Technological, quality and nutritional characteristics of Ramen noodles with wheat flour partially substituted by water chestnut flour

Ramen noodles were prepared by partially supplementing traditional wheat flour with water chestnut flour (WCF) at 30, 40 and 50% levels w/w. The composition, pasting and farinograph indices of flour blends were studied. Noodles were analysed for colour, radical scavenging and functional characteristics. Time for dough development, stability and farinograph quality number declined significantly from 5.250±0.07 to 1.20±0.01 min, 6.45±0.07 to 1.31±0.01 min and 81.50±0.71 to 18.50±0.71, respectively, after replacement. Statistically significant increment in pasting temperature (60.91±0.01 to 72.05±0.07°C), peak viscosity (1094.05±0.07 to 1099.25±0.35 Brabender Unit, BU), breakdown (310.05±0.07 to 376.05±0.07 BU), hot paste (782.05±0.07 to 996.10±0.14 BU) and cold paste viscosities (1548.10±0.14 to 1701.25±0.35 BU) were found with the addition of WCF. Non-traditional ramen exhibited significantly improved fibre, antioxidant potential and mineral content with significant reduction in % fat and caloric count. The colour variation data in ramen noodles were: L* (66.35–57.86); a* (0.24–2.08); and b* (4.03–4.47). Texture hedonic scores varied between 8.38 and 7.57 with chestnut flour level increment. Hardness of Ramen noodles samples ranged between 13.9 and 19.8 N.