Nutritional and quality characteristics of instant noodles supplemented with oyster mushroom (P. ostreatus)

Instant (quick cooking) noodles are the most common convenience food but are always under speculation for its nutritional value and effect on human health. Effect of nutrient supplementation of mushroom powder (2–10%) was evaluated on the nutritional, sensory and textural quality of instant noodles. Increase in cooking time, water absorption, and tensile strength as well as solid loss during cooking of noodles was observed with increasing mushroom powder supplementation, although the increase was significant only after 4% addition of mushroom powder (p ≤ .05). Protein content increased remarkably with increasing fortification of mushroom powder. Significant increase in percent DPPH inhibition (70.11%) with only 2% mushroom powder addition was observed. Peak viscosity (RVA) also increased with increasing levels of mushroom powder upto 6%. Mushroom fortified noodles with enhanced protein (11.32%) and fiber (1.96%) content were successfully produced with optimum cooking quality and sensory characteristics at 4% level of addition of mushroom powder. The optimized product had 17.3 and 8.89% more protein and fiber as compared to control. Practical applications Protein rich ready to cook (RTC) instant noodles have been developed that can cater to ever increasing to double income families. In the present study, supplementation technology of pasta and noodles with protein and fiber rich mushroom flour has been extended with great success (sensorially and nutritionally) to instant noodles. The product is both nutritionally superior as well as convenient to cook and consume. The product is novel as nutrition is complimented with convenience (instant cooking product) and high acceptability amongst children and adults.