VIETNAM ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF HANOI

Life Science Department – Food Science and Technology

A Scientific Report of Group Projecton:

DEVELOPMENT OF NOODLES MADE
FROM COMPOSITION OF WHEAT AND
SWEET POTATO FLOUR

Supervisors: Dr. Pham Hoang Nam

Department of Life Sciences
University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH)
Dr. Nguyen Tien Cuong
Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology
Hanoi University of Science and Technology(HUST)

Group Pham Quang Hieu(BI9-105)

Msembers: Tran Dieu Linh (BI9-140)
Nguyen Mai Quynh Ngoc (BI9-172)
Nguyen Ha Phuong (BI9-245)
 Contents
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 1
2. Theoretical background and state of current research ....................................................................... 1
2.1. Evaluation of ingredients ................................................................................................................ 1
2.2. Evaluation of processing parameters ............................................................................................. 2
3. Scientific methods and materials ........................................................................................................... 3
3.1. Materials ........................................................................................................................................... 3
3.2. Preparation of Sweet potato flour (SPF)........................................................................................ 3
3.3. Preparation of fresh SPF noodles ................................................................................................... 3
3.4. Colour measurement ....................................................................................................................... 4
3.3. Texture profile analysis ................................................................................................................... 4
3.5. Determination of proximate composition ...................................................................................... 5
3.5.1. Moisture content analysis. ........................................................................................................ 5
3.5.2. Protein analysis ......................................................................................................................... 5
3.5.3. Lipid analysis ............................................................................................................................. 6
3.5.4 Ash content analysis ................................................................................................................... 6
3.5.5 Carbohydrate analysis ............................................................................................................... 6
3.6. Sensory evaluation ........................................................................................................................... 7
3.7. Statistical analysis ............................................................................................................................ 7
4. Results ...................................................................................................................................................... 7
4.1. Proximate composition of flour ...................................................................................................... 7
4.2. Proximate composition of SPF-incorporated noodles .................................................................. 8
4.3. Color measurement .......................................................................................................................... 9
4.4. Texture profile analysis ................................................................................................................. 10
4.5.Sensory evaluation .......................................................................................................................... 10
5. Discussion............................................................................................................................................... 11
5.1. Composition of flour ...................................................................................................................... 11
5.2. Composition of sample .................................................................................................................. 11
5.5. Sensory ............................................................................................................................................ 12
6. Scientific conclusions ............................................................................................................................ 13
7. Management of the project at the end ................................................................................................ 14
7.1 Work break down ........................................................................................................................... 14
7.2 Timeline ........................................................................................................................................... 14
 7.3. Action Plan and Completion ......................................................................................................... 15
8. References .............................................................................................................................................. 18
9. Appendix ................................................................................................................................................ 20
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1. Introduction
Noodle products are becoming more and more popular in a busy lifestyle thanks to
their convenience in cooking and transportation. Asian has always been a leading market in
noodle consumption and accounts for more than 50% of the total product consumed in the
world [1]. In addition, Vietnam ranks fifth in the world for instant noodles consumption with
5.43 billion servings in 2019[2].While instant noodles is the most popular product in the
market today, fresh noodles is also considered as a product that is easy to use, and can be of
great possibility in terms of processing. Traditionally, noodles must consist mainly of wheat
flour [3, 4], but there have been numerous attempts to incorporate conventional noodles with
other flour to increase nutritional value and utilize a variety of ingredients. [4-6]

During the last outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, the demands for noodle products
observed an exponential growth, but a decline in the agricultural sector was also witnessed as
social distancing resulted in a huge surplus of agricultural products. Despite being a popular
vegetable with favorable taste and a balanced nutritional profile, sweet potato was also in a
large excess. In an attempt to rescue excessive agricultural products and to provide the
consumers with convenient and nutritious meals, a solution of incorporating sweet potato
flour into noodles has been proposed by our team members.

Therefore, the aim of this project is to introduce a novel fresh noodle product that has
higher nutritional value than other products in the market and to satisfy consumer’s senses. It
is also expected that this new product can utilize the surplus sweet potatoes during COVID-
19 outbreaks in the future. The feasibility of incorporating sweet potato flour into noodle and
noodle-like products have been demonstrated in previous studies[7-9]. Within the scope of
the group project, the objective of this study is to determine the optimal proportion of sweet
potato flour and wheat flour in fresh noodles by analyzing the proximate composition,
physical properties (color and tensile strength), and sensory scores of each sample.

2. Theoretical background and state of current research

With the aim of increasing the nutritional value of fresh noodle, sweet potato flour is
the main addition of the novel formula. Nevertheless, the noodle qualities are strongly
correlated with the ingredients and processing parameters as well. Therefore, it is of great
importance to understand the impacts of different ingredients and processing steps on the
noodle sensory attributes and cooking qualities, which are the most important aspects of a
noodle product.

2.1. Evaluation of ingredients

Wheat flour is the primary ingredient in noodles and it plays an important role in
determining the color and texture quality of the final products.Wheat selection for the
manufacture of noodle flour has to be taken into consideration including having a good
appearance and not damaged by weather or grain drying as well as containing appropriate
balance of protein content and protein quality. Protein quantity and quality affects the dough
strength, noodle brightness, and the eating quality (firmness, chewiness) of cooked noodles.
 Page |2

[10, 11].Ash content is also important to minimize color problems. The higher the ash
content, the duller the color. Therefore ash content of 0.4% is the aim for noodle flours. [12]

Sweet potato flour is a value-added product from sweet potato. It has been chosen
for valorization in our novel instant product due to a good composition of dietary fiber,
starch, and vitamin A. [13]

Water is often incorporated in noodle making at a level of around 30 - 35%. It is

crucial to add the right amount of water to hydrate the dry ingredients and form into an
appropriate dough. Having too little water will create a dry mixture that is too hard to
combine and form into dough. In contrast, too much water will make the dough soggy and
hard to handle. [14, 15]

Stabilizer is a common additives in noodle product, as it affects both textural

attributes, cooking qualities, and processing properties, such as firmer texture, increases in
water holding capacity in pre-boiled noodles, increase in freeze thaw stability, reduced ice
crystal formation in frozen, noodles as well as decreasing the fat uptake during frying of
instant noodles [16]. Some stabilizers frequently used for noodle making are guar gum,
locust bean gum, alginates and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) which are added at a level of
0.1 - 0.5%. [17]For the formulation of our product, CMC was proposed to be incorporated
into the dough, as this is a relatively cheap and readily available additive to be found on the
market.

The incorporation of vegetable oil is not a popular practice among noodle

manufacturers, as oil is prone to oxidation in an inadequate storage condition. However, a
small amount of oil can be included in the formulation to improve the processing properties
of the dough due to the coverage of oil around flour particles which produce a smooth dough.
[18]. For the ease of processing, a small addition of soybean oil was included in the
formulation.
2.2. Evaluation of processing parameters
Processing parameters have significant impacts on the noodle strands itself, as one slight
modification can widely affect the final products.

Mixing: The function of mixing for noodles is to distribute the ingredients uniformly
and to hydrate the flour particles[19]. Mixing is usually followed by dough resting. This step
allows the crumbly mixture to rest for a period of time to accelerate further hydration of flour
particles and to redistribute water in the dough system. Resting improves processing
properties and facilitates gluten formation during sheeting.This is achieved by the relaxation
of the gluten structure already formed during mixing. [20]

Extrusion: Small dough pieces are mixed and shaped at the same time, this process
takes a few minutes to finish. An extruder containing a slotted extrusion cylinder is equipped
with a worn extrusion. The worn extrusion has a function of mixing and moving the dough
forward, then forcing it through the molds of the extruder head. After that, the dough will
 Page |3

form long and thin noodles. During the process, the moisture content and temperature of
dough need to be in monitoring. When the dough is mixed and shaped in an extruder, the
motion pressure of the machine will increase the temperature of the dough. If the moisture
content is too low or temperature of dough is too high (> 50°C) before it is put into the
extruder, the final noodle texture will eventually become easily broken.

3. Scientific methods and materials

3.1. Materials
Sweet potatoes and salt were purchased at a local market in Ba Dinh, Hanoi, while wheat
flour (Baker’s Choice no. 13, Interflour Co., Vietnam), and soybean oil (Simply, Calofic Co.,
Ltd., Vietnam) was purchased in a local supermarket. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) of
food grade was provided by the cereal laboratory of Hanoi University of Science and
Technology (HUST). Tris Buffered Saline 0.1M was purchased from Fisher Scientific Ltd.
(UK). Bradford reagent was purchased from Sigma-Aldrich Chemical Co. (Merck KGaA,
Darmstadt, Germany). Bovine Serum Albumin was purchased from SERVA (SERVA
Electrophoresis GmbH, Germany). Hexane, dichloromethane,and potassium metabisulfite
were of analytical grade.

3.2. Preparation of Sweet potato flour (SPF)

Sweet potatoes werefirst visually checked for freshness, and rotten or soften parts
were removed prior to processing. The tubers were then washed, peeled and sliced into thin
slices of 1mm, which were immediately treated with 0.1% potassium metabisulfite (K2O5S2)
solution for 30 minutes at room temperature. The treatment was necessary to prevent
enzymatic browning and retain a nice creamy-yellow color for the flesh during processing
and drying. After soaking, the slices were placed on clean trays and dry for about 8 - 10
hours in a drying oven with a temperature of 60°C. The dried slices were subsequently milled
and sieved through an 200-mesh screen to obtain a fine sweet potato flour, which was stored
in an airtight container.until further analysis.

3.3. Preparation of fresh SPF noodles

5 formulas with different concentrations of SPF (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%) and a control
sample (100% wheat flour) were formulated according to Table 1Water, salt, CMC, and
soybean oil ratios were fixed for all samples. The dry ingredients and wet ingredients were
prepared separately, and then mixed together to form a crumbly noodle dough. The dough
was then divided into smaller pieces and added into the feeder of the noodle extrusion
machine, which helped the extruder operate more efficiently and not cause clogging. As the
dough was squeezed through the die, noodle strands were formed and cut when the length
reached about 50cm. The noodles were closely covered with food wrap to prevent oxidation
and stored in a closed container at freezing temperature for longer shelf-life. The entire
process is summarized in Fig.1.
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Table 1. Formulas (%) of different samples

Control Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Sample 4 Sample 5

Wheat
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50%
flour

Sweet
potato 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
flour

Water 32% 32% 32% 32% 32% 32%

Salt 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%

CMC 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% 0.5%

Soybean
2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2%
oil

Figure 1. Flow chart of fresh noodle processing

3.4. Colour measurement

The color of fresh noodle samples was determined instrumentally by a reflectance Vernier
colorimeter with 4 wavelengths (North Kansas, Missouri). Values were recorded in CIELAB
measuring system in which the color values L* (100 for white and 0 for black), a* (positive
for redness and negative for greenness), and b* (positive for yellowness and negative for
blueness).
3.3.Texture profile analysis
Tensile properties of noodle samples were measured using a TA.XTplus texture Analyzer
with a Spaghetti/Noodle Tensile Rig. The noodles of the same length and similar diameter
 Page |5

were boiled in boiling water, then quickly removed and cooled to room temperature in cold
water. One end of the fully cooked noodle bundle was tied to the lower arm groove of the
probe and tightened. The other end of the noodle bundle was tightened to the upper arm
groove with the same operation. The distance was 40 mm, the tensile properties of the
noodles were evaluated by the maximum breaking force and breaking distance obtained.
3.5. Determination of proximate composition

3.5.1. Moisture content analysis.

The moisture content of samples were measured by the Electronic Moisture Analyzer (MA-
160, Sartorius AG, Germany), which works on the principle of thermogravimetry. Samples
were loaded into the drying tray, and as the machine heated up to evaporate the water
content, the weight of samples was measured between certain time intervals. When the
weights reached a constant value, the machine stopped and moisture content was expressed
as
𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 − 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔
𝑀𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡 (%) = 100 ×
𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔

3.5.2. Protein analysis

Protein extraction was first performed by homogenized 100mg of each sample in 1ml of Tris
Buffered Saline solution (0.1M, pH = 7.4) for 15 minutes. Insoluble residues were then
filtered out using Whatman filter paper. The filtrates were stored at -30℃ until further
analysis.

Bradford assay was conducted to determine the protein content in samples using a modified
method described by[21]. Briefly, 100 μl of different dilutions of the protein extract (1:10,
1:100, and 1:1000) were mixed gently and thoroughly with 500 μl Bradford Reagent
(preformulated Coomassie blue G-250 assay reagent) in 1.5 ml microfuge eppendorf. 150 μl
of the aliquots was then pipetted into a 96 well plate in triplicate.
Estimation of protein concentration was based on a calibration curve constructed using
Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) standard. To obtain a dilution series ranging from 0.5 μg/ml
to 400 μg/ml, different working solutions of BSA were diluted with a TBS buffer to reach the
total volume of 100 μl. The aliquots were then subjected to Bradford Reagent in the same
manner as the samples.

Absorbance at 450nm and 595nm was measured between 5 and 60 minutes after the addition
of the reagent. BSA concentration were plotted against the ratio of A595 / A450, which results
in a calibration curve of:
𝑦 = 0.005911𝑥 + 0.022464
 Page |6

3.5.3. Lipid analysis

2g of samples were weighed and extracted with Hexane:Dichloromethane solution ( 9:1 v/v)
with the ratio of sample : solvent = 1:2 w/v. Extraction was carried out in an ultrasonic water
bath at 60°C for 30 minutes, and then the mixture was filtered. Samples ran through another
2 rounds of extraction for 15 minutes each, as the aliquots were combined in a clean round
flask of known weight (M1). A rotary vacuum evaporator was then employed (s = 70 rpm, T
= 50°C) to vaporize the organic solvents. When the evaporation completed, the flask was
removed from the apparatus and its weight was recorded again (M2). As the left-over liquid
in the flask was the lipid that was unable to vaporized, the total lipid content of each sample
was expressed as:
𝑀2 − 𝑀1
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑖𝑝𝑖𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡 (%): 100 ×
2
3.5.4 Ash content analysis
Ash content was determined by a modified AOAC method. Briefly, 1g of samples were
placed in a heat-durable beaker of known weight (M1), which was then burnt in a muffle
furnace. The temperature was raised slowly to 550 - 600°C in 6 - 7 hours as all organic
materials were ignited. After burning is complete, the beaker and the left-over white ash were
cooled in a desiccator and weighed again (M2). Total ash content was calculated as:
𝑀2 − 𝑀1
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑠ℎ 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡 (%) = 100 ×
1
3.5.5 Carbohydrate analysis
Carbohydrate was expressed as the difference between moisture, protein, lipid, and ash
content.

Total carbohydrate content (%) = 100 - 𝑚𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡 - protein content - lipid content
- total ash content.
 Page |7

3.6. Sensory evaluation

Sensory evaluations were carried out by naive panelists using a 7-point hedonic scale.
Briefly, 50 untrained assessors between 18 - 50 years old were provided with 6 coded noodle
samples that were cooked for the same amount of time, including the control and 5 samples
of SPF - incorporated noodles. The testers were asked to rate different sensory attributes of
the samples according to the 7-point hedonic scales, in which 1 is the lowest score,
representing they strongly dislike a certain characteristic and 7 is the highest, indicating that
they strongly like that property. Noodle attributes being assessed included color, texture,
flavor, and overall acceptability. Samples were evaluated separately, and water was provided
to panelists in between each sample to minimize the interference from the previous ones. No
discussion regarding the test was allowed during the evaluation. The evaluation form can be
found in the Appendix 1.

3.7. Statistical analysis

All measurements were performed in triplicate for each sample. Statistical analyses were
carried out using the Microsoft Excel software package (Microsoft Corp.), R: A Language
and Environment for Statistical Computing (R Coreteam, 2020)), and RStudio: Integrated
Development Environment for R. (R Studio Team, 2019). Differences between sample
means were tested using Student t-test and Anova. Post hoc analyses were conducted to
determine pairwise significant differences with Tukey Honest Significant Different test. A
significant level of ɑ = 0.05 was used throughout the study. Values were presented as mean ±
margin of error, in which a 95% confidence based on normal distribution were used for
sensory evaluation and a 95% confidence interval based on t-distribution were used for other
measurements.

4. Results

4.1. Proximate composition of flour

Table 2. Composition of flours
Composition

Samples Moisture Protein Lipid Ash Carbohydrate

Sweet potato flour 7.62 ± 0.98 1.66 ± 1.00 2.84 ± 1.13 0.99 ± 0.05 86.88 ± 0.78

Wheat flour 11.54 ± 1.46 13.20 ± 1.23 1.01 ± 0.94 1.78 ± 0.08 72.47 ± 1.43
*In each column, means followed by the same letters are not significantly different (P < 0.05)
*Values are expressed as mean ± 4.3 x Standard Error (SE) based on a 95% confidence interval

Wheat flour and sweet potato flour used in the study were analyzed for moisture, protein,
lipid, ash, and carbohydrate content, as their proximate compositions were presented in Table
2.The results indicate that there were significant differences between the compositions of SPF
and WF, which strongly affect various characteristics of the two flour. Wheat flour contained
11.54%, 13.2%, 1.01%, 1.78%, and 72.47% of moisture, protein, lipid, ash, and carbohydrate
content, respectively. The reported data strongly agreed with the nutritional value listed by the
manufacturer, in which protein content is more than 13%, lipid content less than 3%, and
 Page |8

carbohydrate content must be at least 60%. The sweet potato flour contained 7.62% moisture,
1.66% protein, 2.84% lipid, 0.99% ash and 86.88% carbohydrate.

According to Table 2, despite the fact that carbohydrate was the major composition of both
flours, there was a marked difference due to a higher starch content in SPF. As the ash content of
SPF was smaller than wheat flour by two folds, in addition to a small proportion of 1.66%
protein content, the incorporation of SPF may exert certain impacts on sensorial and textural
properties, which would be further revealed in the next section.

4.2. Proximate composition of SPF-incorporated noodles

Table 3. Proximate Composition (%) of Fresh sweet potato noodles
Ratio
Samples Moisture Protein Lipid Ash Carbohydrate
(WF : SPF)

C 0:100 30.82 ± 1.64 a 13.65 ± 1.88 a 4.62 ± 1.46 a 0.96 ± 0.34a 49.95 ± 4.61c

S1 90:10 30.93 ± 2.21 a 12.29 ± 1.16 a 4.43 ± 1.14 a 0.95 ± 0.31a 51.39 ± 3.45b,c

S2 80:20 32.04 ± 2.15 a 10.69 ± 1.52 b 4.65 ± 2.19 a 1.17 ± 0.45a 51.45 ± 1.57b,c

9.26 ± 1.58 b,
S3 70:30 31.29 ± 0.61 a c 3.97 ± 0.94 a 1.27 ± 0.41a 54.21 ± 1.14a,b

S4 60:40 31.91 ± 3.73 a 8.54 ± 0.71 c 3.97 ± 1.20a 1.19 ± 0.21a 54.39 ± 3.69a,b

S5 50:50 30.82 ± 2.39 a 7.73 ± 1.23 c 3.16 ± 1.54a 1.34 ± 0.42a 56.95 ± 1.57a
*In each column, means followed by the same letters are not significantly different (P < 0.05)
*Values are expressed as mean ± 4.3 x Standard Error (SE) based on a 95% confidence interval

The proximate composition offresh noodle samples in each formula were calculated and
shown in Table 3.
Moisture content of noodle samples ranged from 30.82 to 32.29%, which are significantly
higher than the moisture contents of SPF instant noodle reported by Taneya et al (2014)[7].
However, this can be explained by the distinction in the product of interest. As ours is fresh
noodle with no further dehydration process, the moisture content must definitely be higher
than that of fried or dried instant noodle.The results also showed that there was no significant
difference in moisture between samples. This was based on the fact that the amount of water
added was similar for all samples. There was a decrease in lipid content and an increase of
ash content associated with a raise in SPF ratio, which corresponds to the inherent
composition of SPF and wheat flour. Similarity to moisture content, the data for lipid and ash
content in noodle samples showed no significant differences. Ash contents were also lower
than that of sweet potato incorporated noodles reported by Ibitoye et al (2013) [8] and
Taneya et al (2014) [7]
 Page |9

On the other hand, significant differences were observed between the protein content of
samples. Samples with higher SPF ratio witnessed a decrease in the protein content, which
could be attributed to the lower proportion of protein in SPF compared to wheat flour
(Table3). The highest value was 12.29% for S1 and the smallest value was 7.73% for S5. As
the ratio of SPF increased, total carbohydrate content increased significantly. As SPF was
inherently higher in starch content, noodles with more wheat flour would result in lower
carbohydrate content. The highest value was observed in noodles prepared from 50% sweet
potato flour with 56,95% and the lowest was witnessed in the control sample with 49.95%.

4.3. Color measurement

Table 4. Functional characteristics of different noodles
Tensile properties
Optical values
Ratio
Samples Breaking
(SPF:WF) Breaking distance
force
L* a* b*

C 0:100 55.38 ± 1.11 b 0.48 ± 0.04 8.10 ± 0.88 23.53 ± 1.99 a 120.51 ± 13.16 c
S1 90:10 56.44 ± 0.76 a 0.55 ± 0.05 10.10 ± 0.38 22.53 ± 2.54 a 126.25 ± 10.15 b,c
S2 80:20 53.78 ± 0.59 0.71 ± 0.02 11.59 ± 0.52 21.53 ± 2.02 a,b 131.68 ± 7.88 a,b
S3 70:30 54.77 ± 0.96 0.82 ± 0.07 12.41 ± 0.30 19.96 ± 1.93 b,c 133.24 ± 9.78 a,b
S4 60:40 56.87 ± 0.65 a 0.85 ± 0.07 13.76 ± 0.47 18.23 ± 2.11 c 141.05 ± 10.96 a
S5 50:50 56.75 ± 0.48 a 0.97± 0.06 16.52 ± 0.64 14.46 ± 1.83 129.05 ± 10.13 b,c
*In each column, means followed by the same letters are not significantly different (P < 0.05)
*Values are expressed as mean ± 4.3 x Standard Error (SE) based on a 95% confidence interval

The color of noodles affected consumers' choice and consumption of noodles. The chromaticity
parameters (L, a*, b*) determined by a colorimeter were shown in Table4.L value was an
important parameter reflecting the color of noodles, representing the brightness of noodles[22].
The L* value of S4 was the highest (56.87) and the S2 was the lowest (53.78). However, the
results showed that there was no specific trend for the increase or decrease in brightness when
adding sweet potato flour to the formula. This can be explained that brightness of dough was
affected by its color, water content and water absorption of the dough[23], as well as by protein,
ash, and total starch content [12]-which varies between noodles samples.

On the contrary, as more SPF was added to samples, the a* values also significantly increased,
suggesting that there was a strong correlation between the incorporation of SPF and an
enhancement in red hue. The yellowness of samples increased with the addition sweet potato
flour, which can be inferred from the increase of b* value in the table. The lowest and highest
values observed were 8.10 and 16.52 in the control sample and in S5, respectively, which
suggested that SPF may exert a significant impact on the yellowness of the final product.
 P a g e | 10

4.4. Texture profile analysis

Tensile properties of noodle samples, including tensile strength and breaking distance, were
found in table 4The maximum breaking force of noodles indicated the strength of their
tensile strength, and the breaking distance indicated the extensibility of noodles.

From the table 4, there was a significant difference between the highest and lowest values of
breaking force. Overall, it was found that tensile strength, which was expressed as the
breaking force, decreased upon the addition of SPF, as the control sample exerted the highest
tensile strength of 22.53 while S5 was the lowest at 14.46. This can be explained that the
tensile properties of noodles were influenced by the strength of gluten network connection
and hydration ability[23]. The additional sweet potato flour filled the original gluten network
space, which weakened the original connectivity of gluten protein and affected the gluten
strength of noodles, resulting in a decrease of tensile strength.

The extensibility of the noodles was indicated by the breaking distance. Significant
differences were observed between samples ranging from 120.51 in control to 141.05 of S4.
This could be explained that while increasing the SPF in the formulation, the starch content
in thesamples are also increased. The addition of starch granules increased the contact area
between noodles and water, which resulted in water absorption and swelling capacity of
noodles and hence the increase in the stretching distance of noodles with higher starch
content. [23]

However, a significant decline was witnessed in S5 as the breaking distance reduced to

129.05 due to drastic changes in the gluten network. In S5, the gluten amount was decreased
significantly with the replacement of 50% SPF, resulting in a low degree of gluten bonding.
Therefore, drastic declines were observed in both tensile strength and elasticity of S5.

4.5.Sensory evaluation
Table 5. Scores of Sensory evaluation
Sensory attributes
Ratio
Sample Color Texture Flavor Overall liking
(WF : SPF)
C 0:100 3.76 ± 0.41 c 5 ± 0.32 a 3.88 ± 0.31 c 4.34 ± 0.33 b
S1 10:90 4.28 ± 0.35 b, c 4.92 ± 0.34 a 4.34 ± 0.32 b, c 5.12 ± 0.33 a
S2 20:80 4.38 ± 0.31 a, c 4.82 ± 0.32 a, b 4.76 ± 0.30 a, b 5.56 ± 0.28 a
S3 30:70 5.02 ± 0.26 a 4.78 ± 0.31 a, b 5.06 ± 0.33 a 5.58 ± 0.31 a
S4 40:60 4.9 ± 0.37 a, b 4.14 ± 0.35 b 4.36 ± 0.36 b, c 5.16 ± 0.34 a
S5 50:50 4.48 ± 0.33 a, b 3.42 ± 0.37 4.44 ± 0.36 a, c 4.18 ± 0.41 b
*In each column, means followed by the same letters are not significantly different (P < 0.05)
*Values are expressed as mean ± 1.96 x Standard Error (SE) based on a 95% confidence interval

Mean scores for color, texture, flavor, and overall liking of different noodle samples are
presented in the table 5. According to Moss (1971)[24], an increase in protein content
decreases the brightness of the noodles, which might be attributable to a shift of color
 P a g e | 11

preferences for different samples. S3, which incorporated a proportion of 30% SPF, scored
the highest in terms of perceived color, and was significantly higher than the control, S1, and
S2, but no significance was found among S3 and the other samples.

Texture preference scores were gradually decreased from control to S5 sample, which
correlated with the reduction of wheat flour in each sample, as the gluten content in wheat
flour plays an important role in determining the firmness and elasticity of the noodle[10].
The decline of textural properties was also observed in previous texture analysis of the
samples. The control sample scored the highest, but it was actually not significantly different
from S1, S2, and S3. The texture of S5 sample was least preferred, which might be due to the
loss of elasticity by a replacement of 50% SPF.

Acceptability for flavor varied between the samples, as there was no apparent trend observed.
S3 registered the highest score for flavor, while the control sample recorded the least
favorable score for flavor. However, there were no significant differences between the former
and S2, S5, and between the latter with S1, S4, and S5.

Noodles which incorporate from 10% to 40% were distinctively more preferred with respect
to overall liking. Although the highest score was observed for S3, there were no significant
differences between samples ranging from S1 to S4. On the contrary, sensory evaluation
scores revealed that S5 was least preferred.

5. Discussion

5.1. Composition of flour

Due to time and equipment limitations, evaluations of 𝛃-carotene and dietary fiber were not
able to be carried out, therefore no data regarding the nutritional enhancement upon
incorporation of SPF was made unavailable. However, many previous studies on fortification
of sweet potato into bread, noodle, and cereal-based products were attributable to
considerable increases in 𝛃-carotene and dietary fiber. According to NOGUEIRA et. al.[25],
a replacement of 9% SPF in wheat flour bread increased up to 0.4715 µg/g 𝛃-carotene
without changing any characteristics of the original formulation, and Krishnan et. al (2012)
[9]. reported that the addition of 70% SPF in pasta results in a product with significantly
high content of total carotenoids at 2.87 mg/100 g. An increase in total dietary fiber was also
associated with the addition of SPF in bread, according to Mau et. al. [26]

5.2. Composition of sample

Color is the first sensory attribute affecting the purchasing decision of consumers. Regarding
the brightness of the dough, dark or gray colors are considered negative attributes [27].For
noodle products, color is strongly determined by ash, protein, and polyphenol oxidase
content[12]. It is therefore of utmost importance to closely investigate the flour used for
noodle making before further development of the product.

A decrease in protein content results in a lower amount of gluten, which exerts dramatic
impacts on the textural attributes of noodles. Wheat flour protein content, as in other wheat-
 P a g e | 12

based products, has a major influence on mixing and sheeting properties as well as on noodle
appearance, surface smoothness, cooking qualities, fat uptake (in instant fried noodles), and
textural properties[28-30]. As a consequence, the inclusion of SPF results in a great loss of
noodle qualities, which in turn exerts negative effects on the customer’s acceptability for the
product. It is therefore of utmost importance to balance this specific trade-off in order to
further develope this product in the future.

Ash content is an important composition regarding noodle products, as a higher ash content
results in a darker shade for the noodle [27].The ash content of our sample ranged from
0.95% (S1) to 1.34% (S5). These results are relatively high compared to the desired ash
content for noodle making, which is about 0.4%[12]. Comparing with L* value of 83.42 from
a wheat flour noodle sample reported by Lin et. al [23], the brightness of our control sample
was tremendously lower. This confirms that the wheat flour used in this study is not suitable
for making noodles, and a different type of flour with suitable ash content should be used for
the formulation in future studies.

5.5. Sensory
According to the sensory results of color parameters, S3 was the most favorite by
panelists, followed by S2 and S4, suggesting that in terms of perceived color, consumers may
prefer noodle containing at least 20% of SPF. Another report about the sweet potato flour
biscuit also showed the similar sensory result of color parameters [31]. Based on the result of
quantitative color analysis by chromatography (Table 5), the increase in SPF also strongly
corresponded to an increase in a* and b* values, which indicates redness and yellowness of
samples, respectively. It can be inferred that consumers relate SPF noodles with a more red-
orange hue and therefore would prefer a product containing more red-orange color.

Structural properties of noodles play an important role when it comes to customer’s

acceptance. Regarding sensory results for texture, the control sample showed the highest
preference. This may be due to the fact that there was no gluten reduction which resulted in a
firmer and more elastic noodle[32]. No significant differences were found between samples
with ≤ 30% SPF and control samples, suggesting that a small inclusion of SPF may not
drastically affect textural properties. On the other hand, upon the addition of higher SPF
ratio, the preference for texture was greatly reduced as the texture was softened and less
cohesive. This also agrees with the results of quantitative textural analysis (Table 5).In future
study, others structure and properties of noodles including the hardness, elasticity,
adhesiveness and chewiness of the cooked noodles should also be measured for deeper
structure understanding. Application of additives is also crucial in enhancing both texture and
cooking qualities of noodles [12]as many studies regarding additives are available
[23][33][34] and the practice is widely adopted in commercialized products.

In terms of flavor preference, sensory evaluation also showed no insignificant

differences between the samples containing 20 - 50% SPF, suggesting that noodles with
considerable inclusion of SPF may be more preferred due to having a more distinct flavor of
sweet potato. However, there was no exact trend as the definition of flavor is rather vague
and quite difficult for a naive panelist to fully comprehend.
 P a g e | 13

For overall liking, preference for S1 to S4 were statistically higher than control and
S5 samples. This can be attributed to the lack of desirable brightness and red-orange hue in
control samples, as well as the loss of tensile properties when adding up to 50% SPF in S5.
To put it concisely, as the sample with highest overall liking preference, S3 with 30%
inclusion of SPF can be considered as the most suitable ratio to incorporate in noodle
product, with a high preference for color and flavor, and an insignificantly changes in texture
compared to normal wheat noodle. However, more research is needed to overcome
discoloration and textural loss, as well as further improve the desirable attributes of SPF-
incorporated noodles.

6. Scientific conclusions
In this project, a new type of noodle product, fresh sweet potato noodle was
researched and tested. There are 5 samples of fresh sweet potato noodle formulas that have
been tested in order to check for the nutritional, texture and sensory parameters. Texture and
sensory parameters showed a positive result for fresh sweet potato noodles, especially for the
sample containing 30% sweet potato flour. However, the nutritional parameters have not
clearly shown that this new product is superior to the same product on the market, some
important parameters such as nutritional microbial or fiber have not been officially tested in
this project. Overall, the combination between fresh noodle and sweet potato offers a new
direction to reach more customers based on the sensory and possibly solve the sweet potato
agriculture's backlog. More testing on nutritional value is needed in the future before it can
be fully concluded that fresh sweet potato noodle products are better than others on the
market.
In the near future, experiments on a number of other proximate compositions (fiber)
and microbial nutrients (vitamin A) will be conducted. Sweet potato is a good source of fiber
which plays a critical role in human’s digestive health and regular bowel movements.
Vitamin A is also one of the most exploited substances in fruits and vegetables and plays an
important role in normal vision, immune system and reproduction. With the advantages of
sweet potatoes, the additional research of the two above substances and other related
nutritional parameters will bring more practical value to the product. In addition, we will
research more about the optimal method of preservation and packaging for fresh noodle
products. In the distant future, fresh sweet potato noodles will undergo more related
experiments to develop into instant noodles. After fresh noodle products have been carefully
researched and stabilized in the market, the development of instant noodles will help sweet
potato products to be more widely available as well as increase the convenience of the
product.
 P a g e | 14

7. Management of the project at the end

7.1 Work break down

Full name Assigned research tasks
Internal Supervisor PhD PHAM Hoang Nam Academic Supervisor
External Supervisor PhD NGUYEN Tien Cuong Academic Supervisor
PHAM Quang Hieu Data manager
TRAN Dieu Linh Administrative manager
Members
NGUYEN Mai Quynh Ngoc Lab work manager
NGUYEN Ha Phương Academic manager

7.2 Timeline
Responsibl
No. Phase Task Start Finish
e person

Research article and All

19/5/2020 25/6/2020
idea development members

1 Literature Group meeting for All

review finalizing ideas and members
assigning 19/8/2020 19/8/2020 and
external
supervisal

Preparation of Sweet All

20/8/2010 21/8/2020
potato flour members
Preparation of
2
product
Preparation of Sweet All
22/8/2020 23/8/2020
potato noodles members

All
Sensory evaluation 23/8/2020 23/8/2020
members

Optimization of All
formulation for Colour measurement 23/8/2020 23/8/2020
members
3 SPF noodles
All
Texture measurement 23/8/2020 23/8/2020
members

Determination of 24/8/2020 10/1/2020 All

 P a g e | 15

proximate composition members

Data analysis and All

10/1/2021 30/1/2021
conclusion members

Report finalization and All

4 Closure 25/2/2021 10/3/2021
submission members

7.3. Action Plan and Completion

Cause of the difference

Plan Done
between plan and done

Due to the Covid 19 and

Planned to start the
Start the lab work in the availability of lab and
Optimization of
Timeline equipment, the lab work
formulation Phase in November 2020
has been delayed for 2
the September 2020
months

Use commercial
Make sweet potato Due to the high price of
sweet potato flour
flour from the sweet thecommercial sweet
for equal quality of
potato from the start. potato flour.
the product
Preparation of
sweet potato Because of the scarcity of
flour raw purple sweet potato
Use purple sweet Use yellow sweet and because yellow sweet
potato potato potatoes can be more
easily colored in the final
product

Make the noodles Make the noodles

follow the follow the No changes since the
formulation have formulation have formulation is reasonable
been created been created

Preparation of Since the diameter of the

Sweet potato Cook the noodles for Cook the noodles noodles is large, 3 minutes
noodles and 3 minutes for and 8 minutes is not enough for the
noodles to be cooked.

Since the noodles of 15

Cut the noodles in Cut the noodles in
centimetres are not long
15 centimetres 30 centimetres
enough for the texture
 P a g e | 16

measurement so we have
to cook the noodles again
and cut it longer

Use a reflectance Use a reflectance

Colour
Vernier colorimeter Vernier colorimeter No changes
measurement
from HUST lab from HUST lab

Use a Texture Use a Texture

analyzer from HUST analyzer from No changes
lab HUST lab

We planned to
Texture measure the The available equipment
profile hardness, elasticity, Only measure the does not allow to measure
analysis adhesiveness, tensile strength and othersstructure properties
chewiness and the toughness of the like the hardness,
tensile strength of noodles sample elasticity, adhesiveness,
noodles samples and chewiness

Determine the
protein content by
Planned to The method is changed
Bradford assay
determined the due to the lack of
which just can
protein content by equipment to conduct the
measure the soluble
Lowry methods Lowry methods
Protein protein.
analysis

Measure the protein Since the collected data

Planned to measure
once three times does not satisfy the
the protein once
forecasted data

Determine by Determine by
Ash content
burning the sample burning the sample No changes
analysis
in a furnace. in a furnace.

Planned to Determine the The method is changed

determined the protein content by due to the lack of
Fat analysis
protein content by another extraction equipment to conduct the
Soxhlet methods method Soxhlet methods.

Crude fibre Planned to measure Do notmeasure Due to the lack of time,

and vitamin A Crude fibre and Crude fibre and money, equipment, we
analysis vitamin A vitamin A decided to analyse Crude
 P a g e | 17

fibre and vitamin A in

further study.

Calculate the
Planned to calculate
carbohydrate by
by difference
Carbohydrate difference between
between moisture, No changes
analysis moisture, protein,
protein, fat, and ash
fat, and ash with the
with the total.
total.

We did not expect to have

many differences in the
flavour between the
Evaluated 3 samples, so we did not
Planned to evaluate
characteristic: plan to evaluate flavour by
3 characteristics:
Colour, Texture and sensory test. However, to
Colour, Texture
Flavour have enough data for
future developments, we
made sensory tests for
flavor.
Sensory
Since we have not found
evaluation
the best preservation
method for the sample, we
Planned to perform Perform sensory test decided to use the samples
sensory test at USTH at HUST we have just made at
HUST and conduct the
sensory test with the
students there.

Planned to perform Performed sensory For saving time and

sensory test by paper test by online money, we decide to
evaluation evaluation conduct an online test

The report should be

The report is
finish two day before
finished at the
the deadline and
deadline day and has Due to the lack of time and
Report submit to the
not been submitted workload
external supervisor
to the external
for instructions and
supervisor.
corrections
 P a g e | 18

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 P a g e | 20

9. Appendix

SWEET POTATO FLOUR-INCORPORATED NOODLE EVALUATION FORM

Date of Test: __________________ Age: ________Gender: Male / Female / Other

Tick on the box that is the most accurate to your Evaluation.

Sample code: __________

On the scale of 1 - 7, rate your impression on:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Neither
Dislike Dislike Dislike Like Like Like
like /
strongly moderately slightly slightly moderately strongly
dislike

Color

Texture

Flavor

Overall
liking

Thank you for your co-operation! Have a nice day!