Perpustakaan Digital ITB

Noodles are one of the staple foods consumed in many Asian countries. Instant noodles have become internationally recognized food, and worldwide consumption is on the rise. Given the rising consumption of instant noodles, production of this item with wheat flour has potential to improve nutrient intakes in Asia. The increasing consumption of noodles has led to concerted efforts to explore the feasibility of using instant noodles as a vehicle for micronutrient fortification. The aim of this study has been to investigate and give an insight on the varying levels of major ingredients of instant noodles, presenting as a mean for potential modification of the nutrition label to be an effective food vehicle for dietary intake. Proximate and heavy metal analysis of six instant noodles samples was carried out using standard analytical methods. The proximate analysis showed the presence of moisture content 2.15% - 7.80%, ash content 1.00% - 1.80%, fat content 11.00% - 19.40%, crude protein content 5.51% - 12.20%, crude fibre content 2.00% - 5.85% and carbohydrate content 57.75% - 77.74%. The heavy metal (Pb) in four samples occurred at levels relatively above the minimum tolerable limit of WHO (2003). Hence, caution should be taken in the successive consumption of these noodles to avoid diseases associated with the over time accumulation of these heavy metals especially in samples where they appeared in relatively high amount.