"Global Power" of instant noodle: Save the World Food

 

Nothing modest and also more effective off with an "empty stomach" than a packet of instant noodles. Instant noodles can become a good breakfast, stomach lining becomes food for lunch or dinner, even a reluctant choice when no other food. While culinary trends come and go, the little packets of instant noodles still hang on thanks to the undeniable advantages: Cheap, easy to eat and easy to match the taste. 

 

It is these factors have created for the instant noodle packs a big influence to most residents in every region of the world. 3 anthropologist world famous - are impressive in the presence of noodles everywhere, from the university dormitories expensive for the poor alleys of the developing countries - has decided to trace the "rise" of the food industry this time in Japan, America and Papua New Guinea. 

 

In their latest book, "Journey of noodles: The emergence of a global food industry in the 21st century", the author Deborah Gewertz of Amherst College, Trinity University's Frederick Errington and Tatsuro Fujikura from Kyoto University showed great dependence on human food, "easy to carry, easy to buy and easy to process" is. 

 

In 2012, about 100 billion package of noodles and cup noodles were sold on the market, according to the Association of instant noodles in the world, with an average rate of 14 per package. Taste of noodles can be varied to accommodate the requirements of any culinary taste of customers from Asia to Africa. In a study of banking for the residents in the area of ​​Tokyo (Japan), packets of instant noodles beat machine, karaoke machines and even famed Walkman player to win the patent position causes most influential in Japan in the 20th century. 

 

Moreover, the anthropologist also discovered that the tiny packet of instant noodles undertook a role more complex and diverse than the initial target of the people who invented them. The noodles, according to the researchers, has become a tool of "capitalist food supply" is to inform you about the status of every person in the world economically. This allows food poverty, create a customer walks mainstream consumers at the bottom of the economic pyramid. At the same time, they bring great effect while providing inexpensive nutrient poor. 

 

Does Koki Ando, son of the person who invented instant noodles, right when he spoke at the conference noodle World 2010 that this product has saved the world? The answer can be found through interviews with researchers Gewertz from Amherst: 

 

In certain aspects of the package of instant noodles can be likened to an "invented"? 

 

- The Japanese have a long culinary tradition of Ramen noodles. We're talking about real Ramen noodles are made ​​of exquisite materials and superior broth. But in 1958, after the war, people became hungry ... This is part of the reason Momofuku Ando inspired him to create an industrial food tasty, cheap, easy to make, easy to prepare so you can help block famine. Mr. Ando principles learned from processed foods popular Japanese fried tempura, about the preparation to help ease fried tempura, easy to nine. He applied tempura recipe to create the first packet of instant noodles: Dried noodles and help them become easy to eat through the pack marinated vegetable oil flavor. When prepared with boiling water, instant noodles and soft back and ready for dinner. 

 

Why did you decide to study in instant noodles? 

 

- The package of instant noodles has appeared on "plate of food anthropology" of us can say that, after so many people in Papua New Guinea - where we work from the 1970s to the present - use them as a kind of food is indispensable in life. Even one who exclaimed: "If there is no instant noodles, there would be no hope at all". 

 

What makes instant noodles to be different than the mass-produced food to another? 

 

- The interesting thing about instant noodles that most everyone in the world will eat them, but for different reasons and under different diets. So in a certain direction, the packets of instant noodles have become a way of telling the story of how we globally interconnected and so different. 

 

Noodles sense of how the area in which she has been studying? 

 

- The Japanese have the advantage of being easily able to always enjoy Ramen noodles - "creative origins" for packages of instant noodles. But every year, the Japanese market continued to receive 600 new ramen noodle. This is an interesting thing. 

 

The U.S. market is pretty basic: People buy bread because they are cheaper. There are three customer segments: the largest segment of people "regular consumption", most of them are poor. They primarily serve employees in the fast food restaurant and get paid by the hour. One man we interviewed said he was eating noodles every breakfast and lunch daily. 

 

Second customer segment as prisoners. They buy instant noodles in the food supply in the prison and processing them together all ingredients have been extremely impressive way to make bread, peanut butter and jellies including the. We think that it helps them feel free to search. Inmates buy instant noodles choice, with the purpose of creating any dish they want. The third segment, of course, are the students. The middle-class students and even their parents had dished out patents maxim that: "Once upon a time, I used to live off of instant noodle". 

 

And then there is the market of Papua New Guinea, where the shrimp pasta was launched in the 1980s, the time of migration from rural to urban centers. Noodles Shrimp was considered a "weapon against hunger" for this part of the population. People here do not just live on noodles for which they really like this kind of food for one reason or another. They can go on the gleaming shops, buy instant noodles and enjoy the experience selected items on supermarket shelves, though that's just cheap noodles. 

 

She refers to the "bottom of the pyramid" customers like shrimp pasta that was designed to. Can you explain further? 

 

- CKPrahaland has written a great book influence, entitled: "Fortune at the bottom of the pyramid". He noted that even poor people have money, and there are so many poor people. Therefore, if you can create a real product to serve customers at the bottom of the pyramid, you will earn huge profits. He also made a point of view, like so many other businesses, the situation "win-win". If you sell to the people at the bottom of the pyramid, giving them the right to choose and meet their basic needs, this will help them move forward in terms of economy. There are many people who put themselves middle class. 

 

So the future will look like noodles? 

 

- I think the future of instant noodle never stopped. We met a lot of very poor people need a little nutrition though. We have not said that shrimp pasta can save the world in any way, but go to the same conclusion, although a little reluctantly, that we bring more good than bad impact in helping poor people can live and rising.