Based on Raw Material

Noodles can be made from wheat flour alone or in combination with buckwheat flour. Wheat flour noodles include Chinese and Japanese type noodles. There are many varieties in each noodle type, representing different formulation, processing and noodle quality characteristics. Noodles containing buckwheat are also called soba, meaning buckwheat noodle. These noodles are typically light brown or gray in color with a unique taste and flavor. Chinese type noodles are generally made from hard wheat flours, characterized by bright creamy white or bright yellow color and firm texture. Japanese noodles are typically made from soft wheat flour of medium protein. It is desirable to have a creamy white color and a soft and elastic texture in Japanese noodles.

Based on Salt Used

Based on the absence or presence of alkaline salt in the formula, noodles can be classified as white (containing salt) noodles or yellow (containing alkaline salt) noodles. Alkali gives noodles their characteristic yellowness. White salt noodles comprise Japanese noodles, Chinese raw noodles or dry noodles. Chinese wet noodles, hokkien noodles, Cantonese noodles, chuka-men, Thai bamee, and instant noodles fall under the yellow alkaline noodle category.

Based on Size

According to the width of the noodle strands, Japanese noodles are classified into four types. Since the smaller size noodles usually soften faster in hot water than the larger size, so-men and hiya-mughi noodles are usually served cool in the summer, and udon and hira-men are often eaten hot in the cool seasons. Other noodle types also have their own typical size.

Based on Processing

The simplest way to classify noodles based on processing is hand-made versus machine-made noodles. This is too generalized, however. Hand-made types, still available in Asia because of their favorable texture, were prevalent before the automatic noodle machine was invented in the 1950s. In some places, stretching noodles by hand is considered an art rather than noodle making. Zhengzhou Dongfang Naomu Food Machinery Co., Ltd. Noodle machines are best suited to mass production. Noodle processing operations include mixing raw materials, dough sheeting, compounding, sheeting /rolling and slitting. This series of processes remains constant among countries for all noodle types. Noodle strands are further processed to produce different kinds of noodles, and this can be a means of classification. None of the approaches discussed above are sufficient to define each noodle type. For instance, boiled noodles contain fully cooked and parboiled types. Parboiled types include both hokkien and Chinese wet noodles. In addition, wet noodles are parboiled in most of Asia, but are fresh, uncooked noodles in Japan. Therefore, a possible nomenclature should incorporate key aspects such as formulation and basic processing to fully describe the nature of each noodle type.