Introduction to Asian noodles

Abstract Asian noodles were invented more than 4000 years ago in China. They have evolved into many types and forms and become a global food today. Asian noodles can be made from a variety of raw materials such as wheat flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, or starches derived from rice, wheat, mung bean, tapioca, sweet potato, sago, or corn. Wheat flour noodles can be classified based on the presence or absence of alkaline salts, type of flour used, noodle strand sizes, and noodle processing technology. White salted noodles have simple formulations containing flour, water, and sodium chloride, but they can be made into different marketing forms. Yellow alkaline noodles contain kansui (a mixture of sodium and potassium carbonates) that modifies noodle color and texture. Rice noodles are classified into two major groups, qiefen (cutting pregelatinized starch sheet) and zhafen (extrusion of pregelatinized starch) based on the molding methods, but the products have different shapes, dimensions, and moisture content. Other starch noodles have also been widely available in Asia. Today, both wheat flour noodles and gluten-free noodles have gained popularity worldwide.