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Tasty, convenient, and cheap, instant noodles are one of the most remarkable industrial foods ever. Consumed around the world by millions, they appeal to young and old, affluent and impoverished alike. The authors examine the history, manufacturing, marketing, and consumption of instant noodles. By focusing on three specific markets, they reveal various ways in which these noodles enable diverse populations to manage their lives. The first market is in Japan, where instant noodles have facilitated a major transformation of post-war society, while undergoing a seemingly endless tweaking in flavors, toppings, and packaging in order to entice consumers. The second is in the United States, where instant noodles have become important to many groups including college students, their nostalgic parents, and prison inmates. The authors also take note of \"heavy users,\" a category of the chronically hard-pressed targeted by U.S. purveyors. The third is in Papua New Guinea, where instant noodles arrived only recently and are providing cheap food options to the urban poor, all the while transforming them into aspiring consumers. Finally, this study examines the global \"Big Food\" industry. As one of the food system’s singular achievements, the phenomenon of instant noodles provides insight into the pros and cons of global capitalist provisioning.

In the current study, the concentration of heavy metals including lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), and aluminum (Al) in commonly instant noodles consumed in Iran (either imported from other countries or produced in Iran) was investigated by acid digestion method followed by an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry system (ICP-OES). Also, the associated non-carcinogenic risk due to ingestion of heavy metals for adults and children was estimated by calculating percentile 95% target hazard quotient (THQ) in the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method. The average concentrations of Pb, Cr, Cd, and Al in Iranian instant noodle samples were measured as 1.21 ± 0.81, 0.08 ± 0.10, 0.03 ± 0.06, and 9.15 ± 4.82 (mg/kg) and in imported instant noodle samples were 1.00 ± 0.61, 0.07 ± 0.07, 0.04 ± 0.03, and 15.90 ± 0.93 (mg/kg), respectively. A significant difference ( p value < 0.05) in the mean concentration of Pb, Cr, Cd, and Al of Iranian instant noodle and imported instant noodle samples was observed. Also, the concentration of Pb, Cr, Cd, and Al in all brands of instant noodle (0.025 mg/kg, 0.050 mg/kg, 0.003 mg/kg, and 0.237 mg/kg, respectively) surpassed the WHO-permitted limits for Pb, Cr, Cd, and Al. Percentile 95% of THQ of Pb, Cr, Cd, and Al for the adult consumers was calculated as 0.012, 0.000007, 0.010, and 1.789; while in the case of children, percentile 95% of THQ of Pb, Cr, Cd, and Al was defined as 0.044, 0.00023, 0.035, and 6.167, respectively. Health risk assessment indicated that both adults and children are at considerable non-carcinogenic health risk for Al (THQ > 1). Therefore, approaching the required strategies in order to reduce the concentration of heavy metals particularly Al in the instant noodle is recommended.

With the rising worries of potential metal contamination in cooked noodles, this study aimed at unravelling, for the first time, the possible source of metal contamination in cooked noodles. Noodles cooked with full spices (CWFS), cooked with half spices (CWHS), cooked with quarter spices (CWQS), and cooked with no spices (CWNS: control) and their spices were analysed for metals using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The microbiological quality of the noodles was also evaluated. Metal concentrations in cooked noodles varied with spice quantity. Noodles CWFS had the highest significant ( p  < 0.05) concentration of Pb (0.36 ± 0.12 mg/kg), Ni (1.05 ± 0.01 mg/kg), Cd (0.07 ± 0.04 mg/kg), Co (0.02 ± 0.002 mg/kg), and Na (9.45 ± 0.04 mg/kg), compared to the control (CWNS). The mean Pb and Ni of spice and cooked noodles were above the WHO acceptable limits for food and could be harmful to consumers. Pearson’s correlation and PCA showed that packed noodle spices introduced metals into the cooked noodles. Although the hazard indices (adults and children) in all noodle’s groups were less than 1, children still had the potential to contract cancer from Ni exposure because the carcinogenic risk values of CWQS (2.87 × 10 –4 ), CWHS (3.03 × 10 –4 ), and CWFS (3.21 × 10 –4 ) were greater than 10 –4 . Microbiological analysis revealed the presence of potential pathogens that showed multidrug resistance and the ability to elaborate protease and amylase enzymes. Given the impending chronic health risks inherent in processed noodles, consistent consumption should be avoided.

The sensory penalty analysis, which combines the liking and JAR (Just About Right) data, is useful in assessing the drivers of product liking. This method can be used to achieve an optimum formulation of onion chicken seasoning, one of the most popular flavors in instant soup noodles, to develop successful marketing strategies. In this study, consumer perception towards the ideal level of the intensity of the sensory attributes of onion chicken seasoning was assessed. Four samples were used by the top brands of instant soup noodles in the Indonesian market (coded as IFD, MSI, DSP, and CPA). Moreover, the evaluating attributes were oily appearance, oily mouthfeel, salty, umami, sour, chicken, garlic, onion, and pepper taste. The analysis showed that almost all attributes in the IFD sample achieved their ideal level based on consumer perception, except for oily appearance. Those optimum intensities significantly impacted the hedonic score of the onion chicken seasoning of the IFD sample, making it the highest among the samples. On the contrary, the onion chicken seasoning of the CPA sample experienced the lowest consumer acceptance due to the significant impact of the lower intensity below the consumer ideal level in all aspects (except spicy taste). However, no statistical differences were observed between CPA, MSI, and DSP liking of their onion chicken seasonings. This study revealed that chicken taste, umami, oily mouthfeel, and peppery taste were the most important driving factors of onion chicken seasoning liking. In contrast, no correlation between oily appearance and overall liking was observed.

The consumption of instant noodles in Indonesia is the second highest globally. However, people are now more aware of sustainable lifestyles and the health risks of consuming food additives, so some opt for more organic choices, including instant noodles. Research on customers’ preferences in this area remains lacking, so the current study aims to fill the gap. This study also analyses the relationship between the choices and consumers’ future considerations. Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) method was used to reveal the perception of sustainable attributes in organic instant noodles. The future considerations were measured using the Future Consequences Consideration (FCC) scale. As many as 592 respondents participated in the study, selected using the convenience sampling method. Data were analyzed using conditional logit via package support.CEs on R software. The findings show that Indonesian consumers’ preferences are primarily based on the extrinsic attributes: organic labels and packaging materials, but they also consider the health claims. They will likely prefer instant noodles with organic characteristics for future considerations. The results of this study have implications for instant noodle product development. Young consumers take up a large portion of the market, and they are now more aware of sustainability and health. The current study can inform the product development and the approach to the targeted market. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study on consumer perception on sustainability attributes in organic instant noodles.

Edible starch-based film was developed for packaging seasoning applied in instant noodles. The edible film can quickly dissolve into hot water so that the seasoning bag can mix in the soup of instant noodles during preparation. To meet the specific requirements of the packaging, such as reasonable high tensile properties, ductility under arid conditions, and low gas permeability, hydroxypropyl cornstarch with various edible additives from food-grade ingredients were applied to enhance the functionality of starch film. In this work, xylose was used as a plasticizer, cellulose crystals were used as a reinforcing agent, and laver was used to decrease gas permeability. The microstructures, interface, and compatibility of various components and film performance were investigated using an optical microscope under polarized light, scanning electron microscope, gas permeability, and tensile testing. The relationship was established between processing methodologies, microstructures, and performances. The results showed that the developed starch-based film have a modulus of 960 MPa, tensile strength of 36 Mpa with 14% elongation, and water vapor permeability less than 5.8 g/m2.h under 20% RH condition at room temperature (25 °C), which meets the general requirements of the flavor bag packaging used in instant noodles.

The instant noodles were prepared with incorporation of two Egyptian quinoa seeds accessions to assess the impact of adding quinoa on cooking quality, texture properties, and organoleptic characteristics of instant noodles. Two groups of instant noodles were formulated with substituting wheat flour (72% extract) by quinoa seeds flour from red-colored SHAMS 17-2 and non-colored SHAMS 16 accessions at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% (w/w). The physicochemical and functional properties were determined as well as FTIR analysis was carried out. The results showed that incorporation of 10–30% quinoa seeds flour (w/w) in wheat-flour increased total polyphenol content, antioxidant activity, textural parameters, and cooking qualities without influencing the overall acceptability and instrumental color of noodles. The addition of quinoa flour donated to rapid rehydration, advanced cooking loss, water absorption, and amplified porosity. Besides, noodles with 50% of SHAMS 17-2 or SHAMS 16 shifted the FTIR spectrum of each amid in a noodle model, confirming that the phyto-complexes of quinoa seeds interacted with glutenins and/or gliadins amides of wheat flour, thus altering noodles properties. In conclusion, this work provided evidence that the red-colored quinoa seeds might be expended as a partial-ingredient for wheat-flour during instant noodles manufacturing.

The consumption of instant noodles in Indonesia is the second highest globally. However, people are now more aware of sustainable lifestyles and the health risks of consuming food additives, so some opt for more organic choices, including instant noodles. Research on customers’ preferences in this area remains lacking, so the current study aims to fill the gap. This study also analyses the relationship between the choices and consumers’ future considerations. Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) method was used to reveal the perception of sustainable attributes in organic instant noodles. The future considerations were measured using the Future Consequences Consideration (FCC) scale. As many as 592 respondents participated in the study, selected using the convenience sampling method. Data were analyzed using conditional logit via package support.CEs on R software. The findings show that Indonesian consumers’ preferences are primarily based on the extrinsic attributes: organic labels and packaging materials, but they also consider the health claims. They will likely prefer instant noodles with organic characteristics for future considerations. The results of this study have implications for instant noodle product development. Young consumers take up a large portion of the market, and they are now more aware of sustainability and health. The current study can inform the product development and the approach to the targeted market. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study on consumer perception on sustainability attributes in organic instant noodles.

Amid the pandemic, it is crucial to comprehend both people's preferred food choices and the factors influencing food consumption. This understanding not only guarantees a stable food supply but also plays a pivotal role in economic recovery during times of recession. In 2020, South Korean instant noodles experienced an unprecedented surge in exports, catapulting the nation to the forefront of the global instant noodle market. The surge in the popularity of instant noodles during the pandemic can be partly attributed to their unique characteristics. However, the South Korean film Parasite, which garnered global acclaim around the same time, prominently featured instant noodle products. This exposure led to an extraordinary increase in internet searches for Korean‐brand instant noodles. Therefore, this study utilized an interrupted time series model to investigate whether the surge in South Korean instant noodle exports was primarily a result of the 2019 coronavirus pandemic or the influence of the film. Our estimations indicate that the film's exposure effect predominantly explains the export boom of South Korean instant noodles. Even when contemplating foods well suited for pandemic consumption, the exposure effect remains a substantial factor shaping food choices.

Non-fried whole-wheat instant noodles feature high dietary fiber and balanced nutrition but suffer from poor rehydration, texture, and flavor. This study aims to improve the quality of these noodles through mixed fermentation of yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The rehydration characteristics, textural profile, sensory quality, microstructure, volatile flavor compounds, and in vitro digestibility of non-fried instant whole-wheat noodles were evaluated. Yeast primarily reduced rehydration time and improved mouthfeel, whereas LAB mainly contributed to the formation of a continuous and uniform gluten network as well as the enhancement of noodle flavor. Moderate addition of the mixed culture (1% yeast + 0.05% LAB) promoted the construction of a homogeneous gluten network in non-fried whole-wheat instant noodles, effectively reducing starch digestibility and estimated glycemic index (eGI). However, excessive addition caused opposite effects on these noodles. This study provides an effective processing strategy for the production of high-quality, low-eGI whole-wheat instant noodles, which are suitable for people pursuing healthy diets and controlling blood sugar levels.