A Small Scale Laboratory Noodle Sheeting Machine1

Rheological properties of cooked noodles made on a small‐scale laboratory sheeting machine developed at the Cereal Research Centre were strongly correlated with the same properties of noodles made on a pilot noodle sheeting machine. Values obtained from both machines were evaluated against 22 laboratory tests used in our breeding program. For example, cooked noodle viscoelasticity (r=0.89, P < 0.01) and cooked noodle cutting force (r = 0.79, P < 0.01) were similar. Cooked noodle viscoelasticity of fresh noodles made on the laboratory machine correlated significantly (P < 0.05) with 17 of the tests and cooked noodle cutting force correlated significantly with 18 tests. Cooked noodle viscoelasticity of dried noodles made with the pilot plant noodle machine had significant correlations (P < 0.05) with only 14 of the tests and cooked noodle cutting force had significant correlations with 15 tests. The pilot plant machine requires a minimum of 500 g for one sample, while the small‐scale sheeting machine requires only 5‐10 g of flour.