NOTE: Students are required to fill in

the followings clearly before submission.

Lecturer’s Name:
Dr. Pui
..................................................................

Subject code & Name:

FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES MF 319 Food Commodities
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE & NUTRITION ...................................................................

LABORATORY REPORT SUBMISSION

Experiment Title : Lab 6: Noodle Processing

Group :2

STUDENTS DECLARATION OF WORK

We declare that the work submitted is our own. We confirm that we have read and
understood the University regulations with regard to Plagiarism, Collusion and
Cheating in this work will be penalised.

No. Student ID Group Members Signature

1. 1002058607 Oo Wei Hong Wei Hong
2. 1002162512 Yong Zhi Wei Zhi Wei
3. 1002058088 Chuan Yik Shuan Yik Shuan
4. 1002162103 Shaggy Santosh Shaggy

LECTURER’S ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Criteria Wtg. Mark

Introduction & objective 1 Awarded Percentage
Marks: Gained:
Materials & Methods 1
Results & calculations 2
Discussion & precaution 2
steps
Conclusion 1 10 10
Questions 1
References 0.5
Format & cover page 0.5
Performance 1

Total 10
Lecturer’s Remarks/ Comments (if applicable):

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Objectives

 To study the process of noodle manufacture.

 To study the effects of the protein content of flour and alkali salts on the eating
quality of noodles.

Introduction

Noodle is a type of traditional food of Asians that came from Eastern Asia. It can be
made at home or at a factory. Noodles come in various varieties with various raw materials,
noodle sizes, and processing methods. All these difference factors will alter the noodles'
colour, texture, appearance, and flavour. Other than the common ingredient of wheat flour,
noodles can also be produced using various plant-based sources of starch, such as mung
beans, sweet potatoes, peas, potatoes, corn, and rice. Udon, ramen, somyeon, knife-sliced
noodles, fresh yellow noodles, dried noodles, and instant noodles are a few kinds of noodles
can be found in the market.

Noodles are usually produced from wheat flour, salt, water, colouring, and with or without
alkaline salts. The primary use of salt is to improve flavour. The wheat flour is made up of
two main components which is starch and protein. The viscosity and stability of the noodles
are affected by the composition of the starch in flour, which are related to the texture of
noodles (Hong et al., 2020). Noodle textures vary in how elastic they are. Some are less
elastic. This is because the wheat flour used has a lot of protein. Noodle nutrition is
improved, and a sturdy dough structure with high elastic qualities is produced. For instance,
flour with a lower protein content is used to manufacture udon noodles, whereas flour with a
higher protein concentration is used to make quick noodles.

Wheat flour-based noodles' clean and brilliant colour characteristics are intended to appeal to
consumers. Noodles come in both white and yellow variations. This is due to the type of
alkaline salts used during the processing of the noodles and the flour's flavonoids had a
chemical reaction. Alkaline salts are commonly referred to as "kansui" in Asian cultures
(Ding et al., 2021). Sodium carbonates and potassium carbonates are the two most often
utilized alkaline salts. One of the options is also to use sodium hydroxides. Yet, several
countries today have outlawed it since it could have negative health impacts on people. It

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influences the appearance, flavour, and texture of noodles in addition to helping to change the
colour of the noodles. When alkaline salts are added, the noodles become more slippery and
lose their glossiness. In comparison to noodles manufactured without alkalis, the dough will
become tougher after the addition of alkaline salts, giving it a firmer texture (Fan et al.,
2018).

Apparatus and Equipment

 Weighing balance
 Mixer
 Noodle machine
 Mixing bowls
 Sieve
 Saucepot
 Ladles
 Tray
 Bread roller
 3 small bowls

Materials

Ingredients A B C D E F
Flour 250g 250g 250g 250g 250g 250g
Water 120mL 120mL 120mL 120mL 120mL 120mL
Sodium chloride 2.5g 2.5g 2.5g 2.5g 2.5g 2.5g
Sodium carbonate - 2.5g - - - -
Potassium carbonate - - 2.5g - - -
Soda ash - - 8mL - -
Sodium hydroxide - - - - 5mL -
(1.2g / 5mL)

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Methods

Part A: Effect of alkali on the eating quality of noodles

1. Flour sieved before using.

2. Salt and soda ash are dissolved in water to form an alkaline salt solution.

3. Flour mixed in a mixer at speed 1 for 30 sec.

4. The alkaline salt solution is added slowly into the flour when mixing. The alkaline salt
solution was not introduced too quickly to avoid local areas of dough formation while
others remain too dry.

5. The dough continues to be mixed at speed 1 for 1 minute followed by speed 2 for 4
minutes to ensure an even distribution of water and to form a uniform crumb consistency.

6. Mixtures are shaped by hand to obtain a compact dough.

7. The dough was divided into two portions.

8. Each portion was flattened to about 1cm thick and passed through the rollers of a small-
scale noodle machine to form a sheet using the thickest setting. The thickness setting was
changed to ensure disengage the thickness setting knob and the thickness slot before
turning and do it gently.

9. After the first pass, the sheet was folded and passed through the rollers a second time.

10. The noodle sheet passed through the rollers 6 more times, reducing the thickness of the
sheet with each passage until it was 2mm thick.

11. The sheet was cut into strips of noodles by passing through the cutting rollers.

12. 2 small portions of noodles were taken, one for pH test and the other for observation of
the changes in colour upon standing.

13. The rest of the noodles were cooked in boiling water for 2 minutes, and the ratio of
noodles to water is 1:8.

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 14. The noodles cooled immediately under tap water and drained to remove surplus water.

15. Steps 1-14 were repeated with different types of alkalis, such as sodium chloride,
potassium carbonate, and sodium hydroxide.

Part B: Effect of protein content on the eating quality of noodles

1. Steps in Part A were repeated, and flour was replaced with high protein flour without any
alkali added.

Result
Table 1.0 Chinese Noodles Evaluation Sheet

Texture (firmness,
Formulation pH Colour Flavour Odour
elasticity, stickiness)

Less firm, less elastic,

Plain Flour (A) 6.17 Milky white Tasteless Odourless
sticky
With sodium
Weak Weak Very firm, elastic,
carbonate (B) 9.45 Light yellow
alkaline taste alkaline odour less sticky
With potassium
Weak Weak
carbonate (C) 8.64 Light yellow Firm, elastic, sticky
alkaline taste alkaline odour
With soda ash
Weak Weak Firm, elastic,
(D) 9.76 Dark yellow
alkaline taste alkaline odour less sticky
With sodium
Weak Weak Firm, less elastic,
hydroxide (E) 10.30 Greenish yellow
alkaline taste alkaline odour very sticky

High protein Very firm, very

6.80 Milky white Tasteless Odourless
flour (F) elastic, very sticky

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Figure 1.0 Appearance of Chinese Noodles in Each Formulation

Discussion

In this experiment, six formulations were used in the noodle processing. Formulation A uses
plain flour only, formulation B is added with sodium carbonate solution, formulation C is
added with potassium carbonate solution, formulation D is added with soda ash solution,
formulation E is added with sodium hydroxide solution, and formulation E is added with
sodium hydroxide solution. Formulation F replaced plain flour with high-protein flour. From
Table 1.0, the noodles made with formulations A & F have a pH of 6.17 and 6.8, which is
tasteless and odourless. In contrast, the pH of noodles made from B, C, D, and E, were 9.45,
8.64, 9.76, and 10.3, respectively, which gave weak alkaline flavour and odour
characteristics. The pH of noodles made from A & F was close to neutral, around 6 to 7,
which is slightly acidic due to the presence of organic acids, such as phytic acid, lactic acid,
acetic acid, and citric acid that are naturally present in the wheat kernel (Hopkins et al.,
2019). While for other formulations (B to E), which were added with different alkaline
solutions, the pH was around 8.5 to 10.5. Among B to E, formulation E showed the highest
pH value, 10.3, compared to others. This is because, in terms of alkalinity, sodium hydroxide
solution is the most alkaline, followed by soda ash solution, sodium carbonate solution, and
potassium carbonate solution.

Regarding the texture of noodles, A was tested to be less elastic and less firm but sticky,
while B gave the texture of elastic and very firm but less sticky. Besides, C gave the texture
of elastic, firm, and sticky, while D gave the texture of elastic and firm but less sticky.
Moreover, E gave the texture of less elastic, firm and very sticky, while F gave the texture of
very elastic, firm and sticky. Compared to the other formulations, formulation F produced a
texture that was the most elastic, firm, and sticky. This is because noodles manufactured with
high-protein flour would have higher gluten content than plain flour. Gluten is produced
when gliadin and glutenin, two additional proteins found in wheat flour, are kneaded into
contact with water. When water is added to flour, the gliadin and glutenin proteins absorb the
water and expand, forming long, elastic gluten strands (Zhang et al., 2021). These gluten
strands grow increasingly interwoven when the dough is kneaded, generating a strong and
elastic gluten network that gives it structure and texture (Wang et al., 2022). This network

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provides the dough with its structure and consistency, contributing to the elasticity and
chewiness of noodles (Cao et al., 2021).

Furthermore, alkaline agents will help the noodles' elasticity by degrading the flour's proteins,
resulting in a more elastic gluten structure. The presence of alkaline agents in the dough
causes the pH level to rise, which in turn causes the proteins in the flour to denature and
cross-link, resulting in a more stable gluten network that is more resistant to the degrading
result of the cooking process (Xu et al., 2021). Supposedly, alkali agents will aid in the
elasticity of the noodles. However, the result shown in Table 1.0 is that the noodles created
with formulation E were less elastic but firm and very sticky. This contradicts the theory that
alkali agents will help the noodles' elasticity. In formulation E, a sodium hydroxide solution
was used. Sodium hydroxide solution is a strong alkaline agent that can cause the gluten in
the dough to break down and become more extensible as opposed to elastic. This might make
noodles less elastic but firmer in texture (Suwannaporn et al., 2013). Yet, sodium hydroxide
can potentially cause the noodles to become quite sticky. This is because sodium hydroxide
can improve the water-holding capacity of the flour's starch, allowing the noodles to absorb
more water and become stickier (Jia et al., 2022). In addition, the flexibility of the gluten
network contributes to the noodles' increased propensity for adhering to one another.

As for the colour of the noodles shown in Figure 1.0, the noodles made from formulations A
& F gave the same colour, which was milky white, the noodles made from formulations B &
C gave the same colour, which was light yellow, the noodles made from formulation D given
a dark yellow colour, and the noodles made from formulation E gave a greenish yellow
colour. This is because plain flour and high protein flour are made from wheat that has been
milled to remove the bran and germ, leaving only the endosperm. The endosperm contains
mostly starch and some proteins, which contribute to the white colour of the flour. Therefore,
A & F gave a milky white colour noodles (Hughes et al., 2020).

While alkaline agents in the dough are often responsible for the yellow colour of the noodles,
they work by breaking down the proteins in the flour and changing their chemical structure.
This chemical reaction induces the formation of yellow pigments in the dough, turning the
noodles yellow (Shrestha et al., 2016). For instance, sodium carbonate (formulation B) and
potassium carbonate (formulation C) are weaker alkaline agents that give the noodles a bright
yellow colour. On the other hand, soda ash (formulation D) will react with the proteins in the
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flour to produce a chemical reaction resulting in a deeper yellow colour. The Maillard
reaction occurs when the amino acids in the proteins interact with the reducing sugars in the
dough to produce a yellow-brown colour. Finally, sodium hydroxide (formulation E) is a
more potent alkaline agent that generates a more intense yellow colour and can even produce
a greenish-yellow colour due to the formation of lysinoalanine. As the dough is left in contact
with sodium hydroxide for prolonged periods, more lysinoalanine is formed, resulting in a
more intensely greenish-yellow colour (Ayim et al., 2018).

Questions

1. Is there any difference in the color and texture of the noodles made with different
alkali?

ANS: Yes, there is a difference in the color and texture of the noodles made with
different alkalis. This is due to the alkalinity of the alkali metal. As strong alkali metal
is added into the dough, it will produce the noodle with higher yellow colour intensity
and will be more elastic and stickier (Jia et al., 2022; Morris, 2018). As the noodles
contain strong alkaline metal, it will tend to breakdown more proteins in the flour, and
thus higher ionization energy will be produced, and resulting in noodle with darker
yellow (Morris, 2018). On the other hand, strong alkaline solutions will also aid in
make more elastic dough by degrading more flour proteins than weaker alkaline
solutions, which results in a more elastic gluten structure in the dough. While on the
aspect of stickiness, the stronger alkaline metal will tend to have a better water-
holding capacity of the flour's starch, allowing the noodles to absorb more water and
thus will produce stickier noodles. Regarding the stickiness of the noodles, the
stronger alkaline metal will typically have a better ability to hold water in the starch
of the flour, allowing the noodles to absorb more water and resulting in stickier
noodles (Jia et al., 2022).

2. What are the effects of alkali on the color and texture of the noodles?

ANS: The effect of alkali on the colour and texture of noodles is, when alkali is
added, it will break down the proteins in the flour and changing their chemical
structure. This chemical reaction induces the formation of yellow pigments in the
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 dough, turning the noodles yellow (Shrestha et al., 2016). Besides, addition of alkali
into the noodle dough will also help in producing noodles with higher elasticity by
degrading the flour's proteins, resulting in a more elastic gluten structure (Xu et al.,
2021). Besides that, addition of alkali also aids in the improving of water-holding
capacity of the flour's starch, which will then allow the noodles to absorb more water
and become stickier (Jia et al., 2022).

3. What are the effects of different flour types on the eating quality of the noodles?

ANS: Different types of flour will affect the eating quality of the noodles as it
contains different types of characteristics. For instance, plain flour and high protein
flour. As comparing between these two types of flour, the high protein flour contains
a higher amount of protein, which can then aid in the formation of gluten network. In
this case, the gluten network formation can help in enhancing the eating quality, as it
will provide better strength and elasticity to the noodles, and at the same time
enhancing the texture of the noodles (Park and Baik, 2004). While for the plain flour,
as it contains lesser amount of protein, the eating quality will not be as good as the
noodles that made with high protein flour.

4. Which constituents in noodles are responsible for its firmness and elasticity?

ANS: The protein inside the flour is the main constituents that responsible for the
noodles’ firmness and elasticity (Park & Baik, 2004). As more protein content
presence inside the dough, it will result in a more stable gluten network, and thus
producing more firm and elastic noodles.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, different formulations of noodles have different impacts on the characteristics

of noodles, including their pH, texture, flavour, odour, and colour. In this experiment, it was
concluded that noodles made with high-protein flour had the most firmness, elasticity, and
stickiness texture than noodles made with plain flour, while those made with strong alkaline
agents will obtain noodles with darker intensity of colour. Students learned that the texture

9
properties and quality of the noodles displayed a significant correlation with the protein
content of the flour.

References

Ayim, I., Ma, H., Alenyorege, E. A., Ali, Z., Zhou, C., & Donkor, P. O. (2018). Effect of
alkali concentration on functionality, lysinoalanine formation, and structural
characteristics of tea residue proteins. Journal of Food Process Engineering, 41(8).

Cao, Z.-B., Yu, C., Yang, Z., Xing, J.-J., Guo, X.-N., & Zhu, K.-X. (2021). Impact of gluten
quality on textural stability of cooked noodles and the underlying mechanism. Food
Hydrocolloids, 119, 106842.

Ding, Y., Wang, J., Sun, L., Zhou, X., Cheng, J., and Sun, Y., 2021. Effect of kansui on the
physicochemical, structural, and quality characteristics of adlay seed flour-fortified
wheat noodles. LWT, 146, 111458.

Fan, H., Ai, Z., Chen, Y., Fu, F., and Bian, K., 2018. Effect of alkaline salts on the quality
characteristics of yellow alkaline noodles. Journal of Cereal Science, 84, 159–167.

Hong, J., An, D., Li, L., Liu, C., Li, M., Buckow, R., Zheng, X., and Bian, K., 2020.
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Hopkins, E. J., Hucl, P., Scanlon, M. G., & Nickerson, M. T. (2019). Effects of glucose
oxidase and organic acids on the properties of a model low sodium dough prepared
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Hughes, J., Vaiciurgis, V., & Grafenauer, S. (2020). Flour for Home Baking: A cross-
sectional analysis of supermarket products emphasising the whole grain opportunity.
Nutrients, 12(7), 2058.

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Jia, Z. H., Guo, Z. H., Wang, W., Yi, S. M., Li, X. P., Li, J. R., & Zhou, G. (2022). Effect of
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Morris, C. F. (2018). Determinants of wheat noodle color. Journal of the Science of Food
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Wang, Y.-H., Zhang, Y.-R., Yang, Y.-Y., Shen, J.-Q., Zhang, Q.-M., & Zhang, G.-Z. (2022).
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Xu, F., Chen, J., Ren, J. Y., Liu, S. H., Wang, L., & Wang, Y. (2021). Effect of sodium
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