Work

Moisture content as a critical factor: balancing microstructural integrity and cooking quality in frozen potato starch noodles

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This study aimed to identify the optimal initial moisture content for frozen potato starch noodles (PSN) and to elucidate the underlying mechanism by which moisture regulates ice crystal formation, multi-scale structure, and cooking quality. PSN with moisture contents ranging from 45% to 70% were frozen at –30 °C for 6 h and subsequently evaluated. Compared to the control (PSN 60 , 60% moisture), PSN₅₀ (50% moisture) exhibited a 115.94% increase in elongation at break (reaching 413.13%) and a 2.69% reduction in cooking loss. Low-field NMR revealed that PSN 50 contained predominantly bound water, indicating limited free water available for ice crystallization. Moreover, PSN 50 possessed a finer and more uniform porous structure, implying restrained ice crystal growth. X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy further demonstrated that 50% moisture significantly promoted starch retrogradation, increasing crystallinity from 7.20% to 10.39%, and enhancing short-range molecular order. Meanwhile, a higher fractal dimension (α = 1.643) for PSN 50 further confirmed a denser gel network. These results establish that a moisture content of 50% optimally balances water availability, limits deleterious ice crystal formation, promotes structural ordering, and ultimately enhances the textural and cooking performance of frozen PSN. This work provides a clean-label strategy for quality improvement in frozen starch-based foods through intrinsic moisture regulation.

Source: Food Hydrocolloids for Health

DOI: 10.1016/j.fhfh.2026.100271