nsure longer noodles in the same volume while imparting a better texture when cooked (Goulding 2016). The machines responsible for cutting or pressing dough into noodle form once again primarily take electrical energy as their inputs, (with minor embodied energies in the form of lubrication oils or replacement parts), but their efficiencies differ due to the geometries of their product. Overall, machines producing straight noodles can do so at a much higher speed, increasing efficiency per electrical energy input (James, 2006). This is the first instance where instant ramen is observed as to having a larger embodied energy due to less efficient processes, with more differences further in production. One key difference is that instant noodles are precooked while conventional ramen comes uncooked, providing embodied energy. Ramen noodles are most commonly steam cooked, a process that involves thermal and electric energy. By heating water until boiling, steam is forced onto hanging noodles which cooks them and aids in gelatinizing the starches present. (Rywotycki, 2003) This step is absent in the production of uncooked noodles, and as such any energy present, electrical or thermal, results in the larger embodied energy present in instant ramen. Next, both noodles need to be dried in preparation for packaging, and despite the procedure being similar, energy differences still occur. This results from the remaining water content in the two forms of noodles, with the moisture in uncooked noodles being around 30%, and in cooked, 50% (Hakoda, 2006). Because thermal energy in the form of hot air is used to dry both products, the instant noodles with their larger water content yet again requires more energy input to complete the process, resulting in another embodied energy term. At this point, differences in packaging in transport were deemed to be negligible, leaving only the customer use cases to be different.
Previously, instant ramen was shown to have significantly larger embodied energy which is responsible for consumer energy and time savings. After the consumer choses either product, it is clear what affect additional processing has done. The main energy use when preparing noodles is in the boiling of water to either cook raw noodles or rehydrate instant ramen, with significant differences between the energy and time consumption. For one serving of instant ramen, it takes around a 1 kilowatt power source 1 minute to heat a cup of water to boiling (Biglia, 2017). This is an energy consumption of 60,000 Joules. After this time, it takes an additional couple of minutes for the noodles to fully rehydrate before seasoning can be added and the meal enjoyed. With conventional noodles, the heating element is on average closer to 2 kilowatts and requires around 10-14 minutes to fully cook, resulting in an energy consumption of 1.2 – 1.7 million Joules (Moran, 2018). This results in a 10 or 14 fold time saving for instant ramen as well as an energy saving of around 20 times. As discussed, this advantage is due to cooking (one of the most energy intensive steps), being done beforehand in the case of instant ramen, allowing it to possess this advantage to the consumer. This advantage heavily contributes to its popularity and growth in modern times.
In conclusion, the energy used in manufacturing the raw noodles for both types of noodles does not differ until further production processes. The larger embodied energy present in instant ramen results in less energy and time spent by the consumer. This simple phenomenon has brought a specific product to the forefront of university and pop culture, showing the difference that preloading energy can have. Its success has spurred on many attempts by products in other categories trying to emulate this strategy with everything from coffee to phone chargers, all involving using higher embodied energies to appear to be more convenient to the consumer.
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