Benefits of moisture control in noodle processing

Noodles are made from wheat flour which are then dried, shaped and packaged, for example, as instant noodles

In the beginning steps, water is present and could lead to problems such as dough clogging the machines, quality issues, or even worse, downtime for the plant. Controlling the moisture becomes vital, and the Hydro-Mix XT is installed inline in the process (an explosive atmosphere version is also available). It provides instantaneous feedback to the control system to reach the correct moisture targets. 

Benefits of measuring moisture in the noodle processing:

• Ensure the dough is the correct moisture to be worked with. Too wet and it becomes sticky; too dry and it crumbles.
• Calculate the correct amount of water to add to the flour.
• Mix the dough homogenously.
• Check dough is at a suitable moisture to be used by the rolling machine.
• Provides a final QA check that the dough sheet is at optimum moisture content.

Where do you need to measure moisture?

There are three places to install a moisture sensor:
1. In the flour hopper prior to the mixer.
2. In the mixer.
3. After the first set of rollers.

Expected Accuracy

A Hydro-Mix XT is installed in the end wall of the mixer. It is expected the accuracy will be better than:
• Hoppers ±0.5%
• Mixer ±0.2%
• After Rollers ±0.5%

Conclusion

During noodle processing, it is crucial to control the moisture in order to obtain a homogenous, high-quality dough that will not crumble or be too sticky. By adding moisture measurement in three critical areas, it is possible to cover the entire process and provide complete end-to-end moisture control.

Hydronix has a range of moisture sensors with high precision and accuracy, which can be used in the process. The Hydro-Mix XT-EX will specifically help with the installation into an explosive dust environment, whereas the Hydro-Mix XT can be used in ordinary locations.

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