It is unfortunate that "公仔麵" is used to call all instant noodles. Back in the 70s when I was still in secondary school in Hong Kong, there was a News report that one male had a severe stomach ache and was sent to the hospital. He passed away there. After autopsy, it was found that the inner wall of his stomach was totally covered by wax. It was from this news report that I learned that in most, if not all, instant noodles during their manufacturing process, wax was used to help make them stay in shape. Roasting was considered to take too long and hence expensive as a method to make them "stay" in shape. However, I also learned that there are basically two types of wax, one is, of course, food grade and the other is industrial grade. Back in the 70s, food-grade wax was a relatively new product and hence expensive to use. If I remember correctly, a packet of instant noodles costs less than a dollar. It sounded too good an opportunity to save money on food when having a hard-working life to cope with. Poor guy. Because of him, the entire instant noodle market took a dive in HK. It took quite a few years to recover when manufacturers went on a huge campaign stating that their instant noodles were made in a more "natural" way. Nowadays, nearly all instant noodles are made to stay in shape by "baking". However, I personally find that instant noodles never taste as good as handmade ones. But I do admit, that instant noodles do help... because it is quick and convenient when there is no access to kitchen facilities.
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