Texture and digestion of noodles with varied gluten contents and cooking time: The view from protein matrix and inner structure

The dense packing and encapsulation of starch by protein are considered important for the digestion of noodles and the textural attributes. This study aims to elucidate the effect of gluten on the noodle texture and starch digestion rates. The structure of cooked noodles was characterized using a scanning electron microscope and Fourier-transform infrared-microscopy. The texture of cooked noodles remained similar when the gluten content was varied from 8 to 12%; however, the hardness increased significantly beyond 14% gluten content. The enzyme-digestion of cooked noodles was largely dependent on the protein content and the cooking time, and the digestibility of cooked noodles was increased when the noodle was over-cooked compared to optimum-cooked. The physical barrier provided by the protein network as well as the dense noodle structure is dependent on both the amount of protein and the cooking time. These factors, further moderate both hardness and enzyme susceptibility of cooked noodles.