Optimal cooking time of noodles related to their notch sensitivity

Abstract

White salty and yellow alkaline noodles were prepared raw and also as cooked for varying periods between 2 and 14 min by boiling in distilled water and then tested in tension at room temperature on a universal testing machine to characterize their stress-strain and fracture behaviors. From these tests, it was deduced that a period of ∼7 min of cooking time for both types of noodles produced the greatest notch sensitivity, A sensory panel was constructed to evaluate the sensorily perceived optimal cooking time of these products. This perception correlated well with the notch sensitivity results obtained from the tensile tests. From a materials perspective, solids that are notch-sensitive have firm mechanical links between their structural components. Raw, undercooked and overcooked noodles variably lack this. These results suggest that notch sensitivity may be important in sensory perception and help in constructing a physical definition of "cookedness" for these types of food. © 2006, Blackwell Publishing.