Development and irradiation preservation technology study on fresh wet noodles incorporating lotus rhizome residue

Abstract

Under the background of low utilization rates of lotus rhizome residue (LRr) and growing public health awareness, this study aims to develop a high dietary fiber LRr noodles and investigate the impact of different doses of γ-ray radiation on the quality and shelf life of LRr fresh wet noodles. By incorporating an improver (a compound of gluten, konjac powder, and compound phosphate), the optimal formulation for the LRr noodles was determined. Based on sensory evaluation and texture profil analysis, the following optimized formula was obtained by one-factor-at-a-time and response surface experiment: water content at 47%, gluten at 4%, konjac flour at 1.17%, and compound phosphate at 0.29%. The LRr fresh wet noodles, prepared using the optimal formula, were subjected to radiation. The findings revealed that within the range of 2–3 kGy radiation dose, no significant alterations were observed in terms of cooking loss and texture characteristics of the noodles. However, an increase in the radiation dose to 4 and 5 kGy resulted in an elevated cooking loss and adversely affected the texture characteristics. Considering a radiation dose of 3 kGy, the application of this dosage effectively preserves the quality and extends the shelf life of LRr noodles. Specifically, the shelf life of fresh wet noodles can be prolonged from 5 to 9 days when stored at 4 °C. This investigation offers novel raw material alternatives for innovative noodle development and provides fresh insights into radiation preservation techniques for fresh wet noodles.