Study on Noodle Characteristics and Quality of Poria cocos Powder

To explore the improvement effect of Poria cocos powder on the quality of traditional noodle products, functional noodle products were developed. The present study systematically analyzes the effects of Poria cocos powder addition (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%, w/w) on pasting properties, rheological properties, cooking stability, texture properties, color, microstructure, antioxidant activity, glycemic index (GI) and sensory score of noodles. The results show that the peak viscosity of the mixed powder decreases significantly from 85.42 cP to 32.37 cP (P<0.05) as the amount of Poria cocos powder added increases. The thermal stability showed an upward trend while the hardness and adhesiveness of noodles showed a downward trend. Noodles achieved optimal texture characteristics when 4% of Poria cocos powder was added (elasticity 1.68 mm, chewiness 32.42 mJ). As the amount of Poria cocos added increased, the microstructure of noodles showed a tighter gluten network and reduced surface pores. The L* value of the color decreased from 81.30 to 69.66, the a* value increased from −0.58 to 1.82, and the brightness decreased and became reddish. The cooking loss rate decreased from 3.01% to 2.78%. The antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS+ free radical scavenging rate and iron reduction ability) was positively correlated with the amount of Poria cocos added. The DPPH and ABTS⁺ free radical scavenging rate and iron reduction ability) was positively correlated with the amount of Poria cocos added. The DPPH and ABTS⁺ free radical scavenging rates of noodles with 10% Poria cocos addition were 83.48% and 79.7%, respectively. The glycemic index (eGI) decreased from 81.48 to 59.68, with significant delaying starch digestion (P<0.05). However, when the amount of Poria cocos powder added was greater than or equal to 8%, the broken rate of noodles increased significantly (P<0.05). Comprehensive quality analysis showed the optimal noodle texture, sensory score (75 points) and thermal stability (peak storage modulus G') when adding 4% of Poria cocos powder, as well as outstanding antioxidant and sugar control effects when adding 10% of Poria cocos powder. This study confirmed that Poria cocos powder can optimize the nutritional and functional properties of noodles by regulating the gluten network, starch crystallization and release of active ingredient, providing a theoretical basis for the development of functional flour products.