Potential application of enzymes to improve quality of dry noodles by reducing water absorption of inferior-quality flour

Assessing the Impact of Arabinoxylans on Dough Mixing Properties and Noodle-Making Performance through Xylanase Treatment

This study examined the impact of xylanases, focusing on the hydrolysis of water-extractable (WE-AX) and water-unextractable arabinoxylans (WU-AX) and on the quality and noodle-making performance of flours with varying gluten strengths. Flours categorized as strong (S), medium (M), and weak (W) were treated with two xylanases (WE and WU) at concentrations ranging from 0.01% to 0.2%. Parameters such as solvent retention capacity (SRC), SDS sedimentation volume, dough mixing properties, and noodle characteristics were measured. The SRC revealed that flour S had the highest water-holding capacity, gluten strength, and arabinoxylan content. Xylanase treatment reduced water SRC values in flour S and increased the SDS sedimentation volume, with a greater effect from xylanase WU, indicating the potential enhancement of gluten strength. The impact of xylanases was pronounced at higher enzyme concentrations, with differences in dough mixing properties, resistance, and extensibility of fresh noodles, producing softer and stretchable noodles. Cooked noodles made from flours treated with xylanase were softer and had decreased firmness and chewiness, especially those made from flours S and M. This study concludes that WE-AX and WU-AX influence noodle texture; therefore, controlling their degradation with xylanases can produce noodles with varied textures, depending on the gluten strength of the flour.

A Review of the Impact of Starch on the Quality of Wheat-Based Noodles and Pasta: From the View of Starch Structural and Functional Properties and Interaction with Gluten

Starch, as a primary component of wheat, plays a crucial role in determining the quality of noodles and pasta. A deep understanding of the impact of starch on the quality of noodles and pasta is fundamentally important for the industrial progression of these products. The starch structure exerts an influence on the quality of noodles and pasta by affecting its functional attributes and the interaction of starch-gluten proteins. The effects of starch structure (amylopectin structure, amylose content, granules size, damaged starch content) on the quality of noodles and pasta is discussed. The relationship between the functional properties of starch, particularly its swelling power and pasting properties, and the texture of noodles and pasta is discussed. It is important to note that the functional properties of starch can be modified during the processing of noodles and pasta, potentially impacting the quality of the end product, However, this aspect is often overlooked. Additionally, the interaction between starch and gluten is addressed in relation to its impact on the quality of noodles and pasta. Finally, the application of exogenous starch in improving the quality of noodles and pasta is highlighted.