Effect of superheated steam treated wheat flour on quality characteristics and storage stability of fresh noodles

The objective of this study was to enhance the shelf life of fresh noodles prepared by superheated steam (SS) treated wheat flour, and to elucidate the effect of SS treated wheat flour on the quality and storage stability of fresh noodles. SS treated wheat flour improved the initial quality of fresh noodles. Compared with the untreated group, the total plate count (TPC) of SS treated group decreased from 4.10 to 2.87 log10 CFU/g, the L* value increased from 37.98 to 52.00, and the cooking time was significantly shortened from 150 s to 45 s, and the textural properties decreased. SS treatment also improved the storage stability of fresh noodles, prolonged the shelf life to 2 days. During the whole storage period, the TPC of SS treated group was lower than that of the untreated group, and the acidity was significantly reduced. Likewise, the PPO activity and bulk-phase water content were lower, and the water migration was restricted, which inhibited the browning and surface adhesion phenomenon, delaying the deterioration of cooking and textural properties.