Wet noodles with different percentages of amaranth powder were prepared and their cooking characteristics were evaluated. The cooking quality, mechanical textural properties, and a sensory evaluation was conducted with the prepared noodles. Cooked noodle properties, weight, and volume decreased as amaranth content of the wheat flour increased, whereas turbidity and water absorption of the soup increased, except for cooked noodles with 30% amaranth. The L-value of the raw and cooked noodles decreased significantly with increasing amaranth powder content. The a- and b-values increased with increasing amounts of added amaranth powder. The L-value of the raw and cooked noodles with amaranth was significantly lower than that of the control, and the a-value was lower than that of the control, whereas the b-value was higher than that of the control for both raw and cooked noodles. A texture profile analysis of the raw noodles showed significantly higher levels of hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness, and springiness in the amaranth noodles compared to those in the control; the values for adhesiveness were not significantly different. The hardness, gumminess, springiness, and chewiness of the cooked noodles decreased in proportion to the quantity of added amaranth. The springiness, adhesiveness, and cohesiveness of cooked noodles with amaranth decreased slightly. Overall, the results of a sensory evaluation revealed that the cooked noodles with amaranth had higher values than those of the control, except for overall acceptability. Amaranth added at a concentration of up to 30% increased brown color and the peculiar amaranth odor. In a sensory evaluation, cooked noodles with 20% amaranth powder were preferred more than the other noodles for overall acceptability.

• 황자영 | Ja Young Hwang