JP7601586B2 - Multi-layer noodles and their manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to multi-layered noodles and their manufacturing method.

Noodles made primarily from wheat flour are known to have a characteristic stickiness and elasticity. These characteristics come from the gluten network (also called gluten tissue) that is formed when gliadin and glutenin, proteins abundant in wheat flour, come into contact with water and are subjected to impact (kneading, extrusion, etc.), which causes the gluten mesh structure to develop. For example, when it comes to udon, a type of noodle, there is a tendency in Japan to prefer udon noodles that are so-called "firm," and this "firmness" increases the more highly cross-linked the dough is during the noodle manufacturing process, and the more freely the gluten network spreads.

In order to improve noodle properties such as firmness, it has been known to use oils and fats when producing dough for noodles (Patent Documents 1 to 5). Patent Document 1 discloses a method for producing noodles in which oils and fats are emulsified into an O/W type using an emulsifier and a film-forming agent, and the powdered oils and fats obtained by spray drying are added to raw flour for the noodles to produce noodles, and it is described that the appearance and firmness of boiled udon noodles are good, and that they are less likely to stretch when immersed in sauce. Patent Document 2 discloses a noodle composition that contains defatted egg yolk powder impregnated with oils and fats, and it is described that noodles with good loosening properties, taste, and texture can be obtained. Patent Document 3 discloses fresh Chinese noodles that do not require boiling and that contain a main raw flour and auxiliary raw materials such as salt, kansui, edible oils and fats, alcohol, sodium lactate, and water, and that the water activity of the fresh Chinese noodles is 0.85 or more and less than 0.90. Patent Document 4 discloses a powdered oil and fat composition for noodles, which contains a powdered oil and fat composition containing a triglyceride having specific fatty acid residues, and describes that the production time is shortened and noodles that are glossy, elastic, and have a smooth, easy-to-throw texture are obtained. Patent Document 5 discloses a dried egg white composition for noodles, which contains dried egg white and oil-processed starch, and describes that noodles with excellent elasticity and stickiness can be easily produced.

On the other hand, when noodles are eaten immediately after boiling, the difference in texture, which combines the appropriate elasticity (hardness) inside the boiled noodles with the appropriate softness near the surface of the boiled noodles, and the smoothness (smoothness) of the boiled noodle surface, can be felt, but it is known that these textures deteriorate with the passage of time after boiling. To solve this problem, for example, Patent Document 6 discloses a three-layer noodle consisting of an outer layer obtained from ingredients mainly made of starches and an inner layer obtained from ingredients mainly made of wheat flour with added protein, in which the ratio of outer layer/inner layer/outer layer is in the range of 1.5 to 2.5/1/1.5 to 2.5, and the ingredients used for the outer layer contain 50 to 85% by mass of tapioca starch and 5 to 15% by mass of pregelatinized starch, and it is described that the texture immediately after boiling is maintained even after aging after boiling. Patent Document 7 discloses a method for producing multi-layered noodles, which is characterized by laminating an inner layer of noodle dough to which transglutaminase has been added and an outer layer of noodle dough to which no transglutaminase has been added or to which the amount of transglutaminase added is reduced compared to the inner layer, to form a composite noodle band, which is then cut out, and describes how this can improve the deterioration of the texture of the noodles caused by retort treatment or heat sterilization under acidic conditions.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1-320961 JP 2001-321102 A JP 2017-29079 A JP 2017-127249 A JP 2018-38370 A JP 2008-29273 A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-225717

Thus, attempts have been made to improve the texture of noodles over time by creating a difference in the ingredient mix between the inner and outer layers of multi-layer noodles, but further improvements are needed in terms of the texture of noodles over time and the smoothness of the noodle surface.

The object of the present invention is to provide a multi-layered noodle that has a texture difference between the inside and outside of the noodle and a smooth noodle surface, similar to that of freshly boiled noodles, even when stored after boiling, and a method for producing the same.

As a result of extensive research, the inventors discovered that the above-mentioned problems could be solved by increasing the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils in the inner layer of multi-layer noodles that include an outer layer and an inner layer, thereby completing the present invention.

That is, the present invention includes the following aspects.
[1] A multi-layer noodle containing a starch material, the multi-layer noodle comprising an outer layer that forms the surface of the noodle and an inner layer adjacent to the outer layer,
The inner layer contains an oil or fat containing an n-3 fatty acid,
A multi-layer noodle, characterized in that the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from the oil or fat in the inner layer is higher than the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from the oil or fat in the outer layer.
[2] The multilayer noodle according to [1], wherein the oil containing n-3 fatty acids is an oil containing n-3 fatty acids as constituent fatty acids, or a mixed oil containing n-3 fatty acids as constituent fatty acids and an oil not containing n-3 fatty acids as constituent fatty acids.
[3] The multilayer noodle according to [1] or [2], wherein the outer layer contains an oil or fat containing an n-3 fatty acid.
[4] A multilayer noodle as described in any of [1] to [3], in which the difference between the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils per 100 parts by mass of the starch raw material in the inner layer and the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils per 100 parts by mass of the starch raw material in the outer layer is 0.04 parts by mass or more.
[5] A multilayer noodle according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils per 100 parts by mass of the starch raw material in the inner layer is 0.04 parts by mass or more, and the content of fats and oils containing n-3 fatty acids per 100 parts by mass of the starch raw material in the inner layer is 0.08 to 6.5 parts by mass.
[6] The multilayer noodle according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the n-3 fatty acid is α-linolenic acid.
[7] A multilayer noodle according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the oil containing n-3 fatty acids includes linseed oil and/or perilla oil.
[8] Prepare at least two types of dough having different contents of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats;
A method for producing multi-layered noodles, comprising the steps of: preparing an outer layer that forms the surface of the noodles using dough 1, which has the lowest content of n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils out of at least two types of dough; and layering dough 2, which has a higher content of n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils than dough 1, as an inner layer adjacent to the outer layer.

The present invention provides multi-layer noodles that have a texture difference between the inside and outside of the noodles and a smooth noodle surface, similar to that of freshly boiled noodles, even when stored after boiling, and a method for producing the same.

The following describes how to implement the present invention.

[Multi-layered noodles]
The multilayer noodle of the present invention comprises an outer layer that forms the surface of the noodle, and an inner layer adjacent to the outer layer. The inner layer is located between the two outer layers that form the surface of the noodle. In the present invention, "multilayer noodle" refers to a noodle having multiple layers, obtained by preparing multiple noodle doughs from noodle-making ingredients and combining the obtained noodle doughs to make noodles. The multilayer noodle of the present invention may be a three-layer noodle consisting of an outer layer-an inner layer-an outer layer in the thickness (stacking) direction of the noodle, or a five-layer noodle consisting of an outer layer-an inner layer 1-an inner layer 2-an inner layer 1-an outer layer, or similarly a seven-layer noodle. The multilayer noodle of the present invention may have any form as long as it comprises an outer layer that forms the surface of the noodle and an inner layer adjacent to the outer layer. For example, the multilayer noodle of the present invention may be a form in which the outer layer and the inner layer are stacked in layers, or a form in which the inner layer is covered in all directions by the outer layer. It is preferable that the multilayer noodle of the present invention is a form in which the outer layer and the inner layer are stacked in layers.

[Starchy raw materials]
The dough of each layer of the multi-layered noodle of the present invention contains a starchy raw material. In the present invention, "starchy raw material" is a general term for flour raw materials for noodles that contain starch, and examples thereof include cereal flours such as wheat flour (hard wheat flour, medium wheat flour, soft wheat flour, durum wheat semolina, durum wheat flour, etc.), rye flour, rye wheat flour, barley flour, rice flour, corn flour, buckwheat flour, soy flour, sorghum flour, etc.; starches such as wheat starch, tapioca starch, potato starch, corn starch, mung bean starch, sago starch, etc.; and processed starches obtained by subjecting the above starches to modification treatments such as gelatinization, acetylation, etherification, crosslinking, enzyme reaction, etc., either alone or in combination.

When the multi-layered noodles contain cereal flours, starches, and modified starches that do not have the ability to form gluten, active gluten or wheat protein containing gluten as the main component may be added separately. However, even when the multi-layered noodles mainly contain wheat flour, active gluten or wheat protein may be added for the purpose of improving the texture.

[Oils and fats containing n-3 fatty acids]
In the multilayered noodles of the present invention, the inner layer adjacent to the outer layer contains an oil or fat containing an n-3 fatty acid. The outer layer may or may not contain an oil or fat containing an n-3 fatty acid. In the present invention, "n-3 fatty acid" refers to a fatty acid having a chain carbon skeleton consisting of 16 or more carbon atoms, and a polyunsaturated fatty acid in which a double bond appears for the first time in the third carbon-carbon bond counting from the methyl end of the carbon chain. Examples of such n-3 fatty acids include α-linolenic acid, stearidonic acid, eicosatrienoic acid, eicosatetraenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), heneicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and the like. The n-3 fatty acid is preferably α-linolenic acid.

In the present invention, "fat and oil" is a general term for compounds in which fatty acids are ester-bonded to each hydroxyl group of glycerin, a trihydric alcohol, and which usually take the form of triglycerides (also known as triacylglycerols). However, it is widely known that edible fat and oil extracted or refined from natural fat and oil raw materials such as plants and animal tissues contain trace components such as phospholipids, free fatty acids, triglyceride hydrolysates such as monoglycerides and diglycerides, unsaponifiable matter such as tocopherol, and pigments such as chlorophyll and carotenoids, and the "fat and oil" in the present invention is permitted to contain these trace components.

In the present invention, "oils and fats containing n-3 fatty acids" may be composed of oils and fats containing n-3 fatty acids as constituent fatty acids, or may be a mixture of oils and fats containing n-3 fatty acids as constituent fatty acids and oils and fats not containing n-3 fatty acids as constituent fatty acids. Oils and fats containing n-3 fatty acids as constituent fatty acids refer to triglycerides in which one molecule of glycerin is ester-bonded with one to three molecules of n-3 fatty acids (one molecule of glycerin is ester-bonded with one molecule of n-3 fatty acids and two molecules of fatty acids other than n-3 fatty acids, one molecule of glycerin is ester-bonded with two molecules of n-3 fatty acids and one molecule of fatty acids other than n-3 fatty acids, and one molecule of glycerin is ester-bonded with three molecules of n-3 fatty acids). Additionally, fats and oils that do not contain n-3 fatty acids as constituent fatty acids refer to triglycerides in which one glycerin molecule is linked by an ester bond to three molecules of fatty acids other than n-3 fatty acids (n-3 fatty acids are not linked by an ester bond).

Examples of fats and oils containing n-3 fatty acids as constituent fatty acids include perilla oil (58.0% by mass), linseed oil (57.0% by mass), rapeseed oil (7.50% by mass), soybean oil (6.10% by mass), olive oil (0.60% by mass), sesame oil (0.31% by mass), corn oil (0.76% by mass), palm oil (0.19% by mass), etc. (Note: The figures in parentheses indicate the content of n-3 fatty acids according to the 2015 edition (7th edition) of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, Supplement 2018, and all n-3 fatty acids are α-linolenic acid.) Examples of fats and oils that do not contain n-3 fatty acids as constituent fatty acids include palm kernel oil and coconut oil.
The fatty acid composition of fats and oils can be analyzed by known methods, and one such analytical method is the Standard Methods for Analysis of Fats, Oils and Oils (Japan Oil Chemists' Society, 2013 edition).

The above-mentioned oils and fats can be either naturally derived or synthetic, but naturally derived oils and fats are preferred. Naturally derived oils and fats can be obtained by known methods from oil-based raw materials such as vegetable, animal, and seafood oils. For example, linseed oil can be obtained by cold pressing (low-temperature pressing method). Synthetic oils and fats can be obtained by known synthesis methods or transesterification methods, for example, as described in JP-A-2017-127249.
The oil containing the n-3 fatty acid preferably contains linseed oil and/or perilla oil, and more preferably consists of linseed oil and/or perilla oil.

In the present invention, the inner layer adjacent to the outer layer contains fats and oils containing n-3 fatty acids, and the content of the n-3 fatty acids derived from the fats and oils in the inner layer is higher than the content of the n-3 fatty acids derived from the fats and oils in the outer layer. That is, the content (parts by mass) of the n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils per 100 parts by mass of the starchy raw material in the inner layer adjacent to the outer layer is higher than the content of the n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils per 100 parts by mass of the starchy raw material in the outer layer (however, the outer layer does not need to contain fats and oils containing n-3 fatty acids). In the present invention, "n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils" refers to n-3 fatty acids that constitute fats and oils (bound to glycerin), and does not refer to free n-3 fatty acids. By adjusting the content of the n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils in this way, multi-layer noodles can be obtained that have a difference in texture between the inside and outside of the noodle and a smooth noodle surface like freshly boiled noodles, even when stored after boiling. Although the mechanism by which the present invention achieves the effect of providing a freshly boiled feeling is not clear, it is believed that n-3 fatty acids have multiple unsaturated bonds within their molecules and that these unsaturated bonds somehow contribute to the astringency of gluten, thereby imparting elasticity to the noodles.
The fats and oils are added as an extra percentage to the starchy raw material derived from the dough for forming each layer. In the present invention, the "content of n-3 fatty acids" means the mass ratio of n-3 fatty acids constituting the fats and oils added as an extra percentage (=mass of n-3 fatty acids constituting the fats and oils ÷ mass of starchy raw material × 100 [%]) when the mass of the starchy raw material in the dough for forming each layer is taken as 100. In other words, the "content" is in baker's %.

For example, when the multi-layered noodles are three-layered noodles, the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the inner layer is higher than the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the outer layer. As another example, when the multi-layered noodles are five-layered noodles, the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the inner layer 1 adjacent to the outer layer is higher than the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the outer layer. The content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the inner layer 2 located between the two inner layers 1 adjacent to the outer layers is not particularly limited, but it is preferably equal to the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the inner layer 1, or higher than the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the inner layer 1. In the present invention, it is preferable to have a gradient such that the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats increases as the noodle moves toward the inside of the noodle.

In the present invention, "having a good freshly boiled feel" means that the inside of the noodles immediately after boiling is appropriately elastic and hard, while the outside of the noodles is appropriately soft, with a clear difference in texture between the inside and outside of the noodles.
In the present invention, "having smoothness" refers to having a natural smoothness on the surface of noodles, like freshly boiled noodles.

The difference between the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils per 100 parts by mass of starch raw material in the inner layer and the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils per 100 parts by mass of starch raw material in the outer layer is preferably 0.04 parts by mass or more, more preferably 0.05 parts by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.1 parts by mass or more. If the difference in content is 0.04 parts by mass or more, it becomes easier to obtain multi-layered noodles that have a difference in texture between the inside and outside of the noodles, like freshly boiled noodles.

The content of n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils in the inner layer per 100 parts by mass of the starchy raw material is preferably 0.04 parts by mass or more, more preferably 0.05 parts by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.1 parts by mass or more. If the content is 0.04 parts by mass or more, it becomes easier to obtain multi-layered noodles that have a difference in texture between the inside and outside of the noodles, like freshly boiled noodles.

The content of the oil containing n-3 fatty acid in the inner layer relative to 100 parts by mass of the starch raw material is preferably 0.08 to 6.5 parts by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 6.0 parts by mass, even more preferably 1.0 to 5.5 parts by mass, and particularly preferably 2.0 to 5.0 parts by mass. When Linseed Oil Premium Rich (product name, Nippon Flour Mills Co., Ltd., α-linolenic acid content: 69.6% by mass) is used as the oil containing n-3 fatty acid in the inner layer, the content of the oil containing n-3 fatty acid in the inner layer relative to 100 parts by mass of the starch raw material is preferably 4.52 parts by mass or less. When the content of the oil containing n-3 fatty acid in the inner layer is within the above range, it becomes easier to obtain multi-layered noodles that have a difference in texture between the inside and outside of the noodle and a smooth noodle surface like freshly boiled noodles, and the workability of the dough is improved.

From the viewpoint of obtaining multi-layered noodles with a smooth noodle surface, the outer layer preferably contains an oil containing an n-3 fatty acid. The content of the oil containing an n-3 fatty acid in the outer layer per 100 parts by mass of the starch raw material is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0 to 6.5 parts by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 6.0 parts by mass, even more preferably 1.0 to 5.5 parts by mass, and particularly preferably 2.0 to 5.0 parts by mass.

The content of n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils in the outer layer per 100 parts by mass of the starchy raw material is preferably 0 to 4.5 parts by mass, more preferably 0 to 4.15 parts by mass, even more preferably 0 to 3.8 parts by mass, and particularly preferably 0 to 3.45 parts by mass. If the content is within the above range, it becomes easier to obtain multi-layered noodles that have a difference in texture between the inside and outside of the noodle and a smooth noodle surface, similar to that of freshly boiled noodles.

[Other ingredients]
In addition to the starch raw materials and fats and oils containing n-3 fatty acids, other ingredients that are normally used as raw materials for noodles can be used for the dough of each layer of the multilayered noodles of the present invention, without any particular restrictions. Such ingredients include fiber materials such as resistant starch, resistant dextrin, wheat bran, etc.; eggs and egg products such as whole eggs, powdered egg white, powdered egg yolk, etc.; proteins such as soy protein and milk protein, emulsifiers such as sucrose fatty acid esters and lecithin, thickeners such as pectin, xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, alginates, alginic acid esters, cellulose derivatives, etc.; enzyme preparations such as transglutaminase, cellulase, amylase, etc.; pH adjusters such as acetic acid and ascorbic acid, sugars, inorganic salts, preservatives, colorants, flavorings, vitamins, nutritional enhancers, etc.

[Method for producing multi-layered noodles]
The dough containing fats and oils containing n-3 fatty acids as constituent fatty acids used in the multi-layered noodles of the present invention can be obtained by a known method, except that fats and oils containing n-3 fatty acids as constituent fatty acids are added to the dough. For example, a starchy raw material for producing noodles and optionally other powdered raw materials are put into a mixer, and while mixing the powders, fats and oils containing n-3 fatty acids are added little by little to prepare a flour mix for noodles, and the resulting flour mix for noodles is kneaded with water to prepare a dough for noodles. Alternatively, a starchy raw material for producing noodles and optionally other powdered raw materials are kneaded with water, and then fats and oils containing n-3 fatty acids are added and kneaded to prepare a dough for noodles. The fats and oils containing n-3 fatty acids to be added may be solid or liquid at room temperature. When the fats and oils are liquid at room temperature, they may be added as they are, and when they are solid at room temperature, they may be heated to a liquid state, crushed into small pieces, and added, or they may be frozen and then crushed and added.
The oil containing n-3 fatty acids may be added alone, or may be added as so-called "powdered oil" obtained by powdering the oil attached to a carrier or emulsified oil. The powdered oil containing n-3 fatty acids may be obtained by a known method for producing powdered oil, for example, by adding an oil containing n-3 fatty acids to grain flour, starch (unprocessed starch, processed starch, etc.), protein, etc., mixing them to a homogeneous mixture, and optionally carrying out a heat treatment or the like before powdering, or by mixing them with water and an emulsifier to prepare an O/W or W/O emulsion, and drying and powdering the emulsion by spray drying or the like, or by freeze-drying and pulverizing the emulsion. The powdered oil containing n-3 fatty acids thus obtained can be easily mixed with a starchy raw material and optionally other powdered raw materials to prepare a noodle mix flour, or it can be added to a dough obtained by kneading the starchy raw material and optionally other powdered raw materials with water, and further kneading to prepare a noodle dough.

The multi-layered noodles of the present invention can be manufactured in the same manner as ordinary multi-layered noodles, following standard methods, except that an oil containing n-3 fatty acids as a constituent fatty acid is used, by laminating an inner layer adjacent to the outer layer that forms the surface of the noodle. Specifically, at least two types of dough with different contents of n-3 fatty acids derived from oil are prepared, and of the at least two types of dough, dough 1, which has the lowest content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oil, is used to prepare the outer layer that forms the surface of the noodle, and dough 2, which has a higher content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oil than dough 1, is laminated as the inner layer adjacent to the outer layer.

An example of the method for producing multi-layered noodles of the present invention is shown below.
First, water is added to the outer layer noodle raw materials and the materials are kneaded to obtain a rough dough for the outer layer, which is then rolled or composite rolled or extruded to obtain the outer layer noodle band. In the same manner, the inner layer noodle band is obtained using the inner layer noodle raw materials. At this time, the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils in the inner layer noodle band is higher than the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from fats and oils in the outer layer noodle band. The inner layer noodle band and the outer layer noodle band are layered and composited so that the obtained outer layer noodle band becomes the outermost layer, and three-layer noodles can be obtained by going through the rolling, shaping and cutting steps.
Alternatively, multiple types of inner layer dough can be prepared, with an inner layer noodle band 1 having a higher content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats than the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the outer layer noodle band, and a dough 2 having any content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats (preferably, the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the inner layer noodle band 2 is the same as the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the inner layer noodle band 1, or higher than the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the inner layer noodle band 1), and the outer layer noodle band, inner layer noodle band 1, and inner layer noodle band 2 are layered in this order from the surface of the noodle to obtain five-layer noodles.
Using a similar procedure, it is also possible to prepare an inner layer noodle band 1 that has a higher content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats than the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the outer layer noodle band, and doughs 2 and 3 that have any content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats, and layer them in the following order from the surface of the noodles: outer layer noodle band, inner layer noodle band 1, inner layer noodle band 2, inner layer noodle band 3, to obtain seven-layer noodles.
The ratio of the thickness of one outer layer noodle band to one inner layer noodle band is not particularly limited, but the ratio of the thickness of the outer layer noodle band to the thickness of the inner layer noodle band may be 1.0:0.5-3.0.

The multi-layered noodles of the present invention can also be made by covering the inner layer dough formed into a rod, line or column shape with a noodle band formed from the outer layer dough in a sheet shape so that the longitudinal sides of the dough are not exposed, and then by rolling, forming and cutting the dough to form multi-layered noodles. In this case, the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the inner layer dough adjacent to the outer layer dough is higher than the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the outer layer dough. In this case, the ratio of the thickness of one sheet of outer layer dough to that of one sheet of inner layer dough is not particularly limited, and the ratio of the thickness of the outer layer dough to the thickness of the inner layer dough may be 1.0:0.5-3.0.

Furthermore, the multi-layered noodles of the present invention can be produced by simultaneously extruding the inner layer dough from the inner nozzle and the outer layer dough from the outer nozzle using a machine with a double nozzle outlet, such as an encrusting machine, to obtain noodle strands or dough for noodle strands, which can then be shaped as desired and cut into multi-layered noodles. In this case, the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the inner layer dough adjacent to the outer layer dough is higher than the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the outer layer dough. In this case, the ratio of the thickness of one sheet of outer layer dough to that of one sheet of inner layer dough is not particularly limited, and the ratio of the thickness of the outer layer dough to the thickness of the inner layer dough may be 1.0:0.5-3.0.

The multi-layered noodles of the present invention may be any known type of noodles, including, for example, noodles whose main ingredient is wheat flour, such as Chinese noodles, udon, hiyamugi, somen, and pasta; and noodles whose main ingredient is cereal flour other than wheat flour, such as buckwheat and rice flour noodles. The multi-layered noodles of the present invention can be used as fresh noodles, LL (long life) noodles, boiled noodles, chilled noodles, frozen noodles, and the like. The multi-layered noodles of the present invention are preferably chilled noodles whose main ingredient is wheat flour.

The thickness of the multi-layered noodles can be adjusted appropriately depending on the type of noodles. There are no particular limitations on the thickness, but it is preferably 0.5 to 3.0 mm, and more preferably 0.7 to 2.5 mm. The shape and length of the noodles are also not particularly limited. For example, the length of the noodles is preferably 10 to 350 mm. The thickness of the outer layer relative to the inner layer of the multi-layered noodles of the present invention (per layer) is preferably 1:0.5 to 3.0, and more preferably 1:0.7 to 2.0. The thickness of the outer layer relative to the inner layer of the multi-layered noodles can be easily adjusted to within the above range by setting the thicknesses of the outer layer noodle band (dough) and the inner layer noodle band (dough) used in producing the multi-layered noodles to be approximately the same.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[Production Example 1: Production of noodle sheet containing linseed oil]
100 parts by mass of wheat flour, 3 parts by mass of salt, and 35 parts by mass of water were put into a mixer and mixed at high speed for 3 minutes under normal pressure, and 2 parts by mass of linseed oil (manufactured by Nippon Flour Mills Co., Ltd., 100% by mass of lipids, 52.2% by mass of α-linolenic content) was gradually dropped while mixing at low speed for 10 minutes to obtain a minced dough. The obtained minced dough was pressed to obtain a dough, then placed in a plastic bag and sealed, and hydrated and aged at 24 ° C for 30 minutes. The dough was stretched with a rolling roll to obtain a noodle band with a thickness of 10 mm, and then two noodle bands were stacked along the rolling direction and composite rolled to obtain a noodle band with a thickness of 8 mm. The obtained noodle band was placed in a plastic bag and sealed, and hydrated and aged at 24 ° C for 30 minutes, and then the noodle band was gradually thinned with a rolling roll to finally obtain a noodle band with a thickness of 5 mm.

[Evaluation of fabric]
A noodle sheet was obtained in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except that the types and amounts of fats and oils used in producing the dough were as shown in Table 1 below. The workability of the dough when producing the obtained noodle sheet was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria Table 1. The state of minced meat and the stretchability of the dough of the noodle sheet produced without adding fats and oils (sample number 1) were each evaluated as 3 points. The results are shown in Table 1. In the table, * indicates the amount of α-linolenic acid (abbreviated as ALA) derived from the added fats and oils, indicates that the α-linolenic acid content of the olive oil is based on the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 2015 Edition (7th Edition) Supplement 2018, and ** indicates that the added linseed oil was Linseed Oil Premium Rich (product name, Nippon Flour Mills Co., Ltd., α-linolenic acid content: 69.6% by mass).

Evaluation Criteria Table 1

From the results in Table 1, in samples 1 to 4, the minced meat condition and dough extensibility improved depending on the amount of oil (linseed oil) added. Sample 5, which used premium rich linseed oil, which has a higher α-linolenic acid content than the linseed oil used in sample 4, produced results almost equivalent to those of sample 4. In samples 6 and 7, the amount of oil added was too high, causing the dough to become sticky and loose, resulting in reduced dough cohesion and extensibility. Therefore, from the standpoint of workability, when producing the multi-layered noodles of the present invention, it is preferable to produce the noodle sheet dough with an amount of oil containing n-3 fatty acids of 6.5 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of starchy raw material.

Production Example 2: Production of three-layer noodles containing fats and oils that contain n-3 fatty acids as constituent fatty acids
An inner layer noodle band and an outer layer noodle band were obtained in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except that the types and amounts of oils and fats used in producing the dough were as shown in Tables 2 and 3 below. The outer layer noodle band, inner layer noodle band, and outer layer noodle band were layered in this order so that one inner layer noodle band was sandwiched between two outer layer noodle bands, and the noodle bands were passed through a rolling machine to combine the three noodle bands and successively rolled to reduce their thickness, obtaining a three-layer noodle band with a final thickness of 2.5 mm. The noodle band was passed through a cutting blade with size 10 and cut into length segments of 250 mm to obtain three-layer raw noodles.

[Evaluation of multi-layered noodles]
The three-layered raw noodles obtained in Production Example 2 were boiled for 15 minutes in boiling water with a mass approximately 15 times that of the three-layered raw noodles, cooled with water, and then drained. 200 g of the resulting boiled noodles were placed in a plastic container, sealed with a lid, and stored in a refrigerator with an internal temperature of 8° C. After storage for 24 hours, the noodles were loosened by pouring 100 mL of cold noodle sauce over them, and then subjected to a tasting evaluation by 10 experienced panelists according to the evaluation criteria in Table 2 below.
In the evaluation, standard three-layer noodles (three-layer noodles prepared according to Production Example 2 using an outer layer noodle band prepared according to Production Example 1 without adding fats or oils and an inner layer noodle band prepared according to Production Example 1 in which 20 parts by mass of wheat flour was replaced with etherified tapioca starch (manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., "Sakura") without adding fats or oils) were boiled, cooled in water, and drained, and immediately thereafter, the "freshly boiled feel" and "smoothness" were each scored as 5 points, and the "freshly boiled feel" and "smoothness" after storage for 24 hours in a refrigerator with an internal temperature of 8°C were each scored as 3 points. The results are shown in Tables 2 and 3. In the tables, * ¹ indicates the amount of α-linolenic acid (abbreviated as ALA) derived from the added fats or oils, and * ² indicates that the amounts of α-linolenic acid in corn oil, olive oil, and palm oil are based on the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan 2015 Edition (7th Edition) Supplement 2018.

Evaluation Criteria Table 2

As can be seen from Table 2, in Examples 1 to 7, in which the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats in the inner layer was higher than in the outer layer (A - B is a positive value), a good freshly boiled feel and smooth noodle surface were both achieved. In Examples 1 to 4, as the amount of oil added to the inner layer noodle band (content of n-3 fatty acids) increased, the elasticity (hardness) of the inside of the noodle became stronger and the difference in texture between the surface and the inside of the noodle became larger, resulting in a particularly good freshly boiled feel. In Example 5, the amount of linseed oil added was increased, resulting in a slightly weaker elasticity of the inside of the noodle than in Example 4, but a better freshly boiled feel than in Example 1. In Examples 6 and 7, in which linseed oil was also added to the outer layer, the noodle surface was smooth, but the freshly boiled feel was slightly weaker than in Examples 2 and 4 because the difference between the inside and outside of the content of n-3 fatty acids derived from oils and fats was smaller. In Comparative Example 1, where the inner layer did not contain linseed oil but the outer layer contained linseed oil, the inside of the noodles became softer than the area near the surface, and a good freshly boiled feel was not obtained.

As can be seen from Table 3, in Examples 8 to 15, in which the content of n-3 fatty acid (α-linolenic acid) derived from oils and fats was higher in the inner layer than in the outer layer (A - B is a positive value), a good freshly boiled feel and smoothness of the noodle surface were both achieved. The noodles of Example 8, in which the content of α-linolenic acid was higher than in Examples 14 and 15, had better elasticity (hardness) inside the noodle and a better freshly boiled feel, even with the amount of oil in the inner layer. In Examples 9 to 11, in which the amount of oil in the inner and outer layers was the same, the elasticity of the inside of the noodle increased with an increase in α-linolenic acid (addition amount of linseed oil) in the inner layer, resulting in a good freshly boiled feel. In Examples 12 and 13, in which corn oil and palm oil were used instead of the olive oil used in the inner layer of Example 10, both the freshly boiled feel and smoothness were equivalent to Example 10. In addition, in Examples 9 to 13 in which an oil containing n-3 fatty acid was added to the outer layer, smoothness was better than in Examples 8 and 14 to 15 in which no oil was added to the outer layer.
On the other hand, in Comparative Example 2, in which the content in the inner layer of α-linolenic acid derived from fats and oils was lower than the content in the outer layer of α-linolenic acid derived from fats and oils, the inside of the noodles was softer than the vicinity of the surface, and a good freshly boiled feel was not obtained.

Claims (5)

A multi-layer noodle containing a starch material, the multi-layer noodle comprising an outer layer forming a surface of the noodle and an inner layer adjacent to the outer layer,
The inner layer contains an oil (A) containing an n-3 fatty acid as a constituent fatty acid in an amount of 1.0 to 6.5 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the starch raw material in the inner layer ,
the outer layer contains an oil (B) containing an n-3 series fatty acid as a constituent fatty acid in an amount of 0 to 6.5 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the starch raw material in the outer layer;
This multi-layer noodle is characterized in that the content of n-3 fatty acids contained as constituent fatty acids in the oil (A) per 100 parts by mass of the starch raw material in the inner layer is at least 0.47 parts by mass higher than the content of n-3 fatty acids contained as constituent fatty acids in the oil (B) per 100 parts by mass of the starch raw material in the outer layer. 2. The multi-layer noodle according to claim 1 , wherein the content of n-3 fatty acids contained as constituent fatty acids in the fat (B) is in the range of 0 to 4.5 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the starch raw material in the outer layer. 3. The multi-layer noodle according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the content of n-3 fatty acids contained as constituent fatty acids in the fat (A) is 0.522 parts by mass or more per 100 parts by mass of the starch raw material in the inner layer. The multilayer noodle according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the n-3 fatty acid is α-linolenic acid. The multi-layered noodle according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the oil containing n-3 fatty acids as constituent fatty acids includes linseed oil and/or perilla oil.