Effect of ozonated water combined with tea polyphenols on microbiological, quality and physio-chemical characteristics of semi-dried black wheat and buckwheat noodles during storage

Herein, the feasibility of supplementing black wheat flour and buckwheat flour for semi-dried noodles (SBBN) preparation was assessed. Due to the high nutrient and water activity (a w ) of SBBN, it is easy to induce microbial contamination. Therefore, a combination of ozonated water and tea polyphenols treatment was used in the study to investigate its effect on microbiological, quality and physio-chemical characteristics. The results indicate that combined treatment significantly reduced the total plate count (TPC) of SBBN, improved its color, cooking and texture characteristics and antioxidant activity, enhance its umami taste, and have no significant impact on its flavor profiles during storage. Additionally, the free sulfhydryl (SH) content was reduced, indicating that the combined treatment promoted protein disulfide cross-linking. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) further confirmed that the binding ability between starch particles and gluten proteins was enhanced. Thus, the introduction of ozonated water and tea polyphenols into the black wheat-buckwheat dough had a significant effect on the optimization of the macro- and micro-characteristics of noodles.