Hand-Extended Dry-Noodle

Japanese Executives from largest Hand-Extended Dry-Noodle (Soumen) cooperative
visit Wheat Marketing Center to evaluate using more U.S. wheat for products

PORTLAND, OR (July 23, 2002) Soumen noodles have been a delicacy in Japan for more than 1,000 years.

"Hand-extended" from 0.2 meters to 2.0 meters long when created, the noodles are consumed cold during the hot, humid summer months in Japan. Once hand-extended using wooden sticks, the long, thin noodles are made today using high-tech machines.

Sixteen executives from the Hyogo Prefecture Hand-Extended Dry-Noodle Cooperative Association in Japan were hosted by the Wheat Marketing Center (WMC) last week. The group was one of the largest in the center's 10-year history.

Purpose of the noodle team from Japan was to see the facilities available at the Wheat Marketing Center, meet the food scientists there, and experience hands-on testing and evaluation of Soumen noodle making using 100 percent U.S. wheat versus two control flours from Japan.

The control flour consisted of (1) 70 percent Australian Standard White (ASW) with 30 percent U.S. Dark Northern Spring (DNS) and (2) 49 percent ASW, 21 percent DNS, and 30 percent Japanese Domestic Wheat.

Fluent in Japanese, the Wheat Marketing Center's Laboratory Supervisor Bon Lee and the team of food scientists demonstrated the precision instruments and the unique measure-ment, milling, mixing, and noodle pilot machine equipment available. All were used to prepare noodle dough from the three different flours -- precisely preparing, mixing, compressing, and even resting the dough.

Sheeting and slitting of each dough, on the only noodle pilot machine in the United States, was performed and the unique, but uncooked Soumen noodles were hung for 24 hours, then cut to length.

After cooking came rinsing in cold tap water and draining. Then the noodles were taste tested.

While two executives preferred the noodles made with 100 percent U.S. wheat, which had a harder bite, others found the noodles too hard, too white, and preferred a smoother surface for consumption during the hot, humid summer days in Japan.

"Refinements in wheat breeding, color, and different flour blends are needed before we will see increased market share, but we have a very enhanced opportunity now to meet the needs of a growing Soumen noodle product niche market," David Shelton, WMC executive director commented.

"This market is significant to U.S. wheat farmers as 75,000 metric tons of Soumen noodles are consumed every year in Japan. That represents more than 3.7 million bushels of wheat needed annually," Shelton said.

Bon Lee concluded that "we have now established excellent relationships, meeting one-on-one with the largest hand-stretched noodle manufacturer in Japan. Established more than 115 years ago, this cooperative has 706 members and 560 factories. Most of the factories are farmer owned. Information from their visit is being shared with industry wheat breeders. Our research here is continuing, we are maintaining contact, and are providing a flow of useful data to these executives."

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