Effects of dry-heated egg white on the rheological properties and structure of frozen Chinese Noodles

Effects of dry-heated egg white on frozen Chinese Noodles were evaluated by sensory tests, rheological properties, and degree of gelatinization. The surface and cross-sectional structures of the noodles were also analyzed using a scanning electron microscope. From the sensory tests, the noodles with dry-heated egg white were improved in terms of chewing texture, elasticity, resilience, and feeling of smoothness on the palate, even after freezing. From the measurement of rheological properties, it was found that the dry-heated egg white provided elasticity, improved resilience and resistance to breaking to the frozen Chinese noodles. The dry-heated egg white was found to allow the Chinese noodles to be high degree of gelatinization even after frozen storage and to inhibit retrogradation of starch. From the electron microscope observations, the surface structure of the frozen Chinese noodles with the dry-heated egg white was revealed to have fewer gaps and to be smoother than the noodles without egg white or spray dried egg white. The cross-sectional structure of the frozen Chinese noodles with the dry-heated egg white possessed a large number of network structure of protein and was finely meshed. It was found that the dry-heated egg white reinforced the connection of the network structure.