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How are instant noodles manufactured
Instant noodles, a beloved convenience food worldwide, owe their ubiquity to a meticulous and efficient manufacturing process. Shanghai Poemy machinery will provide a detailed look into how instant noodles are made, including the machinery involved in each step, and offer an in-depth introduction to the packaging lines for both cup noodles and bag noodles.
1. Mixing
The process begins with the creation of the dough, which involves mixing key ingredients such as wheat flour, water, salt, and various additives to enhance the noodles' texture and flavor.
- Machinery:Industrial mixers.
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Process:Ingredients are loaded into mixers, which blend them into a consistent dough.
2. Kneading
Kneading the dough is essential for developing gluten, which gives the noodles their characteristic chewy texture.
- Machinery:Dough kneaders.
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Process:The dough is kneaded thoroughly to achieve the desired elasticity and consistency.
3. Rolling
The kneaded dough is then rolled into thin sheets, a crucial step for uniform cooking and shaping of the noodles.
- Machinery:Roller machines.
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Process:Dough is fed through rollers that progressively thin it into even sheets.
4. Steaming
Steaming pre-cooks the dough sheets, ensuring they maintain the correct texture during frying or drying.
- Machinery:Steaming tunnels.
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Process:The dough sheets are passed through steaming tunnels where they are cooked with steam at high temperatures.
5. Cutting and Shaping
The steamed dough sheets are cut into noodle strands and shaped as required. Cup noodles often have a wavy or curly shape, while bag noodles are typically straight.
- Machinery:Cutting machines.
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Process:The dough sheets are cut into strands using rotating blades and shaped as per the product design.
6. Frying or Air-Drying
The noodles are then either fried or air-dried to remove moisture and extend shelf life.
- Options:
⊙ Frying: The noodles are deep-fried, adding flavor and crispness.
⊙ Air-Drying: Hot air is used to dry the noodles, resulting in a lower fat content.
- Machinery:Fryers or air-drying tunnels.
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Process:Noodles are subjected to high temperatures in fryers or passed through hot air tunnels to dehydrate them.
7. Cooling
After frying or drying, the noodles need to be cooled to room temperature to prepare them for packaging.
- Machinery:Cooling conveyors.
- Process:Noodles are conveyed through cooling tunnels where they gradually return to ambient temperature.
Packaging Line
Efficient packaging is critical to maintaining the quality and extending the shelf life of instant noodles. The packaging process for bag noodles and cup noodles involves different steps and machinery, tailored to each product type.
1.Bag Noodles Packaging Line
(1) Noodle arranging and sorting machine
● Machinery: instant noodles arranging and sorting machine
● Process: Noodles are cut and portioned into specific weights for individual packaging.
(2) Bag Forming and instant noodles bag packaging
● Machinery: seasoning sachet packaging machine, seasoning sachet dispensor and instant noodles flow packer machines.
● Process: Bags are formed from a continuous roll of film.Noodles and seasoning packets are dispensed into the formed bags and then Heat sealer(heating wrapping machine,also called pillow packer)
(3) Date Coding and Inspection
● Machinery: Date coders and inspection systems.
● Process: Bags are stamped with manufacturing and expiration dates and inspected for quality assurance.
(4) Secondary Packaging
● Machinery: instant noodles cartoners or case packers.
● Process: Sealed bags are packed into cartons or cases for easier handling and shipping.
(5) Palletizing
● Machinery: Palletizers.
● Process: Cartons or cases are stacked onto pallets, which are then wrapped for stability during transport.
2.Cup Noodles Packaging Line
(1) Shrink Wrap Machine
● Function: Applies a plastic film around cups or cartons and shrinks it using heat.
● Process: Products are wrapped in a plastic film, then passed through a heat tunnel where the film shrinks tightly around the items. This provides an additional layer of protection and tamper-evidence.
(2) Cartoning Machine
● Function: Packs filled and sealed bags or cups into cartons.
● Process: Products are loaded into the machine, where cartons are erected, filled, and sealed. This step is crucial for organizing individual packages into larger, manageable units for transport and sale.
(3) Palletizing Machine
● Machinery: Palletizing Machine
● Process: Cartons are conveyed to the palletizing area, where a robotic arm or mechanical system arranges them in a stable configuration on pallets. The full pallets are then wrapped with plastic film to ensure stability during transport.
The manufacturing and packaging of instant noodles involve a series of well-coordinated steps，from mixing and kneading the dough to the final stages of packaging, every step is meticulously controlled. Whether packed in bags or cups, instant noodles are produced with precision to meet the high demand and standards of consumers worldwide. This detailed process underscores the complexity and sophistication behind one of the most popular convenience foods available today.