ROLE AND CONTRIBUTION OF STARCH AND PROTEIN CONTENTS AND QUALITY TO TEXTURE PROFILE ANALYSIS OF ORIENTAL NOODLES

Starch characteristics (swelling power and amylograph values) and prot ein content and properties (sodium dodecyl sulfate sedimentation, mixo graph, and alveograph values) of 12 flours, including Japanese and Chi nese noodle standards, were determined and then related to textural pr operties of three types of oriental noodles (udon, Cantonese, and inst ant). Noodle texture was evaluated by texture profile analysis (TPA) u sing the Instron universal testing machine. High starch swelling power and amylograph peak viscosity and breakdown are prerequisites in prod uction of satisfactory Japanese udon noodles, provided the protein is not excessively high or strong (as in the cv. Klasic). In the other ty pes of oriental noodles, the starch characteristics may not be critica l, but protein that is relatively higher or stronger than that in udon noodles is desirable. TPA of noodles, except for adhesiveness, was a sensitive and reproducible objective test for the evaluation of textur al properties of oriental noodles. Multivariate analysis of variance o f five TPA parameters effectively differentiated between the various w heat flours for production of the three main types of noodles. Both pr otein content and protein quality parameters were highly correlated wi th TPA parameters. TPA parameters were more highly and more meaningful ly correlated with sodium dodecyl sulfate sedimentation values than th ey were with protein content. The results suggest that both protein co ntent and protein quality should be considered in the evaluation of su itability of flours for making oriental noodles.