A systematic review of rice noodles: raw material, processing method and quality improvement

Authors: LI, CAIMING - Jiangnan University; YOU, YUXIAN - Jiangnan University; CHEN, DI - Jiangnan University; GU, ZHENGBIAO - Jiangnan University; Zhang, Yuzhu; HOLLER, TOD - Jiangnan University; BAN, XIAOFENG - Jiangnan University; HONG, YAN - Jiangnan University; CHENG, LI - Jiangnan University; LI, ZHAOFENG - Jiangnan University

Submitted to: Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/10/2020
Publication Date: 11/16/2020
Citation: Li, C., You, Y., Chen, D., Gu, Z., Zhang, Y., Holler, T.P., Ban, X., Hong, Y., Cheng, L., Li, Z. 2020. A systematic review of rice noodles: raw material, processing method and quality improvement. Food Chemistry. 107:389-400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2020.11.009.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2020.11.009

Interpretive Summary: Currently, more than 230 food allergens from 74 plant species are officially designated by the Allergen Nomenclature Sub-committee of the World Health Organization and International Union of Immunological Societies. There are no known food allergens from rice though it has been cultivated for more than 7000 years. The US annual rice production is about 25 billion pounds. Currently, it is the second most important crop after wheat. It is a staple food that sustains more than half of the world’s population. Rice is used to produce a variety of foodstuffs that support worldwide markets and trade. Rice noodle, also called rice pasta or rice vermicelli has a large share of the rice product market and is one of the most popular noodle varieties. There is an increasing demand for rice noodles worldwide. However, rice noodle production has remained primarily as small-scale scattered operations. Conventional production methods have many problems, including inconsistent quality and due to significant regional differences. Therefore, there is a need for the development of systems for industrial-scale production of nutritious and healthy rice noodles. This article presented a comprehensive review of the factors essential for the quality and shelf life of rice noodles (including raw materials, processing, and additives). It provided a referencing point of a theoretical basis for the standardized industrial production of high-quality rice noodles.

Technical Abstract: Background: The increased consumption of rice noodle, a traditional rice-based product with high nutritional value and pleasant taste, has led to increased research attention. Traditionally, rice noodle has been produced using a long series of steps including rice aging, rinsing, soaking, and milling, gelatinization, extruding/slitting, cooking, retrogradation, acid-pickling, drying, packaging, and sterilization. Current rice noodle production relies on manual methods and lacks a comprehensive quality control system. This results in variable product quality that severely restricts the development of the rice noodle market. Scope and Approach: In this article, the characteristics of the raw materials, the key processing steps of traditional and modern production methods, and the commonly used processing additives are reviewed to provide a reference point for the production of rice noodles with better flavor and more reliable quality. Key findings and conclusions: rice noodle quality can be affected by numerous factors, including the species and compositions of rice, the pretreatment of raw material, the processing methods, and the environmental conditions. Antiaging agents, water-retaining agents, and preservatives are also used as additives to improve rice noodle quality. Further studies are needed to explore the internal and external factors and mechanisms that affect the taste and storage quality of rice noodles. Improved processing methods and sound evaluation standards are needed to promote the standardization, mechanization, and automation of rice noodle production.