Drying and Rehydration Kinetics of Noodles

Drying is the oldest method for preserving food, and rehydration is one of the simplest methods of cooking. The behavior of water transfer inside foods during the drying and rehydration processes varies depending on the manufacturing and cooking conditions, respectively, and the food quality is strongly affected by the behavior. Existing manufacturing and cooking processes, which have relied on great experience and build through trial and error, cannot quickly and accurately respond to the diverse demands of recent years, such as health consciousness and insatiable pursuit for palatability. Therefore, the theoretical study that enables rational food production has been strongly demanded. However, the phenomena and mechanisms of water transfer and their effects on the quality are not well understood. Focusing on the pasta with relatively simple composition, we have elucidated the phenomenon and its mechanism of water transfer occurring during drying and rehydration processes, and also investigated the effect of the water transfer on pasta quality. This review provides the overview of our findings.