Effects of Flour Extraction Rate, Added Water, and Salt on Color and Texture of Chinese White Noodles

ABSTRACT Both cultivar and noodle composition and preparation have important effects on noodle quality. In this study, the effects of flour extraction rate (50, 60, and 70%), added water (33, 35, and 37%), and salt concentration (0, 1, and 2%, w/w) on color and texture of Chinese white noodle (CWN) were investigated using flour samples from five leading Chinese wheat cultivars. The five samples showed large variations in protein content, ash content, flour color, farinograph, and extensigraph parameters, and starch pasting properties. Analyses of variance indicated that cultivar, flour extraction rate, level of water addition, salt concentration, and the interactions had significant effects on color of raw noodle sheets and color and textural properties of CWN. Cultivar and water addition were more important sources of variation than flour extraction rate and salt concentration. The brightness (L*) and redness (a*) values of raw noodle sheets were significantly reduced and increased, respectively, as flou...