Development and Quality Characteristics of HMR Broth for Rice Noodles

This study was conducted to promote rice consumption and support rice farming through the development of a broth optimized for rice noodles. Rice is Korea's staple food, yet in 2023, surplus rice raised concerns about reduced cultivation, which poses a challenge to food security. Thus, there is a requirement to develop appealing rice-based processed foods to increase rice demand. In this study, rice noodles with maximum rice content were paired with a specially developed 가정간편식 (Home Meal Replacement) broth. Since Vietnamese-style broths rely heavily on spices unsuited to Korean tastes, we focused on developing an optimal beef concentrate and formulation. A sensory evaluation and physicochemical analyses were performed to determine quality characteristics. The resulting optimized broth contained 1.5% beef concentrate, citric acid, and other ingredients, and had a pH of 3.95, a total acidity of 0.29 (w/w%), a salinity of 0.92%, and a Brix value of 10.20. The broth contained no preservatives, and microbiological tests confirmed safety for sale. These results demonstrate that the developed rice noodle broth is suitable for commercialization and might contribute to a sustainable increase in rice consumption.