Instant noodles - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Instant noodles are dried or precooked noodles and are often sold with packets of flavoring including seasoning oil. Dried noodles are usually eaten after being cooked or soaked in boiling water for 2 to 5 minutes, while precooked noodles can be reheated or eaten straight from the packet. Instant noodles were invented by Momofuku Andō

Momofuku Ando

, ORS, was a Taiwanese-Japanese businessman who founded Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd. He is famed as the inventor of instant noodles and cup noodles.- Early life :...

of Nissin Foods, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

History

Instant noodles were first created by Momofuku Ando

Momofuku Ando

, ORS, was a Taiwanese-Japanese businessman who founded Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd. He is famed as the inventor of instant noodles and cup noodles.- Early life :...

, who was born in southwestern Taiwan when the island was under Japanese colonial rule

Taiwan under Japanese rule

Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a dependency of the Empire of Japan. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Imperial Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century....

in Japan

Japan

on August 25, 1958, under the brand name Chikin Ramen (チキンラーメン). Momofuku developed the production methodology of flash frying the noodles after they had been made, creating "instant" noodles. This step dried the noodles and gave them a longer shelf life. Chikin Ramen itself was distinctly different from modern instant noodles in that each block of noodles was pre-seasoned and sold for 35 Yen. Initially, due to its price and novelty, Chikin Ramen was considered a luxury item, as Japanese grocery stores typically sold fresh noodles for one-sixth their price. . Despite this, instant noodles eventually gained immense popularity, especially after being promoted by Mitsubishi Corporation

Mitsubishi Corporation

is Japan's largest trading company , a member of the Mitsubishi keiretsu. Mitsubishi Corporation employs over 50,000 people and has seven business segments including finance, banking, energy, machinery, chemicals, food and more....

.

In 1971, Nissin introduced the Cup Noodles

Cup noodles

Cup Noodles is a brand of instant ramen noodle snack manufactured by Nissin, packaged in a polyethylene foam, hard plastic or paper cup. The product is known for being inexpensive and easy to prepare...

, instant noodles in a waterproof polystyrene cup, to which boiling water could be added to cook the noodles. A further innovation added dried vegetables to the cup, creating a complete instant soup

Soup

Soup is a generally warm food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth.Traditionally,...

dish.

According to a Japanese poll in the year 2000, "the Japanese believe their best invention of the 20th century was instant noodles." , approximately 95 billion servings of instant noodles are eaten worldwide every year. China consumes 42 billion packages of instant noodles per year – 44% of world consumption – Indonesia, 14 billion; Japan, 5.3 billion, Viet Nam 4.8 billion, USA 4 billion. Per capita, South Koreans consume the greatest amount of instant noodles, 69 per capita per year.

Instant noodles are not only popular with college

College

A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...

students, they can also be an economic indicator

Economic indicator

An economic indicator is a statistic about the economy. Economic indicators allow analysis of economic performance and predictions of future performance. One application of economic indicators is the study of business cycles....

. In 2005, the Mama Noodles Index was launched to reflect the sales of Mama Noodles, the biggest instant noodle manufacturer in Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

. The index was steady following recovery from the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, but sales increased about 15% on a year-to-year basis in the first seven months of 2005, which was regarded as a sign of an inferior good

Inferior good

In consumer theory, an inferior good is a good that decreases in demand when consumer income rises, unlike normal goods, for which the opposite is observed. Normal goods are those for which consumers' demand increases when their income increases....

, one whose consumption increases as incomes fall. The theory was that the increase in sales of instant noodles, which are usually cheap, occurred because people could not afford more expensive foods.

Health concerns

Instant noodles are often criticized as unhealthy or junk food

Junk food

Junk food is an informal term applied to some foods that are perceived to have little or no nutritional value ; to products with nutritional value, but which also have ingredients considered unhealthy when regularly eaten; or to those considered unhealthy to consume at all...

. A single serving of instant noodles is high in carbohydrates but low in fiber

Dietary fiber

Dietary fiber, dietary fibre, or sometimes roughage is the indigestible portion of plant foods having two main components:* soluble fiber that is readily fermented in the colon into gases and physiologically active byproducts, and* insoluble fiber that is metabolically inert, absorbing water as it...

, vitamin

Vitamin

A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism. In other words, an organic chemical compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet. Thus, the term is conditional both on...

s and mineral

Dietary mineral

Dietary minerals are the chemical elements required by living organisms, other than the four elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen present in common organic molecules. Examples of mineral elements include calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, zinc, and iodine...

s. Noodles are typically fried as part of the manufacturing process, resulting in high levels of saturated fat

Saturated fat

Saturated fat is fat that consists of triglycerides containing only saturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between the individual carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain. That is, the chain of carbon atoms is fully "saturated" with hydrogen atoms...

and/or trans fat

Trans fat

Trans fat is the common name for unsaturated fat with trans-isomer fatty acid. Because the term refers to the configuration of a double carbon-carbon bond, trans fats are sometimes monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, but never saturated....

. Additionally, if served in an instant broth, instant noodles typically contain high amounts of sodium

Sodium

Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal and is a member of the alkali metals; its only stable isotope is 23Na. It is an abundant element that exists in numerous minerals, most commonly as sodium chloride...

. The current U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance of sodium for adults and children over 4 years old is 2,400 mg/day; in extreme cases, some brands may contain over 3,000 mg of sodium per package.
The most recent controversy concerns dioxin and other hormone

Hormone

A hormone is a chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one...

-like substances that could theoretically be extracted from the packaging and glues used to pack the instant noodles. It was reasoned that harmful substances could seep into the soup as hot water was added to cup style instant noodles. After a series of studies were conducted, various organizations requested changes in the packaging to address these concerns.

Another concern regarding the consumption of fried foods, including instant noodles, is the possible presence of oxidation products resulting from poor maintenance of the oil. If the cooking oil is not maintained at the proper temperature or changed as often as necessary, these oxidation products, which are suspected to pose various health risks, can be present in the foods. Proper production standards minimize the risk.

Instant noodles worldwide

Instant noodles have become a popular food in many parts of the world, undergoing changes in flavor to fit local tastes.

Argentina

In Argentina instant noodles are gaining popularity and can be found in most major cities in supermarkets. The brand is usually Sapporo Ichiban

Sapporo Ichiban

is a brand of instant noodles made by Sanyo Foods, and rivals to other Japanese ramen brands like Nissin and Maruchan.Sapporo Ichiban has found a market outside of Japan, most notably with consumers in Hong Kong, The United States, Mexico and Canada.Sapporo Ichiban literally means, "Sapporo's...

. The Maruchan

Maruchan

Maruchan Inc., also known as Maruchan , is a well-known American producer of ramen noodles and related products. Maruchan produces over 3.6 billion packages of Ramen Noodle Soup a year and now has three manufacturing plants, two in Irvine, California and one in Richmond, Virginia...

brand can also be found at Disco and Coto supermarkets. Due to the recent Chinese immigration wave, specialized Chinese supermarkets offer a wide variety of instant noodle brands.

Australia

The most popular brand of instant noodles in Australia was Maggi noodles

Maggi noodles

Maggi noodles is a brand of instant noodles manufactured by Nestlé. The brand is popular in Australia, India, South Africa, Brazil, Nepal, New Zealand, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Fiji and the Philippines. In several countries, it is also known as "maggi mee"...

for some time and, because of a strong advertising campaign, continue to be highly popular despite being amongst the highest-priced packet noodles. Many other brands have entered the market; almost every popular brand of Korean, Japanese and Indonesian noodles is available in Australian supermarkets and convenience stores, because of the cultural mesh of Asian cuisine in Australian life. Among cup noodles, the most popular brand is Fantastic Noodles. Among packet noodles, there are four popular choices, Indomie Mi Goreng

IndoMie Mi Goreng

Indomie Mi goreng is an instant noodles product line made under the Indomie brand by the Indofood company, the world's largest instant noodle manufacturer, located in Indonesia. The product entered the market in 1982 and is available in many parts of the world including the US, Australia, New...

(fried Indonesian noodles served without broth), Ibumie Har Mee (Malaysian traditional Penang Prawn Noodles) Nissin's Demae Ramen, and Nong Shim's Shin Ramyun

Shin ramyun

Shin Ramyun is a spicy brand of Korean instant noodles produced by Nong Shim Ltd. since 1986. It is exported to over 80 different countries, and is the highest selling brand of noodles in Korea.-Packaging:...

served with broth.

Belgium

Instant noodles are not widely popular in Belgium and are expensive. The most common brand is the Westernized "Aiki Noodles", but sales are low. Authentic Japanese and Thai instant noodles can be found only in Asian specialty stores, and in very limited quantity in some supermarkets.

Brazil

For a long time, the main manufacturer of instant noodles was Nissin Myojo, to the extent that, in Brazil, the most common name for them is "Myojo", although the manufacturers call them "lámen" or "l'amen". Many other companies, such as Maggi

Maggi

Maggi is a Nestlé brand of instant soups, stocks, bouillon cubes, ketchups, sauces, seasonings and instant noodles. The original company came into existence in 1872 in Switzerland, when Julius Maggi took over his father's mill. It quickly became a pioneer of industrial food production, aiming at...

and Nestlé

Nestlé

Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...

, also offer this product. There are many variants, such as "Lámen Cremoso", which has a creamy sauce, and "Lámen Hot", which includes pepper, as well as yakisoba

Yakisoba

', literally "fried noodles", is a dish often sold at festivals in Japan, but originates in China. The dish was derived by the Chinese from the traditional chow mein, but has been more heavily integrated into Japanese cuisine like ramen...

and spaghetti

Spaghetti

Spaghetti is a long, thin, cylindrical pasta of Italian origin. Spaghetti is made of semolina or flour and water. Italian dried spaghetti is made from durum wheat semolina, but outside of Italy it may be made with other kinds of flour...

. Unlike its original concept, most Brazilians don't prepare and consume instant noodles as a soup. Instead, they prefer to drain most of the cooking water and eat it like pasta.

Canada

Instant noodles were first introduced into Canada as early as in the very early 1980's or even before , as Ramen noodles as its Japanese originator. There are many brand available including major brands from companies such as Nissin Foods, Sapporo Ichiban

Sapporo Ichiban

,Mr. Noodles

Mr. Noodles

Mr. Noodles is the brand name of a Canadian instant noodles product. The Mr. Noodles brand is sold in packages the same size of traditional ramen. Mr. Noodles is sold in instant ramen pack , instant ramen cup or instant ramen bowl. It is sold at grocery and convenience stores, and sometimes in...

, Nong Shim, and Knorr. In some areas, the noodles are referred to simply by these brand names. These main-brand packages generally only contain one flavoring pouch. Some brand, mostly more expensive Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Thai brands include more flavoring and separate packets for dried vegetables, flavoring contained in oil, and pepper in addition to the soup stock. Korean brands such as Nong Shim are readily available in most large grocery stores, and in some major cities, brands imported from Europe are available.

In larger grocery stores and Asian markets in larger cities, a large variety of brands and international flavours can be found including noodles from places such as Thailand, Indonesia, and India. Instant noodles from Grace, a Caribbean food company is available in some places. Due to the large South Asian population in some major cities, Maggi is also a popular brand. Product formats include regular plastic wrapping and in various cups and Styrofoam bowls.

China

China is a fast-growing market for instant noodles. The market is focusing on higher-end products, generally costing more than 1 RMB

Renminbi

The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC...

. The top three brands in this category dominate more than 85% of the market; for the lower end, those costing less than 1 RMB, the leading five brands hold about 60% of the market share.

The dominant brands in the Chinese market are:

Ting Yi (aka Master Kong or Kang-shi-fu, 康師傅), owned by the Taiwanese Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corporation and managed with a Japanese strategic alliance partner Sanyo Food, the third-largest player in the Japanese market. Master Kong is the largest brand, with a business scope extending to beverages (RTD) and bakeries.
Uni-President (aka President or Tong-Yi, 統一), a PLC listed in Taiwan. Like Master Kong, it once had its own businesses in beverages and bakeries. However, the company recently formed a JV partnership with Hwa-Long and Nissin to distribute beverages. Uni-President's home market is Taiwan, but the company is now expanding aggressively in mainland China.
Hwa-Long (華龍, i.e. Chinese Dragon), a local company allied with Nissin. Because of that relationship, Hwa-long has long been regarded as Nissin's agent in the world's largest consumer market. Recently Hwa-long, Nissin, and Uni-President formed a partnership in the beverage business in order to collectively compete against Master Kong.
Bai-xiang (白象, i.e. White Elephant), a local company spin-off based on a former state-owned enterprise, which still enjoys a strong local customer base. It is a leading brand in terms of volume, and its products fall into the lower price range.

Denmark

Virtually all supermarkets sell instant noodles of some sort, but they tend to be Westernized and come in foam containers, costing upwards of 5 kroner. Ethnic stores and specialty shops offer the most popular alternative, Yum Yum, whose prices range from 3–4 kroner; "3 for 10" offers are nearly universal. Its popularity has been sufficient to become a generic brand name. Mama, another brand from Thailand, is the second most popular Eastern brand but has a much smaller market share. Wai Wai, made in Nepal, is also available. Most Danish supermarket instant noodles contain MSG as a flavor enhancer.

Egypt

The primary brand of instant noodles in Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

is Indomie

Indomie

Indomie is a brand of instant noodles by Indofood Sukses Makmur, the world's largest instant noodle manufacturer, located in Indonesia. It is distributed in Australia, Asia, Africa, New Zealand, the United States and European and Middle Eastern countries...

; they are relatively affordable, being available at most small dry-goods shops for anywhere from L.E.

Egyptian pound

The Egyptian Pound is the currency of Egypt. It is divided into 100 Qirsh , or 1,000 Milliemes ....

1 to L.E. 1.50 (US$ 0.16-0.24). While this puts them out of the price range of the poorest Egyptians (who can purchase the raw ingredients to produce more food for the same price), they are fairly popular among the growing Egyptian middle class.

Ethiopia

In Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...

, the most popular instant noodle brand is Indomie

Indomie

because of its variety of flavors and affordable price. It is referred to as "Lehulum Tesmami", meaning "Suitable For All" in the Amharic language. Its sole agents and distributors are YSO & SONS General Trading PLC.

Finland

Noodles are ubiquitous in all urban grocery stores and supermarkets. Packet noodles are the norm, while cup noodles are often pricier and are seldom available outside ethnic food shops. Yum Yum and Mama cost about half a euro, while Koka's higher-end offering, featuring a larger portion of non-fried noodles with no trans fat and no preservatives, costs about one euro a piece.

Germany

Instant soups have a long tradition in Germany, back to 19th century, with, for example, the inventions of Justus von Liebig

Justus von Liebig

Justus von Liebig was a German chemist who made major contributions to agricultural and biological chemistry, and worked on the organization of organic chemistry. As a professor, he devised the modern laboratory-oriented teaching method, and for such innovations, he is regarded as one of the...

, or Maggi products. Instant noodles as discussed here, however, were relatively unknown in Germany until the 1990s, but they have since continually gained in popularity.

There are two types of ramen in Germany: the first, generally called "Instant-Nudeln" (instant noodles), tends to be a mild, Westernized version and comes in flavors such as chicken, vegetable, beef

Beef

Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...

and button mushroom

Button mushroom

Agaricus bisporus—known variously as the common mushroom, button mushroom, white mushroom, table mushroom, champignon mushroom, crimini mushroom, Swiss brown mushroom, Roman brown mushroom, Italian brown, Italian mushroom, cultivated mushroom, or when mature, the Portobello mushroom—is an edible...

. The second type is called "Ramen" and is quite similar to traditional ramen as it is known in Asia. German "Ramen" was originally considered an ethnic food and was only available in specialty stores. Since the mid-1990s, it has become available at German supermarkets. The most popular brands are Yum Yum, Nissin Cup Noodles

Cup noodles

and Maggi

Maggi

Hong Kong

Cantonese people

The Cantonese people are Han people whose ancestral homes are in Guangdong, China. The term "Cantonese people" would then be synonymous with the Bun Dei sub-ethnic group, and is sometimes known as Gwong Fu Jan for this narrower definition...

have a long history of cooking yi mein

Yi mein

Yi mein is a variety of flat Cantonese egg noodles made from wheat flour. They are known for their golden yellow color and chewy characteristics...

, a noodle invented in the Qing Dynasty

Qing Dynasty

The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....

. Modern instant noodles were publicly introduced as "Doll Noodles" in the late 1960s by Winner Food Products Ltd, which was bought by Nissin in 1984. That term has since become a synonym

Genericized trademark

A genericized trademark is a trademark or brand name that has become the colloquial or generic description for, or synonymous with, a general class of product or service, rather than as an indicator of source or affiliation as intended by the trademark's holder...

for instant noodles irrespective of brand in Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

and Southern China. Other brands include Shin Ramyun

Shin ramyun

and Demae Itcho

Demae Itcho

Demae Itcho is a brand of instant noodles produced by Nissin Foods. Its name translates to delivery, one order. Demae Itcho was first introduced in Japan in 1969 and entered the market in Hong Kong the next year. Since then, it has become one of the most popular instant noodle brands in Hong Kong....

India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh

The most popular brand in the three countries is Nestlé's Maggi

Maggi

, which is regarded in popular culture as a two-minute noodle. Other popular brands include Top Ramen Smoodles and Cup Noodles manufactured by Indo-Nissin Ltd, Ching's Instant Noodles, AA Nutritions's Yummy, and Wai-Wai, owned by the Chaudhary Group from Nepal

Nepal

Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

and India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. Smith & Jones, Ching's secrets

Smith & Jones instant noodles

Smith & Jones is the brand name of instant noodles & sauces manufactured and distributed by Capital Foods Ltd India.-Noodle Flavors:The noodles are available in the following flavors:*Smith & Jones Masala flavour:...

, Tai Pai Noodles (Maruti quality Foods Products Pvt. Ltd) are also popular new brands of instant noodles in India. Wai Wai is gaining momentum in North Eastern states, Sikkim and west Bengal.

Local flavors such as masala and chicken tikka dominate. The most popular flavor of Top Ramen is known as "Curry

Curry

Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...

Smoodles"; its flavorings mimic a basic curry, including onion, garlic, coriander, and a curry masala. A package sells for 10–12 rupees in India and 16 rupees in Pakistan. In India, there is also great demand for unflavored instant noodles; brands such as Bambino and Ching's dominate the market.

Ching's and Smith and Jones are brand of Capital Foods Ltd.,(Masala,Curry, Chicken Masala under Smith and Jones brand and Ching's Flavor are Manchurian, Schezwan , Hot Garlic and Chicken Roast Garlic.

ITC launched its Yippee noodle under Sunfeast Brand.

Because of increasing health consciousness, Nestle introduced an instant noodle based on whole wheat grain flour, called Atta Noodles. Instant rice noodles are also available in various flavors. However, Nestle's original "Maggi" masala flavored noodles continue to be the most successful brand of instant noodles not only in India but in the United States for Indian Americans, as well. Although, Nestle is yet to introduce a microwaveable version of "Maggi" noodles, their current products continue to be increasingly popular.

Foodles, a new instant noodle brand was launched in late 2010, focusing on health issues, with the tagline, ' Noodles without the No '. This range has significantly higher nutrition values compared to other popular brands. It comes in both Multigrain and Wheat-only forms. The brand is owned by Horlicks

Horlicks

Horlicks is the name of a company and of a malted milk hot drink. It is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline in the United Kingdom, South Africa, New Zealand, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Jamaica, and under licence in the Philippines and Malaysia....

Indonesia

With production peaking at 8.66 billion packs in 1996, Indonesia is the second largest producer of instant noodle after China which produces 16 billion packs a year. The first widely known instant noodle in Indonesia was "Supermi", introduced in the 1970s by Indofood Sukses Makmur

Indofood

PT. Indofood CBP Sukses Makmur Tbk., better known as Indofood, is a major Indonesian company involved in the food industry. The company's headquarters are in Jakarta....

, the largest instant noodle producer in the world. It later introduced two additional brands – "Indomie

Indomie

" and "Sarimi".

Currently, Indofood Sukses Makmur has a market share of about 70% of Indonesian instant noodle production. In 1999, the figure was about 90%; their market share declined following the introduction of "Mie Sedaap" by Wings Food in 2003.

Indonesians prefer noodles with a strong flavor. Popular flavors of Indonesian instant noodle include Chicken Curry, Onion and Chicken, Beef Meatball

Meatball

A meatball is made from an amount of ground meat rolled into a small ball, sometimes along with other ingredients, such as breadcrumbs, minced onion, spices, and possibly eggs...

, and Chicken Soto

Soto ayam

Soto ayam is a yellow spicy chicken soup with lontong or nasi empit or ketupat and/or vermicelli or noodles, commonly found in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Suriname. Turmeric is added as one of its ingredients to get yellow chicken broth...

, a traditional Indonesian chicken soup. In the past, Indomie tried to produce 30 different flavors to reflect various traditional dishes of Indonesian cuisine, but the product line was discontinued after disappointing results with only several popular variants remain in production. Strong local preferences contribute to the low volume of sales of Japanese and other foreign instant noodles in Indonesia; hot and spicy Korean noodles appeal most to these tastes and have the largest market share among foreign instant noodles.

A dry instant noodle meant to replicate the traditional Indonesian dish Mi Goreng, or fried noodle, is also popular in Indonesia. Most of the market share is owned by the product Indomie Mi Goreng

IndoMie Mi Goreng

Ireland

The most popular brands of instant noodles in Ireland are Koka Noodles

Koka noodles

Koka Noodles are a brand of instant noodles, manufactured by Tat Hui Foods. The noodles are available in a variety of Asian flavors, as packets or cup noodles. Manufacturing and packaging is done at Tat Hui's factory in Jurong, Singapore. They are sold islandwide in Singapore, and also exported to...

and Pot Noodle

Pot Noodle

Pot Noodle is a brand of ramen-style instant noodle snack foods, available in a selection of flavours and varieties. Its dehydrated mixture consists of wide noodles, textured soya pieces, assorted dried vegetables and flavouring powder. The product is prepared by adding boiling water, which softens...

. Koka are distributed by the Boyne Valley Group for the Irish market.

Japan

Japan is the country of origin of instant noodles. Instant noodles remain a "national" light food. The average Japanese person eats 40 packs of instant noodles per year.

After their invention by Taiwanese-Japanese Momofuku Andō in 1958, instant noodles became very common in Japan. In the 1970s, makers expanded their flavors to include such examples as shio (salt ramen), miso
Miso
is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting rice, barley and/or soybeans, with salt and the fungus , the most typical miso being made with soy. The result is a thick paste used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables or meats, and mixing with dashi soup stock to serve as miso...

, or curry

Japanese curry

is one of the most popular dishes in Japan. It is commonly served in three main forms: , karē udon and karē-pan . Curry rice is most commonly referred to simply as ....

. Beginning in the 1980s, makers also added dried toppings such as shrimp, pork, or eggs. This, however, made instant noodles more expensive, and their popularity decreased for a while. Today, instant noodles are divided into two groups: "traditional" cheap (¥

Japanese yen

The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...

150 to ¥200) noodles with few toppings and expensive (¥200 to ¥500) noodles with many toppings, which are often packed into a pouch. Various kinds of instant noodles are produced, including ramen

Ramen

is a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and uses toppings such as , , kamaboko, green onions, and occasionally corn...

, udon

Udon

is a type of thick wheat-flour noodle of Japanese cuisine.Udon is usually served hot as noodle soup in its simplest form as kake udon, in a mildly flavoured broth called kakejiru which is made of dashi, soy sauce , and mirin. It is usually topped with thinly chopped scallions...

, soba

Soba

is the Japanese name for buckwheat. It is synonymous with a type of thin noodle made from buckwheat flour, and in Japan can refer to any thin noodle . Soba noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or in hot broth as a noodle soup...

, yakisoba

Yakisoba

, and pasta

Pasta

Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, now of worldwide renown. It takes the form of unleavened dough, made in Italy, mostly of durum wheat , water and sometimes eggs. Pasta comes in a variety of different shapes that serve for both decoration and to act as a carrier for the...

.

Major makers in Japan are:

Nissin Food Products 日清食品, whose famous brands include Chicken Ramen and Cup Noodles
Cup noodles
Cup Noodles is a brand of instant ramen noodle snack manufactured by Nissin, packaged in a polyethylene foam, hard plastic or paper cup. The product is known for being inexpensive and easy to prepare...

, has a 40.4% market share .
Tōyō Suisan
Toyo Suisan
, or just , is a Japanese company specializing in ramen noodles. Toyo Suisan is headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. It owns the brand Maruchan and operates two companies in the United States: Maruchan, Inc. in Irvine, California and Maruchan Virginia, Inc. in Richmond, Virginia.It was established in...

東洋水産, nicknamed Maruchan
Maruchan
Maruchan Inc., also known as Maruchan , is a well-known American producer of ramen noodles and related products. Maruchan produces over 3.6 billion packages of Ramen Noodle Soup a year and now has three manufacturing plants, two in Irvine, California and one in Richmond, Virginia...

, whose brands include Akai Kitsune and Midori no Tanuki, has a 19.2% market share.
Sanyō Foods サンヨー食品, Sapporo Ichiban
Sapporo Ichiban
is a brand of instant noodles made by Sanyo Foods, and rivals to other Japanese ramen brands like Nissin and Maruchan.Sapporo Ichiban has found a market outside of Japan, most notably with consumers in Hong Kong, The United States, Mexico and Canada.Sapporo Ichiban literally means, "Sapporo's...

, has a 11.5% market share.
Myōjō Foods 明星食品, Charumera, has a 9.9% market share.
Acecook エースコック, Super Cup, has a 8.3% market share.

Korea

Per capita, South Koreans consume the greatest amount of instant noodles, 69 per capita per year.[3]
In the 1960s, instant noodle became popular in South Korea, and its quick and easy preparation and cheap price made it quickly popular. In South Korea, instant noodles are more common than non-instant noodles; the word ramyeon (라면), generally means the instant kind. Most South Korean food stalls make instant ramyeon and add toppings for their customers. Instant ramyeon is also often added to budae jjigae

Budae jjigae

Budae jjigae is a type of jjigae . Soon after the Korean War, meat was scarce in Seoul, South Korea. Some people made use of surplus foods from U.S...

(literally "army base stew"), a stew made with assorted ingredients, which was invented in the 1950s in South Korea.

Ramyeon is typically spicy. Shin Ramyun

Shin ramyun

(신[辛], literally "spicy") is the best-selling brand in Korea. It has also become popular in China and the United States. The leading manufacturer of ramyeon in Korea is the Nong Shim company, which exports many of its products overseas.

In 2004, over 600,000 boxes of Shin brand Ramyeon

Shin ramyun

were sent to North Korea as part of the aid relief program when Ryongchŏn train station exploded

Ryongchon disaster

The Ryongchŏn disaster was a train disaster that occurred in the town of Ryongchŏn, North Korea, near the border with the People's Republic of China on April 22, 2004....

, injuring many North Korean civilians. However, insider sources state that most of it was sold in North Korean black markets, making its way to Pyongyang

Pyongyang

Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...

, instead of distributed as aid. North Korean visitors to China also frequently purchase South Korean ramyeon from Chinese stores, where Shin Ramyeon is known as "Korean Tangmi Ramyeon".

Indigenous production of Ramyeon in North Korea began in 2000. The first Ramyeon brand was "kkoburang guksu", which literally means curved noodles in Korean. Later, a joint venture by North Korean and Hong Kong-based companies began producing "jeukseok guksu" (즉석 국수), which literally means "instant noodles". Ramyeon are popular among North Korean elite

Elite

Elite refers to an exceptional or privileged group that wields considerable power within its sphere of influence...

s who live in Pyongyang and Nampo

Nampo

Namp'o is a city and seaport in South P'yŏngan Province, North Korea. It was a provincial-level Directly Governed City from 1980 to 2004, when it was designated a "Special City" and made a part of South P'yŏngan...

. In contrast to hot and spicy South Korean Ramyeon, North Korean Ramyeon has a much milder and brothier flavor.

Malaysia and Singapore

Maggi

has practically become synonymous with instant noodles. Curry

Curry

Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...

is a favorite flavor; other popular flavors include chicken, tom yum

Tom yum

Tom yum or tom yam is the name for a spicy clear soup typical in Laos and Thailand. Tom yum is widely served in neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, and has been popularized around the world...

, and asam laksa. Both soup-based and dry variants are readily available. Indomie

Indomie

, Nissin, Cintan and Mamee brands of instant noodles are also well-loved by both Malaysians and Singaporeans.

Though instant noodles are usually eaten at home, they are also becoming increasingly popular as restaurant or cafe meals, especially in Hong Kong-themed "cha chan teng" cafes and "Mamak" food shops. These meals are usually modified according to the chef's taste and include minimal monosodium glutamate

Monosodium glutamate

Monosodium glutamate, also known as sodium glutamate or MSG, is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, one of the most abundant naturally occurring non-essential amino acids....

.

In recent years, instant noodles manufacturers have tried to introduce low-MSG seasonings, as well as new processes that do not require frying for the noodles, and have introduced new flavors such as chilli crab

Chilli crab

Chili crab is a seafood dish originating from Singapore. It was created in 1950 by Singapore chef, Cher Yam Tian with her husband, Lim Choon Ngee. The couple ran Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant on Upper East Coast Road Mud crabs are commonly used and are stir-fried in a semi-thick, sweet and...

and seafood

Seafood

Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...

Mauritius

The Apollo noodle is very popular in Mauritius. Popular flavors include shrimp, curry, chicken and vegetable.

Mexico

Instant noodles are very popular in Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

, where they are often viewed as a snack-grade food. Flavors such as lime

Lime (fruit)

Lime is a term referring to a number of different citrus fruits, both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3–6 cm in diameter, and containing sour and acidic pulp. Limes are a good source of vitamin C. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and...

and chili are popular, often combined with shrimp. It is available in every grocery store and convenience store through all the country. This kind of soup was introduced in the 1980s by the Maggi Corporation as "Instant Maggi Ramen", marketed in a small plastic bag with artificial flavors, but it did not become popular until cup noodles were introduced in 1990 by Maruchan. Today, many local brands such as "La Moderna" and "Herdez" have developed their own cup noodles.

Nepal

Instant noodles are very famous in Nepal. In the early 1980s, Gandaki Noodles (P.) Ltd. of Pokhara city, introduced Rara, a white instant noodles named after the largest lake of Nepal. It was a fair success among urban population. Then in around 1985, Chaudhary Groups(CG) entered the market with Wai Wai. Wai-Wai

Wai-Wai (food)

Wai Wai is a brand of instant noodles produced by Chaudhary Group under CG FOODS Pvt. Ltd in Nepal and India. -History:Wai Wai was launched in Nepal initially with the collaboration of Thai Foods Industries, and has led to establishment of a huge market for instant noodles in Nepal...

noodles, a brown, spicy and precooked noodle, became a big hit among the people.
Over the years, its popularity has grown heavily and consist of a major part of the dry foods sold in Nepal and are available in any part of the country. There are many producers and brands of instant noodles in Nepal, where they are a staple food. Famous instant noodles brands are: The price is $3.oo

Wai-Wai noodles, Golmol produced by CG. Wai Wai is popular in India too. CG has established its factories in India.
Mayos, Ru-Chee, Hurray produced by Himalayan Snax & Noodles Pvt. Ltd. (HSNPL)
2pm, Rumpum by Asian Thai Foods Pvt. Ltd. (ATF)

The Netherlands

The Netherlands is home to a fairly large Indonesian community, which has generated Indonesian supermarkets known as Toko. Various brands of instant noodles are sold through both these outlets and non-specialty supermarkets, including Saimin

Saimin

Saimin is a noodle soup dish unique to Hawaii. Inspired by Japanese udon, Chinese mein, and Filipino pancit, saimin was developed during Hawaii's plantation era. It is a soup dish of soft wheat egg noodles served in hot dashi garnished with green onions...

, Indomie Mi Goreng

IndoMie Mi Goreng

, Maggi

Maggi

, Unox, Thai varieties such as Mama and Yum Yum, and some more expensive alternatives, such as Good Noodles. Both cup and packet varieties are available.

Nigeria

In Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...

, Indomie

Indomie

is the most popular instant noodles brand. Since its introduction in 1988, Indomie has had a remarkable impact on the Nigerian culinary landscape. Instant noodles are now eaten in most households across the country. By 2008, nine other brands of noodle had appeared on the market. Affirming Indomie's hold on the market, Christopher Ezendu, a distributor at the popular Oke-Arin market on Lagos Island, reported that these other brands are aspiring to be like the market leader.

According to the World Instant Noodle Association, Nigeria was the 13th largest consumer of instant noodles in the world in 2007.

Norway

In Norway, every supermarket sells instant noodles of some kind. The top-selling brand is the Yum Yum! brand imported from Thailand, which is sold at the supermarket chain Rema 1000

REMA 1000

REMA 1000 is a multinational no-frills supermarket chain owned entirely by the Reitan Group . REMA is a short for REitan MAt , referring to Odd Reitan...

or in ethnic stores in larger cities. Another popular brand is the Norwegian brand Mr. Lee. Yum Yum is often sold in 5-packs for 7-8 Norwegian kroner. Mr. Lee is typically more expensive, costing 10–34 kroner.

Peru

In Peru

Peru

Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....

, Maruchan brand ramen had been the only brand sold for a long time. Recently, Aji-no-men ramen became available in a wide range of flavors, including beef, chicken, chicken with greens, hen, spicy hen, creole-style hen, shrimp, and oriental-style.

Philippines

There are many local and imported brands of instant noodles in the country, which are locally known as "instant mami", after the Philippine version of chicken noodle soup. Brands in the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

include Lucky Me, Payless, Nissin, QuickChow, and Ho-Mi. They are sold in packets, sealed cups or sealed styrofoam bowls. Because of their fast preparation and affordability, instant noodles are popular as a quick snack or for breakfast.

Filipinos sometimes add a scrambled egg into the chicken noodle soup while cooking it. Another popular variation is the instant pancit canton, stir-fried noodles resembling the local pancit

Pancit

Pancit or pansit is the term for noodles in Filipino cuisine. Noodles were introduced into the Philippines by the Chinese and have since been adopted into local cuisine. The term pancit is derived from the Hokkien pian i sit which means "something conveniently cooked fast." Different kinds of...

. These noodles are boiled and drained, then a flavoring powder, soy sauce

Soy sauce

Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...

, oil and bits of carrot and celery are added.

Poland

Instant noodles began appearing on Polish

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

store shelves during the early 1990s. Despite being called "Chinese soup", the first brands on the market were produced in Vietnam and had a somewhat spicy, garlic-flavored taste. The noodle packages contained pouches of flavored soup base, spicy oil, dried vegetables or even minuscule shrimps.

The product gained particular popularity among students due to its affordability and convenience. "Kaczka łagodna" (Mild duck), "Kurczakowa łagodna" (Mild chicken) and "Krewetkowa ostra" (Spicy shrimp) were the most common flavors. Today, the local Kim Lan and worldwide Knorr brands offer varieties ranging from cheese-and-herb flavored noodles to local Polish specialties like barszcz czerwony or żurek

Zurek

Zurek may refer to:* Żurek, a kind of soup* Libor Žůrek, footballer* Teresita Román de Zurek, writer and chef* Wojciech H. Zurek, physicist...

.

Ngoc Tu Tao, who emigrated to Poland from Vietnam and established the Tan-Viet Group in 1990, is credited with introducing instant noodles to Poland. His Vifon brand holds a 25% share of the Polish instant soup market, selling over 100 million packages a year. Ngoc Tu Tao has appeared in Wprost
Wprost
Wprost is a weekly newsmagazine in Poland. It was founded on December 5, 1982 as a regional magazine in Greater Poland, but since 1989 it has been distributed nationwide. The editorial office is currently located in Warsaw. Wprost is an opinion weekly focused on politics and society. Marek Król is...

magazine's annual ranking of the 100 most wealthy Polish citizens.

Inexpensive supermarket private-label brands and regular midmarket products do not differ much in taste, while their prices can range from PLN 0.49 to PLN 2.00. Noodles packaged in foam bowls are slightly more expensive, priced from PLN 3.00 to PLN 5.50.

Russia

Russia's most popular instant ramen are the local brand Rollton and the Korean brand Dosirac (Korean for "lunch box"). Instant noodles have been popular in Russia's Far East region since the late 1980s and made their way west in the early 1990s. In Russia, like most noodle products, they are still considered a lesser-quality option to turn to in lean economic times. They are popular among college students as a snack but not as a regular meal.

Saudi Arabia

The most popular brand is Indomie

Indomie

, with a 96% market share. Indomie is the generic name for instant noodles in the region; the brand is produced by Pinehill Arabia Food at plants at Jeddah and Dammam.

South Africa

Instant noodles have become commonplace in South Africa since the 1990s, when they were first introduced to the general consumer market. While various brands are available, the most common is Maggi 2 Minute Noodles. South Africans prefer milder flavors, and the most common flavors are chicken, beef, cheese and prawn. Because of their low cost, instant noodles are popular in South Africa's poorer communities. They are also popular among students and office workers as a quick snack.

Sweden

Instant noodles have been widely available in Swedish supermarkets for more than 10 years and are very popular, especially among students. The most common brands include Nissin's Demae Ramen, Samyang, Euroshopper, Eldorado and ICA. Other brands include Mr. Cup cup noodles and Little Cook. Cup noodles are usually sold for 10 SEK per package, while packet noodles are usually sold at 4 for 15, 5 for 20 or 6 for 30. Brands like Yum Yum, Mama's and Wai Wai are widely available in immigrant food stores, often priced at 3 for 10.

Taiwan

Instant noodle inventor Momofuku Andō

Momofuku Ando

, ORS, was a Taiwanese-Japanese businessman who founded Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd. He is famed as the inventor of instant noodles and cup noodles.- Early life :...

(安藤百福) was born in Taiwan. According to statistics from the International Ramen

Ramen

Manufacturers Association, Taiwan is the world's 12th largest instant noodle market, with an annual NT$10 billion (US$300 million) in sales. This translates into an annual total of 900 million packs, or 40 per person. Uni-President (aka President or Tong-Yi, 統一) takes the largest market share of instant noodles in the country, and is a major player in the global instant noodle market.

The most popular flavors in Taiwan

Taiwan

Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

are beef noodle soup

Beef noodle soup

Beef noodle soup is a Chinese noodle soup made of stewed beef, beef broth, vegetables and Chinese noodles. It exists in various forms throughout East Asia and Southeast Asia. It was created by the Hui people during the Tang Dynasty of China.In the West, this food may be served in a small portion...

and minced pork noodle.

Thailand

The most popular instant noodle in Thailand is "Mama" or dindin cup noodles; Tom Yum

Tom yum

Shrimp is the favorite flavor. Other local players in the market include the Wai Wai and Yum Yum brands. Due to their ubiquity, instant noodles were chosen as a vehicle for dietary fortification by a joint effort of the Federation of Thai Industries, instant noodle producers, and the Ministry of Public Health about 10 years ago. The vitamins and minerals added are iron, iodine and vitamin A. Unlike Japanese or Malaysian instant noodles, Thai noodles are seasoned with chicken stock before frying, giving them extra flavor, and they are sometimes consumed directly as a snack without further cooking. Instant noodles have spread all over Thailand, and now include real dehydrated meat such as pork and beef.

Ukraine

Instant noodles have been quite popular in Ukraine in the past 10 years because they are cheap and save time. Mivina, a former food

Food

Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...

producer for cosmonauts located in Kharkiv

Kharkiv

Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...

, is the most popular producer of instant noodles in the country. Mivina noodles can be cooked as soup or eaten dry; dry instant noodles are as popular in Ukraine as potato chips and crouton

Crouton

A crouton is a small piece of sautéed or rebaked bread, often cubed and seasoned, that is used to add texture and flavor to salads, notably the Caesar salad, as an accompaniment to soups, or eaten as a snack food. The word crouton is derived from the French croûton, itself derived from croûte,...

s. Mivina is rivaled by the Russian Rollton, which also produces instant noodles for quick soups.

United Kingdom

The most common form of instant noodles in Britain is Pot Noodle

Pot Noodle

, a cup noodle founded by Golden Wonder

Golden Wonder

Golden Wonder is a British company that manufactures snack foods, most notably crisps.-History:Founded in Stoneyburn in 1947 by the Scottish bakery owner William Alexander, the company was named after the Golden Wonder potato. The company was acquired by UK-based Dalgety plc in 1987...

in the late 1970s. These use artificial flavourings (there is no chicken in Chicken Pot Noodles, for example) and are sold by virtually every major supermarket chain, general groceries shops, and convenience stores. Boiling water is added to the noodles to cook them.

Packet noodles such as Batchelors

Batchelors

For unrelated subjects with similar spelling see Bachelor.Batchelors is a brand of predominantly dried food products. It was formerly a Company founded in 1895 in Sheffield, England. The company now makes instant soup, in particular Cup A Soup and noodle products such as Super Noodles. The company...

' Super Noodles

Super Noodles

Super Noodles are a dehydrated instant noodle snack, made by Batchelors in the UK and sold under the McDonnells brand in the Republic of Ireland. They are prepared by being placed in a saucepan of boiling water, adding the sachet of flavouring, and stirring...

are also popular and are synonymous with student life; most supermarket chains offer value noodles for as little as 8 pence. Several of the larger supermarkets also offer eastern brands such as Nissin, Koka noodles

Koka noodles

and Shin Ramyun

Shin ramyun

, which once could only be found in Asian groceries. Noodles such as Maggi

Maggi

can also be found in many groceries, but are less widespread.

United States

In the United States, instant noodles were first available by Nissin Foods in 1971 and were marketed as "Oodles of Noodles." In 1972, Nissin Foods introduced "Nissin Cup Noodles

Cup noodles

" in a styrofoam cup, which led to an upsurge in popularity. Soon after, many other competing companies were offering similar instant noodle products.

Today, in the U.S., the instant noodle product is commonly known as ramen
Ramen
is a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and uses toppings such as , , kamaboko, green onions, and occasionally corn...

, after the Japanese dish on which it is based, and it comes in a variety of mostly meat-based flavors. Common flavors in the United States include chicken, pork, beef, mushroom, shrimp, roast beef, roast chicken, chili, chili lime, vegetable, and "oriental" (soy sauce

Soy sauce

Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...

flavored). Other flavors, including shoyu, miso

Miso

is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting rice, barley and/or soybeans, with salt and the fungus , the most typical miso being made with soy. The result is a thick paste used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables or meats, and mixing with dashi soup stock to serve as miso...

, and kimchi

Kimchi

Kimchi , also spelled gimchi, kimchee, or kim chee, is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with a main vegetable ingredient such as napa cabbage, radish, green onions or cucumber. It is the most common...

, are also available at some supermarkets and convenience stores. The three major brands are Nissin Top Ramen, Maruchan Ramen

Maruchan

, and Sapporo Ichiban

Sapporo Ichiban

. Thailand's "Mama" brand is also quite common in the United States. Ramen noodles are extremely popular among students, due to their low cost and ease of preparation.

Vietnam

Instant noodles are popular in Vietnam, where they are often eaten as a breakfast food. Both wheat and rice noodles

Rice noodles

Rice noodles are noodles that are made from rice. Their principal ingredients are rice flour and water. However, sometimes other ingredients such as tapioca or corn starch are also added in order to improve the transparency or increase the gelatinous and chewy texture of the noodles.Rice noodles...

are common. Acecook Vietnam JSC is a leading producer of instant noodles. Another major producer and exporter is Vifon. Popular Vietnamese instant noodle soups include Oriental, Bún bò Huế

Bun Bo Hue

Bún bò Huế or more specifically, bún bò giò heo is a popular Vietnamese soup rice vermicelli dish. The predominant flavor is of lemon grass.-Features:...

flavored, Phở

PHO

PHO may refer to:* Primary Health Organisation* Potentially hazardous object, an asteroid or comet that could potentially collide with Earth...

and Hủ tiếu Nam Vang

Kuyteav

Kuy teav |stock]]. Kuy teav is generally thought to have originated from the ethnic Chinese groups that settled in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.-Etymology:...

, a Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...

-style noodle.

Vegetarian flavors

Unlike most other brands of ramen noodles, Top Ramen's "Oriental" and "Chili" flavors are vegetarian, as the seasonings do not contain animal fat.
In Viet Nam, famous noodle is Tôm chua cay.

External links

Instant Ramen Home Page (by the Japan Convenience Foods Industry Association)
World Instant Noodles Association

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

History

Health concerns

Instant noodles worldwide

Argentina

Australia

Belgium

Brazil

Canada

China

Denmark

Egypt

Ethiopia

Finland

Germany

Hong Kong

India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh

Indonesia

Ireland

Japan

Korea

Malaysia and Singapore

Mauritius

Mexico

Nepal

The Netherlands

Nigeria

Norway

Peru

Philippines

Poland

Russia

Saudi Arabia

South Africa

Sweden

Taiwan

Thailand

Ukraine

United Kingdom

United States

Vietnam

Vegetarian flavors

See also

External links