Technical Working Paper 02-108

Flour Characteristics Related to Water Absorption of Noodle Dough for Making White Salted Noodles, C.S. Park and B.-K. Baik February 2002

Abstract

Physicochemical properties of 34 wheat flours with various classes and different protein contents were related to the optimum water absorption of noodle dough. Noodle dough from club and soft wheat flours showed generally higher water absorption (24-27%) than that of hard wheat flours (31-35%). Optimum water absorption of noodle dough in three hard white wheat flours with five different protein contents ranged from 33% to 37%. Optimum water absorption was negatively correlated with flour protein content and SDS sedimentation volume. Physical properties of flour, damaged starch content, NIRS hardness and water retention capacity influenced optimum water absorption of noodle dough from club, soft and hard wheat flours. A prediction equation developed using protein content, water retention capacity and SDS sedimentation volume of flour provides a reliable estimation of the optimum absorption of noodle dough.