What is instant noodles made of. Scientists told what instant noodles consist of and how harmful it is. Vermicelli salad

29.06.2020

Japanese born March 5, 1910 businessman Ando Momofuki, known around the world as the inventor of instant noodles.

After World War II, when Japan was experiencing severe food shortages, Ando Momofuki worked as the managing director of a credit union. Soon his office went bankrupt, and the young financier began to look for other ways to earn money. Thanks to his wife, he managed to invent a dish that saved the country from starvation. The entrepreneur drew attention to the liquid yeast-free dough that his wife was preparing for tempura (Japanese type of frying in oil), and tried to apply this technology to the production of instant noodles. Today, 44 billion servings of instant noodles and vermicelli are consumed worldwide every year.

AiF infographics

What is instant noodles?

Instant noodles are a food product that has undergone preliminary heat treatment, in particular frying in vegetable oil. To cook dry noodles, you just need to add boiling water, spices and spices to the product. Currently, vermicelli or instant noodles is on the list of the most popular and widespread food products around the world.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of instant noodles?

The main benefits of noodles include:

cooking speed,
low cost of the product
ease of storage
convenience of transportation.

But at the same time, it is worth paying attention to the shortcomings, among which:

high content of fats and oils;
the content of trans fats, which increase the risk of atherosclerosis and cancer;
the content of monosodium glutamate, which is added to improve the taste. This dietary supplement retains fluid in the body, causes swelling and severe attacks of bronchial asthma, and increases blood pressure.

If you constantly eat such noodles, you can get seriously ill. Such a product is most dangerous for the nutrition of children, the elderly and pregnant women.

Who first came up with this product?

The first instant noodles appeared in China during the Sino-Japanese War. Dried noodles were part of the military rations in the Chinese army. At first they ate it dry, and then they learned to fry the noodles in refined oil. In China, such noodles were called "e-fu", the first mention of it dates back to the 16th century.

The first instant noodles differed from the modern version not only in the way of preparation, but also in taste and consumer characteristics of the product. Chinese cooks served heavily fried noodles, which were poured with broth.

When did instant noodles appear in Russia?

Instant vermicelli appeared on the shelves of domestic stores relatively recently, in 1991. Today in Russia, about 20 factories produce a product that, for all its harmfulness, remains very popular among Russians.

Quick noodles, or How to cook healthy fast food

Instant noodles, affectionately referred to by the people as "bomzhovka" or homeless packages, cannot, of course, satisfy the need for lunch of a person who monitors his diet and tries to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But sometimes inadvertently, when there is little time, you really want to quickly brew something with boiling water and eat relatively tasty. But do not run after the doshirak ...

In January 2007, Momofuku Ando, an elderly Japanese man, died, whom very few people knew by name during his lifetime. But he owns one of the main world inventions of the 20th century, which left behind in importance both karaoke and a portable audio player. Momofuku Ando invented doshirak or instant noodles.

Momofuku Ando was born in 1910 in Japanese-occupied Taiwan. His parents died when he was a child and he was raised by his grandparents who owned a clothing company.

At the age of 22, the guy started his own business and moved to Osaka. Things were going well, but after the end of World War II, a recession set in and his company went bankrupt. Ando himself was imprisoned for tax evasion.

The payment of all debts left Mr. Momofuku almost a beggar. Vegetating in food lines in a ruined, hungry Japan, Ando suddenly came across an idea that later changed not only his life, but the fate of the whole world. He decided to spend the remaining funds on the invention of a new product that would not only bring profit, but also be useful to his fellow citizens.

Making instant noodles was no easy task. Indeed, from the very beginning, Ando abandoned the idea of \u200b\u200bproducing just dry noodles: the Chinese invented a millennium ago the method of preparing noodles that could be stored for a very long time. Ando's goal was far more ambitious. His noodles had to be not only cheap, but also tasty and quick to prepare. This was what I had to deal with. For his experiments, Ando built a real laboratory kitchen in a barn behind his house in the town of Ikeda.

The equipment was the simplest. A traditional egg noodle machine and a large pot. At first it seemed that the problem posed by Ando was insoluble. The noodles either turned out to be completely tasteless, or were boiled so that they turned into porridge.

The breakthrough came when Ando came up with the idea of spraying noodles with broth from an ordinary garden watering can. Then he himself stirred the noodles so that their top layer was soaked in broth, fried them in palm oil, evaporating the water, and then dried them in the form of briquettes. To cook noodles, you just had to add boiling water to it. Ando came up with the idea of attaching two bags to each block of noodles: one, opaque, contained spices and broth extract, and the other, transparent, contained a small portion of palm oil. At first, the new dish was expensive and regarded as a delicacy, but within a year, prices dropped and sales began to grow rapidly.

In 1958, the first products of the Nissin Food Products company created by Ando entered the stores and became a real bestseller. And not only among the Japanese. Ando, who often repeated that "there will be peace throughout the world if people do not lack food," did not at all intend to limit himself to the Japanese market. That is why, at first, his instant noodles were only available in chicken flavor under the brand name Chikin Ramen. There was a reason for that. “By using chicken broth in the preparation of our noodles, we managed to bypass religious taboos that operate in different countries. Hindus cannot eat beef, and Muslims cannot eat pork, but there is not a single culture, religion or country that prohibits eating chicken,” the Japanese explained. .
Already 12 years later, Nissin Food noodles were known throughout Asia, as well as in Europe and America. However, Ando was not going to stop there.

In 1971, he came up with something that made his noodles perhaps the most popular product on the planet. A novelty from Ando appeared on store shelves - Cup Noodle, sold in a waterproof bowl made of Styrofoam. Hot water could be added directly to it. There was no more need to shift the noodles, wash the dishes after eating. Ando noodles became truly economical, which was appreciated by students, bachelors, workers who wanted to save time on lunch. And soon after that, dried vegetables began to be added to the noodles, which, boiled in boiling water, created the impression of a full-fledged soup. But this food innovator made the main, literally cosmic breakthrough in 2005. It was then that vacuum-packed instant noodles appeared, created specifically for astronauts. And Ando attributed his longevity to the daily use of noodles of his own invention.

Starting with the production of chicken noodles in plastic bags, Ando has become a real emperor of instant noodles. His company produces almost two dozen types of noodles with a wide variety of flavors and ingredients. The factories of the Ando empire are located all over the world - from the USA and Peru to Germany and Hungary - and supply their products to almost 70 countries. More than 100 million people around the world consume Nissin noodles daily, according to a company spokesperson.
Ando's invention has long been the property of all mankind. Of course, the world leader in the consumption of instant noodles is, as you might guess, China: the Chinese consume about 30 billion servings of this product a year. China is followed by Japan and Indonesia. On such a scale, the creation of the International Association of Instant Noodle Manufacturers and the fact that the annual World Ramen Summit dedicated to it is not surprising at all. According to this summit, in 2004, earthlings consumed 65.5 billion packages of instant noodles. And, as Ando intended, she continues to save people. Instant noodles were the staple food of those affected by the Asian tsunami in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 in the United States. With the light hand of Ando, noodles are now produced by hundreds of companies in different countries of the world. It has a different taste (in Poland, for example, there is borscht-flavored noodles), but in all other respects it differs little from Ando's invention, since manufacturers rather try to emphasize this similarity. When you open noodles from any company, you can be sure that you will find what Ando came up with: a block of noodles and two bags. Transparent - with butter and silver - with broth and spices.

And in 2000, answering a question about the main Japanese invention of the 20th century, the Japanese unambiguously put in the first place not ultra-modern computers or electronic devices, but a simple and nutritious dish familiar to almost every modern person.

Ando's noodles have their drawbacks. Nutritionists and doctors argue about how healthy this food is. Restaurateurs and fighters for good taste complain that, like other fast food products, noodles kill a person's ability to distinguish a gastronomic masterpiece from cheap cooking. Nevertheless, few people doubt that the main goal that Momofuku Ando set for himself has been fulfilled. "Instant noodles have given Mr. Ando his rightful place in the pantheon of human progress. Teach a man to fish and he will feed himself for a lifetime. Give him instant noodles and you don't have to teach him anything anymore," says New York journalist Lawrence Downes. The best epitaph for a bankrupt who has decided to save humanity from hunger cannot be imagined.

Instant noodles - pour boiling water for 5-10 minutes and you get a ready-made dinner.

Almost everyone asks the question: is there any harm from its use? Are instant noodles healthy? Let's figure it out together.

A Brief History of Instant Noodles

The first instant noodles were Chinese Ye-fu noodles, which appeared in the 16th century. The Yangzhou City Magistrate's cook used heavily fried noodles that could be served to guests by simply reheating with various broths.
The father of modern instant noodles is Momofuku Ando, a Taiwanese-born Japanese who founded Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd. and organized the world's first production of Chikin Ramen (chicken flavored) noodles in 1958.
In 1971, Nissin introduced the "Syr Noodle" styrofoam cup instant noodles, which can be cooked without using a cookware. Subsequently, dried vegetables were added to the cup.
In 1995, the Technocom Corporation, founded by Pham Nyat Vuong, a Ukrainian of Vietnamese origin, began the production and sale of instant vermicelli called Mivina. In 2010, the company was bought by Nestle Corporation.
Since 2004, the South Korean company Korea Yakult Co. Ltd. Russia produces its own analogue - the popular Doshirak noodles. This name comes from the Korean word "toshirak" - "rice in a box".
In 2009, over 92 billion servings of instant noodles were sold worldwide. In a public opinion poll in Japan, instant noodles were named the main Japanese invention of the 20th century.

What is instant noodles made of?

Unlike spaghetti, which is made from durum wheat, instant noodles are made from soft wheat. Instant noodles are a product with a very high glycemic index. In other words, instant noodles are high in calories and increase appetite.

When making noodles, palm oil is used, then the noodles are dried at a high temperature and fried in the same oil.

And in a bag of concentrated spices, trans fats are waiting for us. As you know, trans fats can provoke the development of cancer of the stomach and intestines, as well as atherosclerosis.

What is in instant noodles

Prolylene glycol

A chemical humectant that is also used in tobacco products and antifreeze.

tert-butyl hydroquinone

Preservative of the main components of noodles (wheat flour and vegetable oil). It is also found in perfumes, resins, varnishes and biofuels.

Monosodium glutamate

Flavor enhancer widely used in the food industry. May cause side effects for some, including nausea, dizziness, and arrhythmias.

Too much sodium

One bag of instant noodles contains about 1875 mg of salt, which is much more than the recommended daily allowance of no more than 1500 mg.

Vegetable oil

Different oils are added to instant noodles - it depends on the country of production. But the most common is palm oil, which has an extremely high content of saturated fats.

bfa

Styrofoam noodle cups often contain BPA, an endocrine disruptor. This substance can get into food, especially after adding boiling water.

Sugar

Sugar is usually added to maintain the consistency of the noodles, rather than as a sweetener. But it's still weird.

Instant pasta is, according to GOST 31749-2012, products made from wheat flour and water using additional raw materials and dried in oil. Instant noodles or vermicelli intended for sale must be packed in containers or glasses with a lid on top, or bags made of polymeric materials. According to GOST, instant pasta should not stick together after cooking. They should retain the shape of a corrugated string of noodles (vermicelli) after 15 minutes from the moment they are poured with boiling water.

Instant pasta is in demand among travelers, office workers, summer residents, and workers. Add a variety of flavors to the convenience of packaging and ease of preparation - and you will get the secret of the popularity of instant noodles or vermicelli, commonly called “doshirak”.

But this product also has a lot of opponents. They are confused by the abundance of "incomprehensible" components in the composition.

To dot the i's, Roskontrol experts examined the ingredients listed on the labels of 17 instant pasta brands such as Big Bon, “Big Lunch”, “Doshirak”, “Red Price”, “Rollton”.

Are there health hazards in the claimed ingredients?

Common in each sample - flour, butter and vegetables

All samples in the composition declared Wheat flour and vegetable oil(soybean or sunflower), as well as a variety of dried vegetables. As a rule, this onions, tomatoes, paprika, garlic, celery, carrots, corn, parsley.

Meet mushrooms(noodles “Chan ramyun” (“Doshirak”), vermicelli on homemade broth “Rollton” with mushrooms).

In “Doshirak” with kimchi flavor and in “Doshirak” with pork flavor added seaweed(kelp).

Is there meat in instant noodles?

Taste of beef! Pork! Chicken bouillon! the labels promise us. But is there real meat inside?

Of our 17 samples, 14 packages report the presence of a meaty taste or meat (including poultry) in large catchy print.
In which of them did the manufacturers not regret putting real meat ingredients? it Red Price, Rollton and Big Bon.

As part of the product “vermicelli with beef broth “Red price” — minced beef boiled and dried.

Rollton noodles and vermicelli (meat and chicken) come with dried beef/chicken. Plus matching flavors.

The Big Bon “beef + tomato sauce” ingredient list also lists dried beef.

And in Big Bon “chicken + salsa sauce” and “chicken noodles with spicy sauce” - dried chicken.

The noodles "Jang Ramyun" distinguished themselves from "Doshirak" - on the front side of the package there is not a word about meat, but in the composition printed in small print - beef powder and beef flavoring.

The most controversial experts considered products under the brand name "Doshirak".

On the label large - "Pork-flavored noodles." The list of ingredients includes pork broth powder.

On the label - "A hearty lunch with a taste of beef." Beef is represented by the protein product "soy meat", followed by beef extract, beef broth powder.

On the label: Chazhang Myung noodles with vegetables and pieces of meat. BUT in the composition of meat - only lard. You can hardly call it meat!

Attention! The inscription on the label does not always correspond to the composition! If it says "taste of meat" - there may not be meat in the composition. And vice versa. So read the ingredients carefully before buying.

Who needs supplements?

preservatives

Preservative E 211 (sodium benzoate) was found in all three types of Big Bon pasta, as well as in noodles with beef in Big Lunch spicy sauce and in the product “Doshirak Hearty Lunch with Beef Flavor”.

In the same samples, the preservative E202 (potassium sorbate) is declared in the composition.

In other types of noodles and vermicelli, preservatives are not declared among the ingredients.

Burnt sugar is used as a dye in noodles with beef broth "Red Price"

Dyes

In 5 samples of beef noodles there is a sugar color (E150d), or, more simply, burnt sugar. Tints products in "caramel", brown color. Weak carcinogen. In small quantities, it is safe for health.

Stabilizers and thickeners

Guar and xanthan gums - in all samples, except for noodles in Rollton homemade broth (mushroom, chicken, with beef, with bacon). The gums are harmless to the body.

Acidity regulators

Sodium acetate and diacetate, citric acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, calcium lactate… such “chemistry”, which controls a given acidic environment, is available in different variations in Big Lunch and Big Bon.

Acidity regulators are not indicated in samples of other brands. In large quantities, acids cause irritation of the mucous membrane, can provoke the development of gastritis, ulcers, etc.

It is believed that the main harm of instant noodles is in food additives such as preservatives, flavor enhancers, artificial colors, and so on. However, all of the ingredients (of those listed in our samples) are legally permitted, which means we have no reason to claim that they are hazardous to health.

But in itself, instant noodles, made from premium wheat flour, poor in micronutrients, are not the best choice for people leading a healthy lifestyle.

The abundance of salt in foods such as instant noodles, with regular use, is a risk factor for arterial hypertension - high blood pressure.

Ingredients such as hot spices are a risk factor for digestive diseases.

For reference:

Hydrogenated fats - hardened liquid vegetable fats, in which, when modified (hydrogenated), harmful trans fats are formed - a proven risk factor for the occurrence of diseases of the circulatory system (atherosclerosis).

IMPORTANT

Instant pasta may contain hydrogenated fats. It is in them that the real harm to the body lies.

It must be said that hydrogenated fat was not declared in any of the tested samples. However, in many types of similar products in the composition they are.

Whose composition is more natural?

Instant noodles do not contain anything useful and necessary for our body. This is a very bad fast food. Regular consumption of such food can lead to the development or exacerbation of gastrointestinal pathologies, such as gastritis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenal bulb. An increase in acidity and pain in the epigastric region are the first signs of an incipient disease; during this period, you should stop eating such noodles.

The development of such diseases is associated with the low quality of the finished product, with a high content of flavors, antioxidants and stabilizers. This situation is aggravated by a dangerous food addiction, when our brain requires these substances often and regularly. In addition, we are "captivated" by the speed and ease of preparation.

Many consumers note that the "seasoning" that is added to the noodles is extremely spicy or salty. This leads to increased pressure, a tendency to edema and the development of kidney disease. Also, this product is quite high in calories. Because of monosodium glutamate (a flavor enhancer), sometimes 1 serving is not enough for us to get enough. As a result, we eat more than we need and this leads to weight gain and obesity.

The traditional Chinese dish of instant noodles consists of cereals. Add flour product to soups, salads and vegetable casseroles. Noodles are present in the diet and in limited quantities in the dishes of people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

History of vermicelli production

Fast food helps more than one housewife around the world. Popular products do not need long heat treatment or preparation of additional side dishes. They came up with a universal vermicelli in China, in the homeland of useful cereals. In times of war, noodles that boiled quickly saved a thousand soldiers exhausted from constant battles.

Modern production of dry ingredients for lunch or dinner allows the production of vermicelli of different tastes and appearance (snacks or pressed briquettes). Such a side dish can be eaten separately or together with any vegetable cuts and baked meat products.

Who came up with the dry product? The inventor of a dish that helps hundreds of people every day is Momofuko Ando. The product has become popular in the last decade: with the acceleration of the pace of life, a person began to spend less time on household chores and cooking. All production processes, how vermicelli is made and what is added to it, are strictly regulated at the legislative level. The main components of the product - and rice bran - are selected only for quality indicators. A large content in noodles helps to saturate a person and gives him a lot of energy.

Classic fast food

On the shelves of modern stores, you can easily find a bag with a product that is simply poured with boiling water. To enhance the taste, sodium glutamate is added to such vermicelli (a preservative that allows you to store a dry product for up to two to three years at a temperature not exceeding 25 degrees Celsius). Wheat flour, which is the main product for instant cooking, is rich. Ready vermicelli can satisfy hunger for a short time.

Additionally, fatty acids are added to the finished wheat dough. In small quantities, palm oil improves the functioning of the digestive system and saves from problems with the gastrointestinal tract (frequent constipation).

Korean noodles are pre-cooked. Unlike ordinary noodles, which have to be boiled and additionally fried, the dry product is already ready for direct use. The product is roasted in virgin vegetable oil. After that, the Korean side dish is dried and packed in packs. The popular vermicelli is brewed with ordinary boiling water and seasoned with spices (sold with noodles).

Instant rice product

Chinese instant noodles are not always made with wheat flour. From useful rice crops, a product is prepared that is quickly brewed. Its appearance resembles translucent long strips: during brewing, the noodles darken a little. Dishes with such an additive are beautiful and satisfying. The finished product does not stick together and does not stick to a plate or other utensils. It is the whole structure of the finished vermicelli that indicates its high quality.

In comparison with wheat paste, it is brewed for half an hour. During this time, the rice flakes that are part of the product swell.

Vermicelli is brewed separately in a small vessel. The vermicelli is poured with boiling water and left for exactly 3 minutes under the lid, after which the excess liquid should be drained.

Finely chopped onions, chicken fillet (diced), tomatoes and cognac are spread on a preheated pan. Over high heat, the liquid at the bottom of the pan is brought to a boil. The fire decreases after the evaporation of all cognac. Stew chicken breast for 5-10 minutes. Periodically, the contents of the pan are mixed.

For a more delicate taste at the end (when the chicken is soft), or are added. The dish is covered with a lid. The chicken is stewed for about 5 minutes. After that, the meat is infused in its own juice for 10 minutes.

Vermicelli salad

Instant Vermicelli Salad is a quick and delicious recipe that is perfect for celebrations or for a daily diet. To prepare the salad, you will need a pack of noodles, tomatoes, fresh herbs and spices to taste. Salad dressing will also need spices. Steamed vermicelli in a separate bowl. To do this, dry ingredients are sprinkled with spices, and then poured with boiling water. Noodles are infused for 3-4 minutes.

Ready vermicelli must be allowed to cool. Vegetables are cut into a separate bowl. Small tomatoes can be cut in half, and bell peppers can be sliced. Vegetables are mixed with chopped herbs, and then they are poured with ghee. Cooled noodles are added to the prepared vegetable mixture. The finished salad is seasoned with pepper to taste.

Instant vermicelli is a cheap product that cannot be spoiled. Noodles can be eaten separately from other dishes or diluted with delicious salads, marinades or pickles. The harm of a dry product does not allow using vermicelli daily, but for emergency cases such a product is simply irreplaceable.