). In a preferred embodiment the kansui salts are dissolved in water to obtain a kansui solution. The term “kansui solution” comprises a mixture of 1 to 15wt% of alkaline salts comprising sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and sodium phosphate (based on the total amount of the solution) in 85 to 99wt% of water (based on the total amount of the solution), preferably the kansui solution comprises 3 to 7wt% of alkaline salts and 93 to 97wt% of water (based on the total amount of the solution).

A process to obtain a dried noodle cake comprising the steps of: a) Mixing flour and other dry ingredients with Kansui salts to form an uniform dough; b) Sheeting and slitting the dough to obtain noodle strands; c) Steaming the noodle strands from step b); d) Cutting the noodle strands from step c) and optionally folding e) Frying the noodle strands from step d) in oil or air drying the noodle strands from step d); f) Cooling; characterized in that the dried noodle cake comprises a formed hollow three-dimensional space and wherein the hollow three-dimensional space is formed in step e).

In a preferred aspect the present invention pertains to a process for the production of a dried noodle cake comprising 45 to 80wt% of flour (by weight of the total composition), 0.2 to 3.5wt% of Kansui salts (by weight of the total composition), 0 to 7wt% of wheat gluten (by weight of the total composition), 0 to 20wt% of starch (by weight of the total composition) and 1 to 30wt% of oil (by weight of the total composition), the process comprising the steps of: a) Mixing flour and other dry ingredients with Kansui salts to form an uniform dough; b) Sheeting and slitting the dough to obtain noodle strands; c) Steaming the noodle strands from step b); d) Cutting the noodle strands from step c) and optionally folding e) Frying the noodle strands from step d) in oil or air drying the noodle strands from step d); f) Cooling; characterized in that the dried noodle cake comprises a formed hollow three-dimensional space and wherein the formed hollow three-dimensional space is formed in step e).

In a preferred aspect the present invention pertains to a process for the production of a dried noodle cake comprising 45 to 80wt% of flour (by weight of the total composition), 0.2 to 3.5wt% of Kansui salts (by weight of the total composition), 0 to 7wt% of wheat gluten (by weight of the total composition), 0 to 20wt% of starch (by weight of the total composition) and 10 to 30wt% of oil (by weight of the total composition), the process comprising the steps of: a) Mixing flour and other dry ingredients with Kansui salts to form an uniform dough; b) Sheeting and slitting the dough to obtain noodle strands; c) Steaming the noodle strands from step b); d) Cutting the noodle strands from step c) and optionally folding; e) Optionally pre-drying to remove moisture before frying; f) Frying the noodle strands from step d) or e) in oil; g) Cooling; characterized in that the dried noodle cake comprises a formed hollow three-dimensional space and wherein the formed hollow three-dimensional space is formed in step f)

A process to obtain a tastemaker tablet comprising the steps of: a) Mixing salt, flavour, sugar, lipid or a combination thereof b) Forming a shape, which can be embedded in the formed hollow three-dimensional space of the dried noodle cake.

A process to obtain a tastemaker tablet comprising 15 to 45wt% of salt (by weight of the total composition), 0.5 to 15wt% of sugar (by weight of the total composition), 1 to 40wt% of flavours (by weight of the total composition), 1 to 30wt% of lipids (by weight of the total composition) comprising the steps of: a) Mixing salt, flavours, sugar, lipids or a combination thereof b) Forming a shape, which can be embedded in the formed hollow three-dimensional space of the dried noodle cake.

The formed hollow three-dimensional space of the dried noodle cake is done during frying of the noodle strands or air drying of the noodle strands by using a modified basket having a heightening in a desired form on the basket base, preferably having a centric heightening on the basket base.

The dough mixing time is between 10 to 40 minutes, preferably 15 to 30 minutes. A twin speed mixer is used. The mixing speed is between 50 to 120 rpm. High speed mixing (between 100 to 120 rpm) is recommended during the time the kansui solution is dosed to avoid localized dosing and to ensure homogeneity. For addition of small ingredients like calcium carbonate, fortificant (vitamin and/or mineral) it is recommended to make a pre-blend with flour before addition. The amount of water added has a big influence on dough formation. The moisture content of the dough after mixing should be between 20 to 40%, preferably between 25 to 35%. If too much water is added the dough will be too soft and sticky. If too less water is added the noodle will be brittle, doughy and hard-centered due to insufficient gelatinisation during steaming as degree of gelatinisation depends on moisture content of dough.

The term “sheeting” is a process step wherein the dough is passed through a series of rollers to obtain a final sheet of desired thickness which will then determine the noodle strand thickness. By sheeting the dough a network is developed as pressure is applied. In addition the sheeting removes entrapped air from the dough and therefore reduces porosity and result in less oil uptake.

The slitter/cutter called “kiriha” consists of a pair of grooved cylinders which cut and separate the dough sheet into strands that are trapped in the grooves. These strands are immediately removed by a comb-like scraper, called “kasuri” which is attached in between the two rollers. The width of the noodle strand is determined by Kiriha groove width.

The purpose of steaming is to gelatinize the starch in order to eliminate the raw and doughy taste on the end-product. Steaming time and temperature along with steam pressure affect product quality and are known to the person skilled in the art. Good steaming results to obtain at least 80% starch gelatinisation is giving a better association of starch granules and protein matrix as well as better continuity of protein network. The steaming time is between 0.5 to 15 minutes, preferably 0.5 to 7 minutes. A saturated steam is used. If steaming is insufficient, the final noodle will have a gritty center, doughy and raw wheat after taste (cereal note). Noodle strands coming out of the steamer are hot and tend to stick to the steamer mesh conveyor. This can lead to poor cutting and folding down the line. Therefore, the strands are cooled and slightly dried up using fans or blowers/air knives at the exit of steamer tunnel.

Pre-drying is used to reduce the wet cake moisture content by 2 to 10%. In addition after pre-drying an oil up take reduction by 1 to 8%, preferably 2 to 4% is achieved. A pre drying step is done at a temperature between 50 to 120°C within 15 to 500 sec, preferably at a temperature between 60 to 100°C within 30 to 400 sec. In a preferred embodiment the noodles are pre-dried.

Frying is a process wherein moisture from cakes is removed to a desired level and doughy taste is eliminated in the end product. Steamed or pre-dried noodle cakes are conveyed to the fryer buckets which pass through the hot oil bath. The Frying in oil is done at temperatures between 110 to 170 °C and a frying time between 30 to 200 seconds, preferably at temperatures between 130 to 165 °C and a frying time between 40 to 150 seconds. After oil frying the final moisture in the product is less than 10wt%, preferably between 2 to 10wt% (by weight of the total composition). The final product has a water activity < 0.6. The frying is done with palm oil or high oleic oils or combination thereof, preferably palm oil or high oleic sunflower oil or combination thereof.

Air drying is a process wherein moisture from cakes is removed to a desired level and doughy taste is eliminated in the end product. The air drying is done at temperatures between 80-100°C and a drying time between 20-120 min, preferably between 45-75 min; or at temperatures between 100-250°C and a drying time between 1-15 min, preferably between 2-3 min. The final product has a water activity < 0.6.

In an embodiment the fried noodle has an amount of oil in the range of 10 to 30wt% (by weight of the total composition), preferably between 12 to 28wt%, preferably between 13 to 25wt%, preferably between 13 to 19wt% (by weight of the total composition).

Cooling means that the temperature of the noodle after frying or air drying is reduced. It is desirable to have the noodle cake temperature the same as or close to room temperature before wrapping, preferably between 20 to 30°C, more preferably between 20 to 25°C. Otherwise, there may be condensation of water vapour in the packet of noodles, which may lead to mould growth. A side from condensates, hot cakes also cause expansion of air within the pack, subsequently causing difficulty in secondary packaging.

The noodles maybe fried in palm oil due its low cost, ease of availability and high oxidative stability. Nevertheless, consumers are increasingly becoming sensitive to palm oil or palm fat concerns. Many of them perceive palm fat as not healthy due to high amounts of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and many others perceive it as not environmentally sustainable as a lot of news mention that the rain forest is destroyed to grow palm trees. Therefore, in order to provide nutritional benefits, reduction of total fat and/or SFA content in the product is of considerable importance. It is hence essential to explore also other vegetable oils for frying of noodles which are not only economical to produce and easy to handle but are also stable for frying purposes. It should make noodles healthier without compromising on the sensory attributes, and overall quality of the product. In addition, it should also have lower values of process contaminants formed during refining of oils, i.e. glycidyl fatty acid esters (GE) < 1 ppm (preferably < 0.5 ppm) and 3-MCPD < 3 ppm. A suitable oil, for frying comprises the fatty acids C16:0 in the range of 1 to 25 wt% (based on weight of total fat) and C18: 1 in the range of 60 to 90 wt% (based on weight of total fat) and C18:2 in the range of 0.1 to 20 wt% (based on weight of total fat) is a high oleic sunflower oil. In an embodiment the oil comprises C16:0. C16:0 is palmitic acid. In a further embodiment C16:0 is in the range of 1 to 25 wt% (based on weight of total fat), preferably C16:0 is in the range of 1 to 20 wt% (based on weight of total fat), preferably C16:0 is in the range of 1 to 15 wt% (based on weight of total fat), preferably C16:0 is in the range of 1 to 10 wt% (based on weight of total fat), more preferably C16:0 is in the range of 2 to 7 wt% (based on weight of total fat). In an embodiment the oil comprises C18: 1. C18: 1 is oleic acid. In a further embodiment C18:1 is in the range of 60 to 90 wt% (based on weight of total fat), preferably C18: 1 is in the range of 65 to 90 wt% (based on weight of total fat), preferably C18: 1 is in the range of 70 to 90 wt% (based on weight of total fat), preferably C18:1 is in the range of 75 to 90 wt% (based on weight of total fat), more preferably C18: 1 is in the range of 80 to 90 wt% (based on weight of total fat). In an embodiment the oil comprises C18:2. C18:2 is linoleic acid. In a further embodiment C18:2 is in the range of 0.1 to 20 wt% (based on weight of total fat), preferably C18:1 is in the range of 0.1 to 15 wt% (based on weight of total fat), preferably C18:1 is in the range of 0.1 to 10 wt% (based on weight of total fat), preferably C18:1 is in the range of 0.5 to 10 wt% (based on weight of total fat), more preferably C18:1 is in the range of 0.5 to 5 wt% (based on weight of total fat). In an embodiment the oil of this invention has a melting point of -1 to +5°C and relative density of 0.91. It is preferred that the oil is liquid at room temperature (20°C) to avoid unnecessary heating during storage and transfer of oil into the process, higher storage temperature of oil would already lead to oxidation of oil. Standard commercial available sunflower oil comprising the fatty acids C16:0 in the range of 5 to 8 wt% (based on weight of total fat) and C18: 1 in the range of 14 to 40 wt% (based on weight of total fat) and C18:2 in the range of 48 to 74 wt% (based on weight of total fat). Standard commercial available palm oil comprising the fatty acids C16:0 in the range of 39 to 47 wt% (based on weight of total fat) and C18: 1 in the range of 36 to 44 wt% (based on weight of total fat) and C18:2 in the range of 9 to 12 wt% (based on weight of total fat). In an embodiment the standard palm oil has a slip melting point between 30 to 50°C and is solid at room temperature (20°C)

Those skilled in the art will understand that they can freely combine all features of the present invention disclosed herein. In particular, features described for different embodiments of the present invention may be combined. Where known equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred to in this specification.

Examples

Example 1 : Process

The noodle manufacturing process involves mixing of flour (wheat flour) and kansui solution in a batch mixer. Noodle line used for the production is from CCK supplier. Dough from mixer is passed through rollers to form two sheets thereafter compounding the two dough sheets into one, reducing dough sheet to a desired thickness through a series of rollers. The final sheet is passed through the kiriha to slit the dough sheet and form the noodle strands, which are then steamed in a tunnel.

The steamed noodles are cut, folded and moulded into pre-dryer. The pre-dryer removes moisture before frying and helps to reduce the oil uptake. The pre-dried noodle cakes are discharged from pre-dryer to frying bucket, which are then passed through a fryer where noodle cakes are fried and moisture is removed. After which, the cakes are cooled to ambient temperature before packing. This process describes a fried noddle. A skilled person can easily adapt the process to obtain an air dried noodle cake. For example an air dried noodle cake has no step of pre-drying and oil frying. The formed hollow three-dimensional space of the dried noodle cake is done during frying of the noodle strands or air drying of the noodle strands by using a modified basket having a heightening in a desired form on the basket base, preferably having a centric heightening on the basket base. It is similar like a punch or die or stamp. Below table shows details of all the process steps with the process parameters: The tastemaker tablet has been done by standard mixing and forming methods of the skilled person. In a preferred embodiment a standard bouillon tablet pressing procedure and equipment including a standard tablet pressing machine has been used.

Water activity measurement Water activity is measured with AquaLab instruments 4TE and 4TEV connected to PC with Aqualink 4.0 software . Measurement is carried out at 25.0 ± 0.5°C according to validated on the official AOAC method 978.18

Peroxide Value (PV) measurement

Peroxide Value (PV) in the samples is analyzed as per internal LI based on AOCS method Cd 8b- 90 and can be applied to animal and vegetable oils and fats. It is the quantity of all the substances in terms of mill equivalents of peroxides per 1000 grams of sample that oxidize potassium iodide under the operating conditions. These substances are generally assumed to be peroxides or other similar products of fat oxidation.

Total Polar Material (TPM) measurement

TPM is measured using rapid method with hand-held probe (Testo 270) which is based on principal of capacitive measurement. This is validated with standard method, ISO 8420. TPM gives the value of total polar compounds in oil generated during frying process. Free Fatty Acid Measurement

Free Fatty Acids (FFA) in the samples was analysed as per LI 03.516-3. This method corresponds to the International standard method ISO 660:2008 - Animal and vegetable fats and oils-Determination of acid value and acidity with minor modifications. It is applicable to edible oils and fats, and the extracted fat. FFA’s are generally formed due to the presence of moisture in the foods exposed to oil. The present method determines the amount of these FFA’s formed by titration against a base, and generally expressed as percent oleic acid, unless otherwise stated. Examples 2-5:

Examples 2 to 5 are prepared according to example 1.

*0- No off note, 5- Very high off notes (Flavor and Aroma); 20 panellists tested. Example 6-7:

The noodle cake of the invention comprising a formed hollow three-dimensional space has been compared to a standard noodle cake without a formed hollow three-dimensional space. To measure the moisture content a standard commercial available Maggi noodle cup dimension has been used.

It can be shown by example 7, that a more homogenous dried noodle cake can be obtained in case the noodle cake has a formed hollow three-dimensional space.

Claims

1. A kit of parts for a packed noodle product comprising c) a dried noodle cake; d) a tastemaker tablet; characterized in, that the dried noodle cake comprises a formed hollow three- dimensional space, and wherein the tastemaker tablet is embedded in that formed hollow three-dimensional space.

2. A kit of parts for a packed noodle product according to claim 1 , wherein the tastemaker tablet is not separately packed.

3. A kit of parts for a packed noodle product according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the tastemaker tablet comprises salt, flavours, sugar, vegetable powder, lipids or a combination thereof.

4. A kit of parts for a packed noodle product according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the dried noodle cake comprises flour, Kansui salts, oil, and optionally wheat gluten.

5. A kit of parts for a packed noodle product according to claim 4, wherein the kansui salts comprises a mixture of sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and sodium phosphate.

6. A kit of parts for a packed noodle product according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the formed hollow three-dimensional space has an opening to the exterior surface of the dried noodle cake.

7. A kit of parts for a packed noodle product according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the formed hollow three-dimensional space represents at least 3 vol%

(per cent of the total volume of the noodle cake) of the total dried noodle cake volume.

8. A kit of parts for a packed noodle product according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the formed hollow three-dimensional space is selected from the group consisting of a sphere, ellipsoid, cuboid, rectangular, cylinder, cone or pyramid shape.

9. A kit of parts for a packed noodle product according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the dried noodle cake is an instant noodle cake.

10. A kit of parts for a packed noodle product according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the dried noodle cake is an air dried noodle cake or oil fried dried noodle cake.

11. A process for the production of a kit of parts for a packed noodle product according to any one of claims 1 to 10 comprising a dried noodle cake and a tastemaker tablet, characterized that the dried noodle cake comprises a formed hollow three-dimensional space, and wherein the tastemaker tablet is embedded in the formed hollow three-dimensional space, the process comprising the steps of preparing the dried noodle cake, preparing and forming the tastemaker tablet, putting the tastemaker tablet into the formed hollow three-dimensional space of the dried noodle cake and wrapping the kit of parts.

12. A process for the production of a kit of parts for a packed noodle product according to claim 11, wherein the process to obtain a dried noodle cake comprising the steps of: a) Mixing flour and other dry ingredients with Kansui salts to form an uniform dough; b) Sheeting and slitting the dough to obtain noodle strands; c) Steaming the noodle strands from step b); d) Cutting the noodle strands from step c) and optionally folding e) Frying the noodle strands from step d) in oil or air drying the noodle strands from step d); f) Cooling; wherein the formed hollow three-dimensional space is formed in step e)

13. A process for the production of a kit of parts for a packed noodle product according to claim 11 , wherein the process to obtain a tastemaker tablet comprising the steps of: a) Mixing salt, flavours, sugar, lipids or a combination thereof b) Forming a shape, which can be embedded into the formed hollow three- dimensional space of the noodle cake

14. The use of a kit of parts for a packed noodle product as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10 for preparing a food product.