Moisture molecule migration and quality changes of fresh wet noodles dehydrated by cold plasma treatment

Compared with dried noodles, fresh wet noodles (FWNs) have unique flavor and texture characteristics. However, they have a short shelf life due to their high moisture content (approximately 33%). We developed an innovative technique applying cold plasma, which allows the quick removal of some of the moisture to improve their shelf-life. We investigated the effect of cold plasma treatment on the extent of moisture molecule migration and on quality changes in FWNs. A rapid moisture molecule migration occurred due to the synergism between the structure driving force and drying driving force caused by cold plasma. The color of FWNs became whiter and the texture became harder upon plasma treatment. Scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry showed that the structural stability of FWNs increased. Moreover, cold plasma treatment had no effect on the secondary structure types of FWNs, while the α-helix and β-sheet converted to β-turn and random coil.