Course:FNH200/Projects/2026/Instant Noodles
Food Topic: Instant Noodles
Our group would like to research instant noodles because they are one of the most popular convenience foods in the world. As university students, we have all eaten instant noodles at some point because they are inexpensive, easy to prepare, and have a long shelf life. Although they are convenient, there are also many discussions about their nutritional value, food additives, and environmental impact. We think this topic is closely related to students' daily lives and will allow us to connect food science concepts with real products that people consume regularly.
Proposed Research Topics
Rather than covering every aspect of instant noodles, our group would like to focus on the following areas:
1. Food Processing and Food Chemistry
We would like to understand how instant noodles are manufactured, including dough preparation, steaming, frying or air-drying, and dehydration. We also want to explore how these processes affect texture, flavour, shelf life, and food safety.
2. Food Safety and Nutrition
We plan to examine common nutritional concerns such as sodium, fat, and calorie content. We are also interested in learning about food additives such as MSG, TBHQ, and preservatives, including why they are added and whether they are considered safe by Health Canada.
3. Canadian Food Regulations and Labelling
We would like to investigate how instant noodles are regulated in Canada, including Nutrition Facts tables, ingredient lists, allergen declarations, bilingual labelling, and front-of-package nutrition symbols. We also want to compare whether imported instant noodles meet Canadian regulations.
4. Packaging and Sustainability
Another area we would like to explore is instant noodle packaging. We are interested in comparing plastic packaging, paper cups, and newer biodegradable materials, and discussing their environmental impact and future sustainability.
Possible Resources
- Health Canada
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
- UBC FNH 200 Wiki (previous Instant Noodles project)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- Journal articles on food processing, food additives, and nutrition
- Instant noodle manufacturers' websites ( Nissin, Nongshim, Samyang…)
I think this topic will be interesting because instant noodles are something I eat occasionally, especially during busy school weeks when I do not have much time to cook. Before taking FNH 200, I mainly thought about the taste and convenience of instant noodles. Through this project, I hope to better understand what happens during food processing, why certain additives are used, how food labels help consumers make informed choices, and whether some common beliefs about instant noodles are actually supported by scientific evidence.