Effect of surfactin on microbial content, appearance quality, and starch properties of fresh noodles during storage

Fresh noodles (FNs) are prone to quality deterioration during storage, negatively affecting their edibility. This study investigated the impacts of different surfactin concentrations on microbial content, appearance quality, and starch properties in FNs to enhance storage stability and shelf life. The addition of surfactin effectively controlled the microbial growth in FNs during storage, FNs containing 0.4 % surfactin maintained total aerobic plate count below 10⁶ CFU/g for up to 72 h at 25 °C, which was at least 48 h longer than the control group. Furthermore, surfactin could inhibit yellowing and reduce the appearance of dark spots in FNs during storage. Results from Rapid Visco Analyzer, X-ray diffractometer, and Differential Scanning Calorimetry indicated that surfactin inhibited the decrease in starch viscosity, and the increase in relative crystallinity and enthalpy, and improved the storage stability of starch in FNs. This research provides a theoretical foundation for applying surfactin as an enhancer in FNs.