Utilization of preharvest-dropped apple powder as an oil barrier for instant fried noodles

The effects of preharvest-dropped apple powder (PDAP) on the functional properties of instant fried noodles were investigated in terms of rheological, textural, and oil-resisting properties. When wheat flour was replaced with PDAP at 10, 20, and 30% by weight, the oil absorption index of wheat flour was reduced by 6 ∼ 9% while there was an increase in the temperature of starch gelatinization which could be attributed to its high content of dietary fiber and sugar. In a wheat dough system, the water absorption decreased with increasing levels of PDAP (55.9-37.0%) while the dough stability was enhanced (7.4-11.9 min). The rheological and textural measurements showed that the use of PDAP for wheat flour produced noodle dough samples with less viscoelastic and tensile properties, which could be correlated to the reduced breaking stress of fried noodles. Furthermore, the incorporation of PDAP into the noodle formulation produced a more compact and continuous structure of the noodle samples with fewer and smaller voids. Thereby, PDAP had a significant impact on the oil uptake of fried noodles which was reduced by 42% at a PDAP level of 30%.

► Preharvest-dropped apple powder (PDAP) was used as an oil barrier for fried noodles. ► PDAP high in dietary fiber and sugar enhanced the mixing stability of noodle dough. ► PDAP-fried noodles had a more compact surface structure with fewer and smaller voids. ► Use of PDAP significantly reduced the oil uptake of instant fried noodles by 42%.