Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: METHOD OF MANUFACTURING INSTANT NOODLES
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(a) Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to instant noodles, and more
particular to a method of manufacturing instant noodles.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Instant noodles are widely popular in Asian region. Instant noodles are
precooked and seasoned noodles that are subsequently dried and fonned into
noodle blocks. Instant noodles can be consumed after being cooked or soaked
in boiling water for only a few minutes. The noodles are made from wheat
flour together with water, salt, and some ingredients. There are different
types
of noodles of various thickness or width. Thicker noodles take more time to
cook or soak. Thinner noodles, on the other hand, take less time. Without
properly control the timing, the flavor of the instant noodles would be
compromised.
Italian pastas refer to all noodles made from flour and water, sometimes
with eggs. Specifically, Italian pastas are made from durum wheat flour or
semolina. More generally, Italian pastas includes noodles made from other
cereals. Italian pastas have many styles such as the long and thin Spaghetti,
the
thicker and flatter Linguine, the thinnest Angel Hair, the twisted Fusilli,
etc.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-25
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Other than Italy and Europe, Italian pastas are also widely popular in other
parts of the world. Italian pastas are usually cooked for a longer period
before
consumption (usually between 8-13 minutes), and the noodles are harder in
texture. Therefore, it is more difficult to make Italian pastas into instant
noodles.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-25
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A major objective of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a
manufacturing method of instant noodles so that they are quickly consumable
after a short period of cook or soak time, regardless of their thickness.
The method of manufacturing instant noodles includes: mixing a noodle
base material, water, and salt into a mixture; extruding the mixture into
noodles of appropriate width, thickness, and shape; steaming the noodles;
cutting the noodles after the noodles are steamed; half-puff or fully puff
drying
the noodles after they are cut, based on the thickness of the noodles and the
expected cook or soak time. Finally, instant noodles that are easy to cook and
soak are fonned.
Specifically, the mixture includes 77% of noodle base material,
21%-22% of water, and 1%-2% of salt.
Specifically, the noodle base material includes flour.
Specifically, the noodle base material includes semolina or durum wheat
flour.
Specifically, in the steaming step, the noodles are 100% steamed.
The half-puff drying includes a first stage of drying conducted using
warm air of 120 C-150 C blown at speed 10m/s for a minute, a second stage
of drying conducted using warm air of 80 C blown at speed 10m/s for 36
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-25
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minutes, and a third stage involving placing the noodles in a closed space for
15 minutes to achieve unifoun drying.
The fully puff drying includes a first stage of drying conducted using
warm air of 150 C-2000 C blown at speed 10m/s for a minute, a second
stage of drying conducted using warm air of 80 C blown at speed 10m/s for
36 minutes, and a third stage involving placing the noodles in a closed space
for 15 minutes to achieve unifoun drying.
The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction
to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the
present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become
apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of
the
invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference
numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become
manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed
description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred
structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is
shown by way of illustrative example.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a flow diagram showing a method of manufacturing instant
noodles according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing the details of a step S12 of the method
of manufacturing instant noodles of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram showing a noodle before a half-puff
drying of the present embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged diagram showing a noodle after a half-puff
drying of the present embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing a method of manufacturing instant
noodles according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing the details of a step S22 of the method
of manufacturing instant noodles of FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is a perspective diagram showing a noodle before a fully puff
drying of the present embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged diagram showing a noodle after a fully puff
drying of the present embodiment.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-25
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not
intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention
in
any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration
for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes
to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement
of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as
set forth in the appended claims.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a method of manufacturing instant
noodles according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the
following steps:
1. Mixing about 77% of noodle base material, about 21%-22% of water,
and about 1%-2% of salt, where, in the present embodiment, the
noodle base material includes about 100-kg flour, semolina or durum
wheat flour, and about 30-kg water and salt (step S11);
2. Extruding the mixture of noodle base material, water, and salt into
noodles where, in the present embodiment, molds are applied to
produce elongated noodles of an appropriate width, or thinner Italian
pastas such as Angel Hair pastas; (step S12);
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3. 100% steaming the extruded noodles thoroughly (step S13);
4. Cutting the steamed noodles (step S14);
5. Half-puff drying the steamed and cut noodles, where, in the present
embodiment, a first stage of drying is conducted using warm air of
120 C-150 C blown at speed 10m/s for a minute, a second stage of drying is
conducted using warm air of 80 C blown at speed 10m/s for 36 minutes, and
finally a third stage involves placing the noodles in a closed space for 15
minutes to achieve unifoun drying (step S15); and
6. Forming instant noodles that are easy to cook and soak (step S16).
In the above process, the condition for the drying step may vary
depending on the thickness of the noodles and the cook or soak time. When
making noodles of a medium thickness (or Spaghettis or Angel Hairs), the
drying condition allows the noodles to maintain their shapes with small pores.
When the noodles are cooked or soaked, water would slowly enter the pores
and the noodles would not be overdone.
As shown in FIG. 3, the noodles 1 before drying have a smooth shape
without creases and pores. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the noodles 1 after
drying would have a same shape but there would be multiple randomly
distributed pores 11 across the cross section. Due to their small aperture,
water
would slowly enter the pores and the noodles would not be overdone when
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they are cooked or soaked.
As shown in FIG. 5, and FIG. 6, a method of manufacturing instant
noodles according to another embodiment of the present invention includes
the following steps:
1. Mixing about 77% of noodle base material, about 21%-22% of water,
and about 1%-2% of salt, where, in the present embodiment, the
noodle base material includes about 100-kg flour, semolina or durum
wheat flour, and about 30-kg water and salt (step S21);
2. Extruding the mixture of noodle base material, water, and salt into
noodles where, in the present embodiment, molds are applied to
produce thicker and wider noodles, or wider Italian pastas such as
Linguine pastas; (step S22);
3. 100% steaming the extruded noodles (step S23);
4. Cutting the steamed noodles (step S24);
5. Fully-puff drying the steamed and cut noodles, where, in the present
embodiment, a first stage of drying is conducted using warm air of
150 C-2000 C blown at speed 10m/s for a minute, a second stage of drying is
conducted using warm air of 80 C blown at speed 10m/s for 36 minutes, and
finally a third stage involves placing the noodles in a closed space for 15
minutes to achieve unifonii drying (step S25); and
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6. Forming instant noodles that are easy to cook and soak (step S16).
In the above process, the condition for the drying step may vary
depending on the thickness of the noodles and the cook or soak time. When
making wider and thicker noodles, the drying condition allows the noodles to
puff up with large pores. When the noodles are cooked or soaked, water would
quickly enter the pores and the noodles would not be too hard or overdone if
the cook or soak time is not enough or too long.
As shown in FIG. 7, the noodles 1 before drying have a smooth shape
without creases and pores. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the noodles 1 after
drying would have a larger shape and there would be multiple randomly
distributed larger pores 12 across the cross section. Due to their large
aperture,
water would quickly enter the pores and the noodles would not be too hard or
overdone if the cook or soak time is not enough or too long.
As described above, the present invention has noodle base material which
includes flour, semolina, or durum wheat flour mixed with water and salt. The
mixture is then extruded into noodles. Depending on the thickness of the
noodles and the expected cook or soak time, half-puff or fully puff drying is
conducted to foul' instant noodles that can be quickly cooked or soaked for
consumption.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-03-25
