Search Results (85)

Background: The growing demand for nutritionally balanced, gluten-free products has encouraged the development of innovative formulations that deliver both sensory quality and functional benefits. Combining rice and legume flours offers promising alternatives to mimic gluten-like properties while improving nutritional value. This study aimed to develop a gluten-free fusilli noodle using extruded flours based on mixtures of Japanese rice (JR) and chickpea (CP) particles. Methods: A 2³ factorial design with augmented central points was applied to evaluate the effects of flour ratio (X₁, CP/JR, 20–40%), feed moisture (X₂, 24–30%), and extrusion temperature (X₃, 80–120 °C) on responses from process properties (PPs), extruded flours (EFs), and noodle properties (NPs). Results: Interaction effects of X₃ with X₁ or X₂ were observed on responses. On PP, X₁ at 120 °C reduced the mechanical energy input (181.0 to 136.2 kJ/kg) and increased moisture retention (12.0 to 19.8%). On EF, X₁ increased water-soluble solids (2.3 to 4.2 g/100 g, db) and decreased water absorption (8.6 to 5.7 g/g insoluble solids). On NP, X₁ also affected their cooking properties. The mass increase was greater at 80°C (140 to 174%), and the soluble-solids loss was greater at 120 °C (9.3 to 4.5%). The optimal formulation (X₁–X₂–X₃: 40–30%–80 °C) yielded noodles with improved elasticity, augmented protein, and enhanced textural integrity. Conclusions: Extruded flours derived from 40% chickpea flour addition and processed under mild conditions proved to be an effective strategy for enhancing both the nutritional and technological properties of rice-based noodles and supporting clean-label alternative products for gluten-intolerant and health-conscious consumers. Full article

Rich in bioactive compounds, pigmented rice offers superior antioxidant capacity compared to non-pigmented rice. Processing methods like milling, parboiling, thermal treatments (e.g., extrusion cooking), and biobased approaches (e.g., germination and fermentation) impact the technological and nutritional properties of pigmented rice. All products with added pigmented rice showed improved total phenolic content and antioxidant capacities. Extrusion cooking improved technological properties of dough, bread, and bakery products by modifying the pasting properties of rice. Germination and fermentation enhanced bakery products’ nutritional value by increasing gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels. Pigmented rice flour can enhance the volume, crumb firmness, and elasticity of gluten-free (GF) bread, especially with ohmic heating. It improved sensory qualities and consumer acceptance of various baked products and extruded snacks. While pigmented rice-based pasta and noodles had compromised cooking qualities, germination improved noodle cooking qualities. Pre-processing techniques like parboiling and micronisation show potential for improving pigmented rice’s technological properties and warrant further study. In conclusion, pigmented rice can enhance the technological and nutritional qualities of bread, bakery products, and snacks. Future researches should focus on agronomic advancement, optimization of pre-processing and processing techniques, exploring varietal differences among pigmented rice cultivars, and promotion of consumer awareness and market potentials. Full article

Aiming to address the problems of many temperature control disturbances and the hysteresis of control output in existing rice noodle extruders, a temperature control method for a rice noodle extruder based on adaptive particle swarm optimization (APSO) optimization model predictive control (MPC) was designed. Firstly, the temperature control principle of the rice noodle extruder is analyzed by combining the structure of the rice noodle extruder. The temperature balance equation of the barrel is constructed by thermodynamic analysis, and the temperature prediction model is established. The APSO algorithm is further selected to perform the adaptive parameter identification of the model based on the collected input/output data. Then, aiming at high-precision temperature control, the objective function is constructed by combining the temperature prediction value and the reference trajectory, and the objective function is optimized to obtain the optimal control sequence. At the same time, the feed rate is selected as feedforward, the feed rate change is monitored by detecting the feed screw speed, and the optimal control sequence is corrected to eliminate the interference caused by the fluctuation of the feed rate. The experimental results show that the maximum temperature overshoot under different parameter combinations is 7.75%, the steady-state error is within ±1 °C, and the longest adjustment time is 1228 s. Compared with fuzzy PID control, it has stronger adaptability and higher control accuracy. Full article

Due to the absence of gluten, rice noodles require complex processing to achieve a desirable texture. This study developed ethanolic-extruded indica rice flour (EERF) as a novel gluten substitute to simplify rice noodle production. EERF exhibited a distinct V-type crystalline structure (7.89% crystallinity) and high cold-paste viscosity (1043 cP), enabling its use as a binder in rice dough. When blended with native indica rice flour (IRF) at 10–20%, the EERF-IRF premix formed a cohesive dough with water via cold gelation, imparting viscoelasticity and tensile resistance. Optimal formulation (15% EERF for the premix and 37% water for making the dough) yielded fresh rice noodles with reduced cooking loss (5.57%) and a reduced breakage rate (14.44%), alongside enhanced sensory scores. This approach offers a clean-label, industrially scalable solution for producing rice noodles with simplified processing and improved quality. Full article

Burkholderia gladioli pathovar cocovenenans (BGC) is a highly lethal foodborne pathogen responsible for outbreaks of food poisoning with the highest recorded mortality rates among bacterial foodborne illnesses in China. In this study, the ecological behavior of BGC and its Bongkrekic Acid (BA) production dynamics in fresh wet rice noodles (FWRN) were investigated under isothermal conditions ranging from 4 °C to 37 °C. Growth kinetics were modeled using the Huang, Baranyi, and modified Gompertz primary models, with secondary models (Huang square root model and Ratkowsky square root model) describing the influence of temperature on growth parameters. Among these, the Huang–Huang model combination exhibited the best performance, with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.009 and bias factor (B_f) and accuracy factor (A_f) values close to 1. Additionally, we examined the impact of BGC contamination on the quality attributes of FWRN, including pH, color (L*, a*, b*), hardness, and moisture content. The results indicated that BGC growth significantly increased pH and yellowing (b*) values, while changes in texture and moisture were less pronounced. A probabilistic model was further developed to predict BA production under various temperature scenarios, revealing that BA formation was most likely to occur between 24 °C and 30 °C. While this study provides valuable predictive tools for microbial risk assessment and quality control of FWRN, limitations include the exclusion of additional environmental factors such as oxygen and relative humidity, as well as the lack of direct investigation into the degradation behavior of BA. Future research will expand model parameters and include sensory evaluations and advanced microbiological analyses to enhance applicability under real-world storage and transportation conditions. Full article

This study examined the impact of incorporating watermeal (Wolffia globosa) on the physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant activity, and starch and protein digestibility of rice noodles. The addition of watermeal powder (1, 3, 5%) significantly enhanced the nutritional and functional attributes of the noodles. The formulation with 5% watermeal (WF5) demonstrated a twofold increase in protein content compared to the control, along with a marked increase in the chlorophyll content as the watermeal concentration increased (p < 0.05). Moreover, fortifying the noodles with watermeal enhanced their bioactive compound content and antioxidant activity in all fortified noodles. Starch digestibility analyses revealed an increase in the resistant starch and slowly digestible starch, along with a reduction in the rapidly digestible starch and the estimated glycemic index. Protein digestibility in the WF5 sample improved by 22% compared to the control. These findings emphasize the capability of watermeal as a sustainable, plant-based ingredient for developing nutrient-rich noodle products with enhanced health benefits. Full article

Rapid rehydration is a critical challenge in the production of dry rice noodles. This study investigated the impact of high-temperature short-time treatments (HTSTTs) at temperatures of 120 °C, 130 °C, and 140 °C for 80 s on the rice noodle rehydration time and the underlying mechanisms. HTSTT led to a reduction in the relative crystallinity and molecular weight of starch, along with the disruption of its supramolecular structure. Moreover, significant alterations were observed in the pore properties after HTSTT, characterized by a notable increase in total pore volume and average pore size. The enhanced porosity and disrupted starch multiscale structure resulted in shortened cooking times for the rice noodles. This reduction in cooking time mitigated gel disruption during cooking, thereby reducing amylose leaching and preserving a more intact gas cell wall structure. Consequently, HTSTT markedly enhanced the overall quality of the rice noodles. For instance, noodles treated at 140 °C for 80 s exhibited a 26.55% decrease in cooking time, a 30.37% reduction in cooking loss, a 37.62% increase in hardness, and a 13.24% increase in resilience compared to the control group. In summary, HTSTT emerges as a feasible method for reducing the cooking time of rice noodles. Full article

Thermal treatment of rice starch, which is the main ingredient in rice noodles and has cooling-set gelling behavior, can disrupt hydrogen bonding, leading to a compromised gel structure. This can lead to a softer texture and reduced textural attributes and cooking characteristics of rice noodles. This study investigated how thermal sterilization and curdlan integration affect the rheological characteristics, microstructure, and quality of rice noodles. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, kinetic analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed that the incorporation of curdlan, a thermally set polysaccharide gel, enhances hydrogen bonding, accelerates gel formation, and yields a denser gel structure to rice noodles. This enhancement improves solid-like behavior, storage modulus, textural properties, and cooking characteristics. Compared to pure rice noodles subjected to thermal sterilization, rice noodles incorporating 2.0% curdlan showed reductions of 74.71% in cooking breakage rate and 68.18% in cooking loss rate. Conversely, hardness and springiness increased by 19.82% and 18.75%, respectively. This study offers valuable insights for developing high-quality fresh rice noodles. Full article

This study investigated the quality characteristics of gluten-free noodles produced by adding pregelatinized rice flour prepared using three different drying methods: hot air drying (HD), freeze drying (FD), and twin-screw extruder drying (ED). HD and FD samples were prepared by steam gelatinizing rice flour for 30 min and drying at 65 °C or freeze drying, respectively. The color of noodles with added pregelatinized rice flour showed a decrease in lightness (L*) and an increase in yellowness (b*) in the order of HD, FD, and ED. The texture characteristics showed that the experimental groups with added pregelatinized rice flour had higher hardness, and the ED-15 sample exhibited the highest values for springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness. The tension profiles of cooked noodles were found to be in the order of wheat (0.312 N), ED-15 (0.158 N), FD-15 (0.145 N), and HD-15 (0.133 N). The cooking loss (turbidity) of the noodles made with pregelatinized rice flour ascended in the order of wheat (0.160), ED-15 (0.507), FD-15 (0.765), and HD-15 (1.172). Therefore, pregelatinized rice flour produced through twin-screw extrusion drying is deemed suitable for the production of gluten-free noodles. The results of this study show that gluten-free noodles can be made without gluten by using pregelatinized rice flour. Full article

This study is the first to convert two waste materials, waste rice noodles (WRN) and red mud (RM), into a low-cost, high-value magnetic photocatalytic composite. WRN was processed via a hydrothermal method to produce a solution containing carbon quantum dots (CQDs). Simultaneously, RM was dissolved in acid to form a Fe³⁺ ion-rich solution, which was subsequently mixed with the CQDs solution and underwent hydrothermal treatment. During this process, the Fe³⁺ ions in RM were transformed into the maghemite (γ-Fe₂O₃) phase, while CQDs were incorporated onto the γ-Fe₂O₃ surface, resulting in the CQDs/γ-Fe₂O₃ magnetic photocatalytic composite. Experimental results demonstrated that the WRN-derived CQDs not only facilitated the formation of the magnetic γ-Fe₂O₃ phase but also promoted a synergistic interaction between CQDs and γ-Fe₂O₃, enhancing electron-hole pair separation and boosting the production of reactive radicals such as O₂^·− and ·OH. Under optimized conditions (pH = 8, carbon loading: 10 wt%), the CQDs/γ-Fe₂O₃ composite exhibited good photocatalytic performance against methylene blue, achieving a 97.6% degradation rate within 480 min and a degradation rate constant of 5.99 × 10⁻³ min⁻¹, significantly outperforming RM and commercial γ-Fe₂O₃ powder. Beyond methylene blue, this composite also effectively degraded common organic dyes, including malachite green, methyl violet, basic fuchsin, and rhodamine B, with particularly high efficiency against malachite green, reaching a degradation rate constant of 5.465 × 10⁻² min⁻¹. Additionally, due to its soft magnetic properties (saturation magnetization intensity: 16.7 emu/g, residual magnetization intensity: 2.2 emu/g), the material could be conveniently recovered and reused after photocatalytic cycles. Even after 10 cycles, it retained over 98% recovery and 96% photocatalytic degradation efficiency, underscoring its potential for cost-effective, large-scale photocatalytic water purification. Full article

Background/Objectives: The development of culinary tourism offers not only unique culinary travel experiences but also allows for the exploration of various aspects related to food. The main aim of this study was to assess the food preferences of a selected group of female consumers regarding world cuisine and to analyze the sensory quality of selected world cuisine products: ayran, rice noodles, tempeh, and chorizo. Methods: Sensory evaluation of utility characteristics, including color, aroma, texture, appearance, and taste, was conducted using a five-point scale. A custom questionnaire was used to collect data on respondents’ preferences and demographic characteristics. This study included 51 sensory panelists and 356 survey participants. Results: Among the evaluated products, rice noodles received the highest median rating (Me = 4.8), while tempeh scored the lowest (Me = 3.8). Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in sensory perceptions depending on prior product familiarity. Italian (67.5%) and Polish (65.8%) cuisines were most frequently preferred, whereas Indian cuisine (4.3%) was the least popular. Additionally, over 83% of respondents indicated they regularly patronize food establishments offering regional dishes during travel. Conclusion: This study highlights a strong preference for familiar cuisines, such as Italian and Polish, among Polish female consumers, with implications for targeted marketing strategies in the gastronomy sector. The sensory analysis provides actionable insights into product acceptance, emphasizing the importance of cultural adaptation in promoting international food products. Full article

The storage period of paddy is a critical factor affecting rice quality, and it is still unclear how fresh rice noodles, primarily made from paddy, respond to changes in the storage period. To elucidate the relationship between the paddy storage period and the quality of fresh rice noodles, this study used fourteen rice varieties as materials and set up three paddy storage periods (six months, nine months, and twelve months). It explored the quality variation patterns of fresh rice noodles processed from these paddies and analyzed the relationship between the two in conjunction with rice quality. The results indicated that fresh rice noodles produced from paddies stored for nine months exhibited superior quality compared to the other two storage periods. Grey relational analysis and correlation analysis confirmed that this was primarily attributed to changes in the gel consistency of the paddy. When the paddy was stored for nine months and the rice gel consistency was approximately 32 mm, the quality of the fresh rice noodles produced was optimal, serving as an important basis for selecting raw materials for fresh rice noodles. Full article

Instant dry rice noodles have a broad market prospect due to their advantages of long shelf life, convenient transportation, and convenient eating, but there are still quality problems such as long rehydration times and poor eating quality. In order to improve the quality of instant dry rice noodles, the effects of konjac glucomannan (KGM) on the gelatinization characteristics, pasting properties, and rheological properties of Indica rice flour and the structure, food quality, and starch digestibility of instant dry rice noodles made of Indica rice flour were studied. The results showed that the starch gelatinization conclusion temperature and endothermic enthalpy of Indica rice flour were reduced by adding ≤ 3% KGM, the peak viscosity, valley viscosity, final viscosity, and setback value of Indica rice flour in the pasting process decreased with the increase in the KGM addition amount, and the pseudoplasticity, viscosity, and elasticity of Indica rice flour paste were reduced by adding > 1% KGM. When the KGM addition amount was 2%, the endothermic enthalpy, final viscosity, and setback value of Indica rice flour were 2.74 J/g, 2379.5 cp, and 961.5 cp, respectively. The instant dry rice noodles made of Indica rice flour had a looser microstructure after adding KGM, and its short-range ordered structure and double helix content were reduced by adding 1~3% KGM. When the KGM addition amount was 2%, the rehydration time of instant dry rice noodles was 290 s, which was shortened by 14.7%, while the texture and sensory quality remained unchanged, and the SDS content was reduced by 16.4% while the RS content was increased by 28.8%. Therefore, the physicochemical properties of Indica rice flour and the quality of its instant dry rice noodles can be improved by adding an appropriate amount of KGM. This study can promote the application of KGM in improving the quality of rice products. Full article

This study demonstrates, for the first time, the conversion of waste rice noodles (WRN) into a cost-effective, nano-silver-loaded activated carbon (Ag/AC) material capable of efficient adsorption and antibacterial activity. The fabrication process began with the conversion of WRN into hydrothermal carbon (HTC) via a hydrothermal method. Subsequently, the HTC was combined with silver nitrate (AgNO₃) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), followed by activation through high-temperature calcination, during which AgNO₃ was reduced to nano-Ag and loaded onto the HTC-derived AC, resulting in a composite material with both excellent adsorption properties and antibacterial activity. The experimental results indicated that the incorporation of nano-Ag significantly enhanced the specific surface area of the Ag/AC composite and altered its pore size distribution characteristics. Under optimized preparation conditions, the obtained Ag/AC material exhibited a specific surface area of 2025.96 m²/g and an average pore size of 2.14 nm, demonstrating effective adsorption capabilities for the heavy metal Cr(VI). Under conditions of pH 2 and room temperature (293 K), the maximum equilibrium adsorption capacity for Cr(VI) reached 97.07 mg/g. The adsorption behavior of the resulting Ag/AC fitted the Freundlich adsorption isotherm and followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Furthermore, the Ag/AC composite exhibited remarkable inhibitory effects against common pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli and S. aureus, achieving antibacterial rates of 100% and 81%, respectively, after a contact time of 4 h. These findings confirm the feasibility of utilizing the HTC method to process WRN and produce novel AC-based functional materials. Full article

Insect protein has received considerable attention as an alternative to conventional animal proteins with its high nutritional contents and eco-friendly credentials. Exploring commercially available insect-protein-enhanced foods, this study aims to profile and compare such products in the ultra-processed category with products protein-enhanced with dairy (e.g., milk and whey) and plants (e.g., pea and rice). A global product audit was conducted drawing from English-language online retail portals to determine the product formats and statistically compare their nutritional contents with products fortified with non-insect proteins. The results show that four categories—flour/powder, pasta/noodle, starch-based snacks (e.g., chips, crackers, and cookies), and energy bars—are involved with food enhanced with insect protein. Flour/powder and pasta/noodles with insects demonstrated comparable protein contents to non-insect equivalents, highlighting insects’ potential as effective protein sources. However, insect protein’s performances in snacks and energy bars were less favourable, with significantly lower protein contents compared to products enhanced with non-insect sources. This may be attributed to the high fat content of insects, which may also contribute to undesirable flavours in complex foods, limiting their usage. The study highlights the need for industry innovation and scientific collaboration to overcome the challenges to widely applying insects as food ingredients, offering benefits for both the industry and consumers. Full article