Evaluation of Impingement‐Dried Noodles Containing Sunflower Oil–Sunflower Wax Oleogels as an Alternative to Fried Instant Noodles

Conventional instant noodles are commonly manufactured by deep‐fat frying, which leads to a high fat content. In the present study, impingement drying was evaluated as an alternative dehydration technology for producing reduced‐fat instant noodles. At the same time, sunflower oil–sunflower wax oleogels were incorporated to improve product quality. Noodles containing 0%, 5%, and 10% oleogel were produced by impingement drying (150°C, 15 m/s) and compared with conventional fried noodles. Microstructure, fatty acid composition, rehydration, texture, and sensory discrimination were evaluated. SEM analysis showed that fried noodles exhibited a porous structure, whereas impingement‐dried noodles showed a denser matrix. Impingement‐dried noodles without oleogel exhibited significantly higher hardness and chewiness (∼37 N and ∼26 N, respectively) than fried noodles (∼29 N and ∼19 N, respectively). However, incorporation of 5% and 10% oleogel reduced hardness and chewiness to values comparable to those of fried noodles (∼27–28 N and ∼20 N; p > 0.05), despite lower rehydration capacities. In addition, oleogel‐containing noodles exhibited lower saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents and improved MUFA:SFA ratios relative to fried noodles. Sensory triangle tests further showed that noodles containing 10% oleogel could not be significantly differentiated from fried noodles by trained panelists. Overall, oleogel incorporation effectively improved the texture of impingement‐dried instant noodles while reducing sensory differences relative to fried noodles and maintaining a more favorable fatty‐acid profile.