Development of dried rice noodles through partial substitution of rice flour with Phitsanulok 80 rice flour and black-eyed pea flour

Abstract

Rice noodles are widely popular among consumers due to their convenience and versatility in various dishes. However, most commercially available rice noodles are produced from polished rice, which mainly provides carbohydrates, while protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals remain at low levels. This study aimed to develop dried rice noodle formulations using broken rice flour from the Phitsanulok 80 variety. Broken rice flour was used to substitute rice flour in the base formulation at 24.54%, 32.85%, and 41.00%. Additionally, formulations were improved by incorporating black-eyed pea flour at three substitution levels (11.49%, 17.24%, and 22.98% of total weight). The developed rice noodles were then evaluated for sensory quality by five trained panelists and for consumer acceptance by 50 general consumers, using the 9-point and 5-point hedonic scales, respectively. Their physical properties and nutritional values were also analyzed. The results showed that the dried rice noodle formulation containing 24.54% broken rice flour and 11.49% black-eyed pea flour achieved the highest preference scores from both trained panelists and consumers (mean scores of 7.60 and 4.22). The developed noodles had an average water activity (aw) of 0.33, indicating low moisture content, and exhibited greater firmness than the control formulation. Nutritional analysis further revealed increases of 33.62% in protein and 25.85% in dietary fiber compared with the control. These findings suggest that dried rice noodles developed with Phitsanulok 80 broken rice flour and black-eyed pea flour could serve as a novel alternative for health-conscious consumers, aligning with current healthy eating trends.