JP2008043326A - Palate feeling improver for noodle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a palate feeling improver for noodles, giving better firmness, chewability and softness to noodles, and suitable especially for processed noodles which require no cooking when eating and are refrigerated and circulated, such as thin Japanese noodles, cold Chinese noodles, and soba served on a wicker platter. <P>SOLUTION: This palate feeling improver for noodles contains (1) a dry devil's tongue processed product which is prepared by mixing devil's tongue powder with starch, and (2) at least one kind selected from agar, alginic acid or its salt, xanthan gum, guar gum, curdlan, glucomannan, psyllium seed gum, native-type gellan gum, iota carrageenan, and kappa carrageenan. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a texture improving agent for noodles and noodles with improved texture. More specifically, the present invention relates to a texture improving agent for noodles that imparts better stiffness, crunchiness and mellowness to noodles. In particular, the present invention relates to a texture improving agent for noodles that is suitable for processed noodles that are refrigerated and that does not require cooking when cooking, such as somen, chilled Chinese, and zaru soba.

Noodles are foods familiar to the Japanese diet, and udon, soba and Chinese soba are known. In general, noodles are produced by adding water, salt, etc. to flour mainly composed of wheat flour, kneading, rolling, shaping and cutting. There is a strong demand for imparting better stiffness, crunchiness, and mellowness to these noodles. For example, as a method for imparting thickness to noodles by adding thickening polysaccharides, (Patent document 1: manufacturing method of noodles), method of adding gelatin to noodles (patent document 2: boiled noodles), raw-type packaged Chinese noodles containing alginic acid or alginate (patent document 3), tara gum, Noodles texture improver containing carrageenan and native gellan gum (patent document 4: instant noodles), quality improver for noodles comprising curdlan and thickening polysaccharide and / or heat-coagulating animal protein (patent document) Various studies such as 5) have been made.

In addition, when producing boiled Chinese noodles, a method of making noodles by mixing 0.05 to 0.1 parts by weight of konjac refined powder together with brackish water with respect to 100 parts by weight of flour (Patent Document 6), A quality improver for noodles characterized by comprising dry konjac powder granules as an active ingredient (Patent Document 7),
A method for producing cooked noodles containing konjac flour, curdlan, guar gum, alginate, etc. in cooked noodles containing soybean flour (Patent Document 8), and dried konjac processed products prepared by combining konjac flour, sugar and starch It is described that a texture improving agent for processed cereal foods (Patent Document 9) containing can also be used for noodles.

In recent years, convenience stores have been selling products that are packaged with boiled or steamed noodles with attached soy sauce and condiments. This is a highly convenient product that is not cooked at the time of eating, but is simply sprinkled with the attached soup, and the product forms include chilled Chinese, zaru soba, zaru udon, and somen. Since the noodles used in these products are eaten in a cold state without being reheated, it is necessary to maintain the texture of the noodles for 1 to several days, which is the quality retention period. In order to maintain the texture of the noodles, the use of the aforementioned polysaccharides has been studied, but it has a hardness that responds to eating and feels moderately elastic when chewed. It was difficult to do.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-5501 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 04-210569 Japanese Patent No. 2702703 Japanese Patent No. 34677581 Japanese Patent No. 2690016 Japanese Patent No. 3575874 JP 2000-245374 A JP 2007-54003 A JP 2004-187526 A

The object of the present invention is to improve the texture of noodles which gives good firmness, crunchiness and mellowness, especially noodles suitable for processed noodles that refrigerate and circulate, such as somen, chilled Chinese, zaru soba, etc. An object of the present invention is to provide a food texture improving agent.

As a result of repeated studies to solve the above problems, the present inventors have obtained (1) a dried konjac processed product prepared by combining konjac flour and starch, and (2) agar, alginic acid or a salt thereof, xanthan gum, Improving the texture of noodles that give good stiffness, crunchiness and mellowness by using at least one selected from Guar gum, curdlan, glucomannan, psyllium seed gum, native gellan gum, iota carrageenan and kappa carrageenan It can be used as an agent, especially some noodles, chilled Chinese, zaru soba, etc. It was found that a texture that feels good elasticity can be imparted.

That is, the present invention relates to a texture improving agent for noodles and noodles having the following aspects:
Item 1. A texture improver for noodles comprising the following (1) and (2):
(1) Processed dried konjac prepared from konjac flour and starch (2) Agar, alginic acid or salt thereof, xanthan gum, guar gum, curdlan, glucomannan, psyllium gum, native gellan gum, iota carrageenan and kappa carrageenan One or more selected from.

  Item 2. Item 2. The texture improving agent for noodles according to Item 1, wherein the blending ratio of (1) and (2) is from (1) 1 part by weight to (2) 0.1 to 10 parts by weight.

  Item 3. Item 13. A noodle characterized by adding the texture improving agent for noodles according to item 1 or 2.

  Item 4. Item 4. The noodles according to Item 3, wherein the addition amount of the noodles texture-improving agent is 0.01 to 5.0 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of raw flour of the noodles.

According to the present invention, it has become possible to provide a texture improving agent for noodles suitable for processed noodles such as somen, chilled Chinese, and zaru soba that are refrigerated and do not require cooking during cooking. Furthermore,
It is possible to provide noodles that have a hardness that responds to eating without adversely affecting the flavor of the noodles, and that can impart a texture that feels moderate elasticity when chewed. It was.

The noodle texture-improving agent of the present invention comprises (1) a dried konjac processed product prepared by combining konjac flour and starch, and (2) agar, alginic acid or a salt thereof, xanthan gum, guar gum, curdlan, glucomannan, psyllium. One or more selected from seed gum, native gellan gum, iota carrageenan, and kappa carrageenan are used in combination.

(1) The dried konjac processed product used in the present invention is a composite composition obtained by combining konjac flour and starch, and is processed so as to have an arbitrary shape such as granular, filamentous, and powdery. .

As the konjac powder used in the dried konjac processed product of the present invention, a konjac powder usually used, a dry pulverized product of raw konjac koji, etc. can be used.

Starch is starch derived from corn such as waxy corn starch and corn starch;
Tapioca starch; starch derived from sweet potato, starch derived from potato, starch derived from sago palm, and modified starches thereof can be appropriately selected and used.

The processing method of the dried konjac processed product used in the present invention can be combined with konjac flour and starch to form a dried processed product, and any manufacturing method can be adopted as long as it can be processed to swell in water. May be. As a preferred production method, after extracting glucomannan from konjac koji in a conventional manner, drying, mixing with starch, adding water to swell, and performing deacetylation treatment by adding a small amount of alkali Examples of production by forming, heat-gelling, neutralizing and drying.

Furthermore, it is desirable to soak in a solution containing a saccharide after neutralization during the above-described processing steps. Sugars used include sucrose, lactose, maltose, glucose, fructose, invert sugar, starch syrup, powdered starch syrup, reduced malt starch syrup, honey, trehalose, trehalose, neotrehalose, palatinose, D-xylose, and the like; xylitol, Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, maltitol, erythritol and the like can be mentioned, and syrup is preferred. This processing method is described in Japanese Patent No. 2866609 or Japanese Patent No. 3159104.

Also, the composition of konjac flour and starch in the dried konjac processed product is not particularly limited, but it is arbitrarily selected so that it is in the range of 5 to 30 wt% konjac powder and 70 to 95 wt% starch in the dried konjac processed product. Can be adjusted. Furthermore, when using a saccharide together, it is preferable to add a part of the starch instead of the saccharide. For example, when using starch syrup, konjac powder is 5 to 30% by weight, starch is 5 to 30% by weight, starch syrup. It can adjust arbitrarily so that it may become the range of 40 to 90 weight%.

The dried konjac processed product used in the present invention can take any form such as powder, granular, and thread like konjac, but is preferably in a powder state. The degree of powder is preferably 50 mesh sieve, preferably 80 mesh sieve, and more preferably 120 mesh sieve. Such preparations can be obtained commercially, for example, dry konjac made by Aires Co., Ltd. and Sun Smart series such as Sun Smart [trademark] 400 made by Saneigen FFI Co., Ltd. Can do.

The noodle texture-improving agent of the present invention includes (1) a dried konjac processed product prepared by combining konjac flour and starch, and (2) agar, alginic acid or a salt thereof, xanthan gum, guar gum, curdlan, glucomannan. , Psyllium seed gum, native gellan gum, iota carrageenan, and kappa carrageenan.

As the agar used in the present invention, any of a variety of dried algae, algae, pebbles, and cypresses that have been solidified by hot water extraction and coagulation can be used. This agar includes yarn agar, stick agar, flake agar, powder agar, and the like. Also,
Any of those with increased (weakened) gel strength, weakened (high) viscoelasticity, high melting point (low melting point), low molecular weight (polymerized), etc. Things can also be used. In addition, different types of agar can be used in combination.

Alginic acid to be used in the present invention is Laminaria japonica ARESCH.
) And the like. As the alginate, sodium alginate or potassium alginate can be used.

The xanthan gum used in the present invention is a fermentation polysaccharide produced by the microorganism Xanthomonas campestris, and the side chain composed of D-mannose, D-glucuronic acid, and D-mannose on the main chain skeleton of β-1,4-D-glucan An anionic polysaccharide with a chain attached. The C6 position of D-mannose bound to the main chain is acetylated, and the terminal D-mannose is bound with pyruvate and acetal. Xanthan gum commercially available products include Sanace [trademark] (standard product), Sanace [trademark] S (fine product), Sanace [trademark] ES (granule) manufactured by San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd. Product), Sanace [trademark] C (transparent product), Bistop [trademark] D-300
And 0-DF-C.

In the present invention, it is preferable to use xanthan gum having an acetyl group content of 1% or less. By using this xanthan gum, it is possible to stably maintain a high viscosity in a wide pH range including an acidic region, as compared with the existing xanthan gum having an acetyl group content of about 2 to 6%. Is shown. Further, the xanthan gum having an acetyl group content of 1% or less used in the present invention is more likely to interact with other polysaccharides such as galactomannans than the existing xanthan gum, and a synergistic increase in viscosity occurs. It is said. Such xanthan gum is commercially available, and examples thereof include Sanace [trademark] NXG-C and Sanace [trademark] NXG-S manufactured by San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd.

Guar gum used in the present invention is a polysaccharide made from legume seeds, β-1,4
It belongs to so-called galactomannans in which D-galactose is α-1,6-linked as a side chain to the main chain skeleton of -D-mannan, and the ratio of constituent sugars is mannose: galactose = 2: 1
(Average).

  The curdlan used in the present invention is a microbial polysaccharide produced by soil fungi and has the property of solidifying when heated. This polysaccharide is a linear glucan in which glucose is linked by β-1,3-glucoside.

  Glucomannan used in the present invention is a polysaccharide contained in konjac koji, and is a complex in which D-glucose and D-mannose are combined in a molar ratio of approximately 1: 1.6 with many β-1,4 bonds. It is a polysaccharide (indigestible polysaccharide), and its molecular weight is about 1 million to 2 million.

  The psyllium seed gum used in the present invention is a natural plant gum taken from seeds such as Plantago ovata forskal in the plantago species (Plantaginaceae) plant which is a kind of plantain. Using the part of the hull that includes the outside, this seed coat is also called Psyllium Husk or Isagol, Isabgol. The non-cellulose polysaccharide in psyllium seed gum has a highly branched structure with xylan as the main chain, and the side chain is composed of arabinose, xylose, galacturonic acid, and rhamnose.

The native gellan gum used in the present invention is a fermented polysaccharide produced by Sphingomonas elodea , consisting of 1-3 linked glucose, 1-4 linked glucuronic acid, 1-4 linked glucose and 1-4 linked rhamnose. A linear high-molecular-weight polysaccharide having 4 molecules as a structural unit, which is formed by bonding 1-bonded glucose to glyceryl group 1 residue and acetyl group on average 1/2 residue per 1 unit. It has one carboxyl group residue per structural unit.

  Carrageenan is a natural polymer substance extracted and purified from red seaweed seaweed, and is a polysaccharide mainly composed of galactose and 3,6 anhydrogalactose having a molecular weight of 100,000 to 500,000. The half ester sulfate group in the molecule is unique to carrageenan that is not found in other natural gums. In general, commercially available carrageenans include iota type, kappa type, and lambda type, and the present invention is characterized by using iota type and / or kappa type carrageenan among carrageenans.

  In the present invention, in addition to the dried konjac processed product described above, one selected from agar, alginic acid or a salt thereof, xanthan gum, guar gum, curdlan, glucomannan, psyllium seed gum, native gellan gum, iota carrageenan, and kappa carrageenan The above is used in combination. By using these in combination with the dried konjac processed product, it has a hardness that can be eaten with respect to processed noodles such as somen, chilled Chinese, zaru soba, etc. that are distributed in refrigerated storage that does not require cooking at the time of eating. It is possible to impart a texture that feels moderate elasticity when chewed.

  On the other hand, curdlan and alginates have been conventionally added to noodles, but polysaccharides including these can give the hardness required when chewing noodles, The elasticity was weak, and the elongation of the noodles over time could not be remarkably suppressed. On the other hand, when the amount of addition is increased in order to give elasticity to the noodles or to suppress elongation by boiling, there is a problem in that the structure of the noodle band is rough and tumbles. Similarly, depending on the type of polysaccharide, elasticity can be imparted, but there are various problems such as inability to impart hardness. In addition, konjac fine powder has been added to noodles focusing on the function as dietary fiber in glucomannan and the texture of konjac, but it is not possible to give enough elasticity to noodles. The strong alkaline odor of the konjac fine powder itself has a problem of impairing the flavor of the noodles. On the other hand, the dried konjac processed product has improved alkali odor and can give elasticity unlike konjac fine powder, but its elasticity is not sufficient, and furthermore it gives hardness to noodles It was difficult to give the noodles an eating response.

  In particular, processed noodles that are refrigerated and do not require cooking at the time of eating, because it is necessary to maintain the texture of the noodles in the refrigerated state for 1 to several days, which is the quality maintenance period, There is a strong demand for maintaining the texture of noodles. In the processed noodles, in addition to the dried konjac processed products, agar, alginic acid or a salt thereof, xanthan gum, guar gum, curdlan, glucomannan, psyllium gum, native gellan gum, iota carrageenan, and kappa carrageenan By using one or more of these in combination, the noodles can be given a texture that responds to eating and a texture that feels moderate elasticity when chewed. In the present invention, among the above-mentioned polysaccharides, one or more of alginic acid or a salt thereof, agar, xanthan gum, guar gum and iota carrageenan, particularly xanthan gum and guar gum are preferably used in combination. By using these polysaccharides and dried konjac processed products in combination, the noodles can be given sufficient hardness and elasticity, and can be finished into noodles that are difficult to stretch even during refrigerated storage.

The noodle texture-improving agent of the present invention, (1) a dried konjac processed product prepared by combining konjac flour and starch, and (2) agar, alginic acid or a salt thereof, xanthan gum, guar gum, curdlan, glucomannan, psyllium seed The blending ratio with at least one selected from gum, native gellan gum, iota carrageenan and kappa carrageenan is (1) 1 part by weight, (2) 0.1 to 10.0 parts by weight, preferably 0.2 to 8.0 parts by weight. When the blending ratio of (2) is lower than 0.1 parts by weight, elasticity may be imparted, but a hard texture may not be obtained, and the blending ratio of (2) is from 10.0 parts by weight. This is because when it is increased, a hard texture is imparted, but there may be a loose texture without elasticity.

Furthermore, as described above, the noodles texture-improving agent of the present invention is excellent in elasticity and imparts a good hard texture to the noodles, has a good throatiness (smooth feeling), and has a unique flavor of noodles. It has the effect of improving. In particular, the processed noodles that are refrigerated and distributed without the need for cooking at the time of eating are maintained without deterioration of the texture even after refrigeration for about one day, but when added during the production of instant noodles such as non-fried noodles, The texture as described above is improved.

In addition, you may add the above-mentioned other polysaccharide to the texture improving agent for noodles of this invention in the limit which does not have a bad influence on the effect of this invention. For example, locust bean gum, tara gum, pectin, propylene glycol alginate, cassia gum, glucomannan, deacylated gellan gum, tamarind seed gum, psyllium seed gum, gelatin, tragacanth gum, karaya gum, gum arabic, gati gum, macrohomopsis gum, pullulan, One or two kinds selected from cellulose derivatives such as methylcellulose (MC), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC), hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), water-soluble hemicellulose, dextrin, etc. The above can be mentioned.

In addition to the above, the noodles texture-improving agent according to the present invention is starch, protein, sugar, seasoning, pigment, fragrance, pH adjuster, antioxidant, etc., as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. These additives can be optionally added. The noodle texture improving agent of the present invention can be formulated by a conventional method.

  Furthermore, this invention relates to the noodles which added the said texture improvement agent for noodles.

The noodles referred to in the present invention include Chinese noodles, udon, buckwheat, cold wheat, somen, spaghetti, macaroni, etc., flour, buckwheat flour, water, salt, etc. are added to the flour, kneaded, rolled,
It is manufactured using manufacturing processes such as shaping and cutting. The texture improving agent of the present invention is suitable for noodles in a form that is chilled and eaten without being reheated, in particular, such as zaru soba, zaru udon, somen, chilled Chinese, cold noodles, cold spaghetti, macaroni salad, etc. It is preferably used for processed noodles that are refrigerated and do not require cooking. Furthermore, the texture of instant noodles such as non-fried noodles is also improved.

As the addition amount of the texture improver for noodles added to the noodles, 0.01 to 5.0 parts by weight, preferably 0.05 to 3.0 parts by weight, with respect to 100 parts by weight of the raw flour of the noodles, More preferably, 0.1-3.0 weight part can be mentioned. When the added amount is more than 5.0 parts by weight, the smoothness of the noodles is reduced and the noodle band is hardly formed. This is because if the amount is less than 0.01 parts by weight, a sufficient effect cannot be obtained.

Although it is a manufacturing method of the noodles of the present invention, the texture improver for noodles according to the present invention may be added together with other raw materials, and the ingredients blended in the texture improver for noodles are separately added in combination. May be.
A noodle dough can be obtained by weighing and kneading such raw materials, but it is also possible to previously dissolve the texture improver for noodles in water and add the aqueous solution. The kneaded noodle dough can produce raw noodles through a general noodle production process, for example, preparation of kneaded water, mixing, shaping, compounding, rolling, and cutting, and steaming and boiling as necessary. After the heat treatment such as the above, packaging and heat sterilization steps can be performed, and pH adjustment treatment can also be performed as necessary.

For example, in the case of Chinese steamed noodles, in general, flour, mainly flour, water, salt,
It can be manufactured using a manufacturing process such as rolling, shaping, cutting, etc., after adding a kneading, etc., making the pH alkaline, and kneading the raw materials. In addition, the noodle texture improvement agent of the present invention,
The raw Chinese noodles produced in this way are in a state that can be eaten by a steaming process (heat treatment) in particular, and after packaging, a heat sterilization process is further performed at 80 to 100 ° C. for about 20 to 40 minutes. And can be suitably used for processed noodles that are refrigerated and distributed.

In addition, boiled udon is generally rolled after kneading flour mainly composed of flour,
It can be produced by boiling raw udon produced using a production process such as shaping or cutting with hot water or the like in a state where it can be eaten. In particular, after boiled (heat treatment), pH adjustment treatment is performed as necessary, and after packaging, a heat sterilization step is performed at 80 to 100 ° C. for about 20 to 40 minutes, which is suitable for processed noodles distributed in refrigeration. Can be used.

In addition, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired, the noodles of the present invention include flour, other flours, starches, salt, saccharides, sweeteners, egg whites, whey proteins, soy proteins and other proteins, seasonings, Preservatives, shelf life improvers, flavors, pH adjusters, acidulants, citrus, pigments, vitamins, minerals, and the like can be added.

Hereinafter, the content of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the following examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited to these. In the text, “part” is “part by weight”, “*” is a registered trademark of Saneigen FFI Co., Ltd., and “*” is a registered trademark of Saneigen FFI Co., Ltd. .

Experimental example: Preparation of chilled Chinese noodles (chilled Chinese) Of the formulas listed in Tables 1 and 2 below, add wheat flour, processed starch, vegetable protein, and texture improver, and slowly stir with water (water) Salt, potassium carbonate,
A solution prepared by dissolving sodium carbonate at 25 ° C.) was added and mixed with stirring for 13 minutes. Next, the mixture was roughly combined into a noodle band using a noodle making machine (manufactured by Higuchi Noodle Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.), and further combined and rolled to prepare a noodle band having a thickness of 1.4 mm. The obtained noodle strip was made into a noodle string with a # 22 cutting blade and cut into a length of 40 cm. This was boiled with boiling water for 3 minutes and 30 seconds, cooled with running water for 30 seconds and then with ice water for 30 seconds to prepare chilled Chinese noodles.

The resulting chilled Chinese noodles were subjected to a sensory evaluation of the texture after refrigeration in a refrigerator at 5 ° C. overnight. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2. The evaluation was “++++ → ++ → + → ± → −” in order from the best in terms of hardness, elasticity, sag, and flavor. Regarding the overall evaluation of the texture, it is shown that the effect of improving the texture is high in the order of “++++” → “++” → “+”.
"Is equivalent to a blank (no texture improver added), and"-"indicates that the effect is lower than that of the blank.

Note 1) Modified starch: trade name “Crystal Set 300”; manufactured by NSC Japan.
Note 2) Plant protein: Trade name “A-Gel G”;
Note 3) Dried konjac processed product: Trade name “Sunsmart * 400 *”; 14% konjac flour, 11% starch, 75% starch candy.
Note 4) Xanthan gum: Trade name “SAN ACE * NXG-S *”; xanthan gum with an acetyl group content of 1% or less.

  From Tables 1 and 2, dry konjac processed products are used in combination with one or more selected from agar, alginic acid, xanthan gum, guar gum, curdlan, glucomannan, psyllium seed gum, native gellan gum, iota carrageenan and kappa carrageenan Examples 1 to 10 had a good texture even after refrigerated storage overnight. On the other hand, noodles prepared with a texture-improving agent containing dried konjac products, agar, alginic acid, xanthan gum, guar gum, pectin, thyme seed gum, kappa carrageenan cannot impart hardness and elasticity, The effect was not recognized independently, such as affecting the taste and flavor (Comparative Examples 2 to 9). Furthermore, even when a texture improving agent using a dried konjac processed product and a polysaccharide in combination is used, when a specific polysaccharide such as locust bean gum (Comparative Example 10) or tara gum (Comparative Example 11) is not used together As in the case of using the dried konjac processed product alone, it was not possible to impart sufficient hardness and elasticity to the noodles. On the other hand, even when agar or alginic acid was used, when it was used in combination with konjac fine powder (Comparative Examples 12 and 13), the noodles could not be provided with sufficient hardness and elasticity. The noodles have a strong alkaline odor and poor flavor.

Example 11: Preparation of chilled Chinese noodles (chilled Chinese) Chilled Chinese noodles were prepared according to Table 3 below. Specifically, among the formulas listed in Table 3, add flour, processed starch, vegetable protein, and texture improver, and slowly stir with a universal mixer while slowly dissolving brine (water, salt, potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate). Prepared at 25 ° C.) and mixed with stirring for 13 minutes. Next, the mixture was roughly combined into a noodle band using a noodle making machine (manufactured by Higuchi Noodle Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.), and further combined and rolled to prepare a noodle band having a thickness of 1.4 mm. The obtained noodle strip was made into a noodle string with a # 22 cutting blade and cut into a length of 40 cm. This was boiled with boiling water for 3 minutes and 30 seconds, cooled with running water for 30 seconds and then with ice water for 30 seconds to prepare chilled Chinese noodles (Example 11).

Note 5) A formulation “Bistop * ND-54 *” containing 20% xanthan gum, 20% guar gum, and 60% dried konjac processed product was used as a texture improving agent.

Even though the prepared chilled Chinese noodles are refrigerated overnight in a refrigerator at 5 ° C., the noodles are more precocious, elastic, and firm than the dried konjac processed products, xanthan gum and guar gum alone. It became a noodle with a texture.

According to the present invention, it has become possible to provide a texture improving agent for noodles which imparts better stiffness, crunchiness and mellowness to the noodles. In particular, it has become possible to provide a texture improving agent for noodles suitable for processed noodles such as somen, chilled Chinese, and zaru soba that do not require cooking during cooking and that are refrigerated and distributed.

Claims (4)

A texture improver for noodles comprising the following (1) and (2):
(1) Processed dried konjac prepared from konjac flour and starch (2) Agar, alginic acid or salt thereof, xanthan gum, guar gum, curdlan, glucomannan, psyllium gum, native gellan gum, iota carrageenan and kappa carrageenan One or more selected from. The texture improving agent for noodles of Claim 1 whose compounding ratio of (1) and (2) is 0.1-10 weight part with respect to (1) 1 weight part. A noodles comprising the noodle texture-improving agent according to claim 1 or 2 added thereto. The noodles according to claim 3, wherein the amount of addition of the texture improving agent for noodles is 0.01 to 5.0 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of raw flour of the noodles.