Effects of Gluten and Soybean Polypeptides on Textural, Rheological, and Rehydration Properties of Instant Fried Noodles

We investigated how the addition of polypeptides to instant fried noodle dough affects the dough properties, starch gelatinization, and textural properties of cup-type instant fried noodles. After comparing farinograph results of 100% wheat flour with 1% wheat flour substituted with gluten, there was a small difference in the mechanical dough properties. However, in the case of 1% wheat flour substituted with gluten peptides, the dough development time increased, dough stability decreased, and weakness increased. On the other hand, when gluten or gluten peptides were added, starch gelatinization did not change significantly. At the steaming stage, substitution with gluten peptides or soybean peptides markedly changed the molecular weight distributions of extractable polypeptides. Especially in the case of wheat flour substituted with 1% gluten peptides, the relative portion of low Mw extractable polypeptides (2.5-50 kDa) decreased more compared to a control. Also, the hardness and chewiness decreased in cooked cup-type instant fried noodles containing gluten peptides. This suggests that the addition of gluten peptides can reduce the rehydration time of cup-type instant fried noodles.