Impact of A/B-type wheat starch granule ratio on rehydration behavior and cooking quality of noodles and the underlying mechanisms

The impact of the A/B-type wheat starch granule ratio on the rehydration behavior and cooking quality of noodles and the underlying mechanisms were investigated. The amounts of water absorbed increased sharply first and then slowly during cooking, and large A-type starch (AS) promoted the water absorption of noodles. The water penetrated gradually from the surface to the core, and noodles with a high ratio of AS or small B-type starch (BS) exhibited a more rapid water migration and faster structural changes at the initial stage and then became slower later. The protein appeared to react slightly earlier than starch during noodle cooking. Noodles with AS/BS ratio of 50:50 showed higher water absorption, good coordination between starch gelatinization rate and protein aggregation rate, and moderate firmness and resilience. A suitable AS/BS ratio and good coordination in structural transformations were needed to achieve a good quality cooked noodle.