Prediction and Evaluation of Drying Characteristics of Japanese Noodles

Dried Japanese noodles are one of the most favored foods in Japan and are supplied as a preserved food due to its long shelf life. In the production of dried noodles, the drying process governs product quality and is known to be challenging, as the strips of fresh noodles are relatively thick and have limited strength to withstand the internal stress caused by rapid drying. Therefore, controlled humidity drying is necessary to maintain balance between the rates of evaporation and internal moisture diffusion. However, optimal drying conditions are difficult to achieve due to the complexity of operating variables, such as temperature, humidity, and velocity. In the present study, we regarded the drying of fresh noodles as a moisture diffusion phenomenon within a solid material. The moisture diffusivity, the effect of the drying condition on drying kinetics, and the stress induced by drying were investigated to obtain technical information about the optimal drying operation. It is expected that this information will be useful in establishing optimal drying protocols for Japanese noodles.