The use of selected hydrocolloids to enhance cooking quality and hardness of zero‐salt noodles.

Summary: The effects of table salt (TS) and hydrocolloids on water‐holding capacity, optimum cooking time, cooking qualities, pH and textural properties of noodles were investigated. TS, xanthan gum (XG), carrageenan (CRG), Arabic gum (AG) and locust bean gum (LBG) were added at 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0% of flour weight. XG, CRG and LBG contributed to significantly (P < 0.05) higher water‐holding capacity of dough and firmer texture, but significantly (P < 0.05) lower cooking loss than zero‐salt noodles (ZSNs) and white‐salted noodles (WSNs). Hydrocolloids contributed in shorter optimum cooking time than ZSNs. Springiness of noodles was not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by increment of TS and hydrocolloids. TS1.5, ZSN‐XG1.5, ZSN‐XG2.0 and ZSN‐CRG1.5 had significantly (P < 0.05) higher cooking yield than ZSNs. The increment of TS and hydrocolloids had significantly (P < 0.05) increased the pH values of noodles. ZSN‐XG2.0, ZSN‐CRG1.5 and ZSN‐LBG1.5 may be useful to enhance ZSNs due to the better noodles qualities than ZSNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]