An object of the present invention is to provide raw Chinese noodles in which a storage odor generated in long-term storage at ordinary temperature or in refrigeration is suppressed. This object is achieved by raw Chinese noodles containing sodium tartrate and sodium citrate. The raw Chinese noodles can be produced by adding kneading water having sodium tartrate and sodium citrate and kansui dissolved therein to a main raw material powder, followed by kneading with a mixer to produce a noodle dough, and then subjecting the noodle dough to noodle making. A weight ratio between the sodium tartrate and the sodium citrate contained in the raw Chinese noodles is preferably 1:3 to 3:1, and a content thereof is preferably 2 to 30 g per kg of the main raw material powder.

An autonomous robot vehicle in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes a conveyance system and a compartment coupled to the conveyance system. The conveyance system autonomously drives the autonomous robotic vehicle between one or more storage locations and one or more delivery locations. The compartment receives one or more items stored at the one more storage locations. The compartment includes a temperature control module configured to maintain the compartment within a predetermined temperature range to provide temperature control for the one or more items as the conveyance system drives between the one or more storage locations and the one or more delivery locations.

An autonomous robot vehicle in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes a conveyance system and a compartment coupled to the conveyance system. The conveyance system autonomously drives the autonomous robotic vehicle between one or more storage locations and one or more delivery locations. The compartment receives one or more items stored at the one more storage locations. The compartment includes a temperature control module configured to maintain the compartment within a predetermined temperature range to provide temperature control for the one or more items as the conveyance system drives between the one or more storage locations and the one or more delivery locations.

Methods of producing ready-to-eat pasta that has improved taste, texture, and color are disclosed. The methods include blanching pasta in acidified water, draining, cooling, and packaging the pasta, and thermally processing the packaged pasta. Also disclosed are products containing ready-to-eat pasta sealed in a container, wherein the pasta has a pH above about 4.5, and wherein the container is substantially free of added liquid.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a grooved noodle which hardly sticks to another noodle after boiling and from which a boiled noodle having excellent texture is obtained. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a grooved noodle and a method for cooking a grooved noodle. The grooved noodle of the present invention is a grooved noodle having a groove or a plurality of grooves formed along a longitudinal direction of a noodle string and having a substantially circular configuration in cross section of the noodle string, wherein only grain flour including wheat flour is used as raw material flour, and a gluten vitality of the grooved noodle is 18% to 35%.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a grooved noodle which hardly sticks to another noodle after boiling and from which a boiled noodle having excellent texture is obtained. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a grooved noodle and a method for cooking a grooved noodle. The grooved noodle of the present invention is a grooved noodle having a groove or a plurality of grooves formed along a longitudinal direction of a noodle string and having a substantially circular configuration in cross section of the noodle string, wherein only grain flour including wheat flour is used as raw material flour, and a gluten vitality of the grooved noodle is 18% to 35%.

A process for cooking rice, quinoa, couscous, pasta, beans, chick peas and other products which absorb water during the cooking process. The product is placed in sealed cooking bags along with a sufficient amount of liquid for absorption. The sealed bags are then conveyed through a continuous oven in which they are contacted with a superheated vapor cooking medium.

A starch-containing solid composition having both preferable elasticity during water retention and low viscosity during water retention when heated under water-containing conditions is provided. The starch content in the composition is 20 mass% or more in terms of dry mass. 300 pieces/mm2 or less of starch grain structures are observed in a 6% suspension of a pulverized product of the composition. The gelatinization peak temperature is below 120° C. as measured using a rapid viscoanalyzer when a 14 mass% water slurry of the pulverized composition is heated from 50° C. to 140° C. at a heating rate of 12.5° C./min. The degree of gelatinization of starch in the composition is 50 mass% or more. For the composition, value α is 60% or less, and value β is 35% or more.

Provided is a food or beverage composition for suppressing an expression of an interleukin 7 receptor (IL-7R) gene, including a resistant starch-rich starch satisfying the following conditions (a), (b), (c) and (d) as an active ingredient: (a) having a resistant starch content of 60% or more, as determined by the AOAC Official Method 2002.02 for measuring resistant starch, (b) having a molecular weight peak more than or equal to 6×10.sup.3 and less than or equal to 4×10.sup.4, (c) having a molecular weight dispersity more than or equal to 1.5 and less than or equal to 6.0, and (d) having a gelatinization enthalpy at 50° C. to 130° C. of 10 J/g or less, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry.

Provided is a food or beverage composition for suppressing an expression of an interleukin 7 receptor (IL-7R) gene, including a resistant starch-rich starch satisfying the following conditions (a), (b), (c) and (d) as an active ingredient: (a) having a resistant starch content of 60% or more, as determined by the AOAC Official Method 2002.02 for measuring resistant starch, (b) having a molecular weight peak more than or equal to 6×10.sup.3 and less than or equal to 4×10.sup.4, (c) having a molecular weight dispersity more than or equal to 1.5 and less than or equal to 6.0, and (d) having a gelatinization enthalpy at 50° C. to 130° C. of 10 J/g or less, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry.