Easy to cook and often considered a healthier staple food, noodles made from rice, such as vermicelli, rice noodles (“mixian”), and flat rice noodles (“ho fun”), are a key part of many consumers’ daily diet. The Consumer Council tested 30 samples of rice noodles on the market. Aside from 7 samples which could not be directly compared due to the nutrient contents of seasoning, sauces and other flavourings being included in their nutrition labels, 70% (17 samples) of the remaining 23 samples were found to have a discrepancy between the declared and detected nutrient contents incompliant with the requirements set out in the relevant guidance, amongst which the sodium content of 1 dried Thai rice noodles sample even exceeded the labelled value by over 41 times. Besides, 2 samples were detected with the allergen gluten but failed to declare this in the packaging as regulated, which could potentially cause health risks to individuals with gluten intolerance. The Council reminds consumers not to lean their diet heavily on rice noodles purely because of reasons such as weight control, but instead to investigate the difference in nutrient, energy and fat contents between rice noodles and rice, so as to maintain a balanced diet.
The test covered 30 samples of pre-packaged rice noodles, out of which 27 were dried noodles, including vermicelli, flat rice noodles, mixian, Thai rice noodles, and Korean noodles, while the remaining 3 samples were fresh mixian. Priced from $3.5 to $42 per pack, the price per 100g ranged from $1.3 to $21.0, a difference of over 15 times. The test covered only the noodles and excluded the seasoning or sauce, with test items including metallic contaminants, nutrient content and the allergen gluten, while the labelling information was also reviewed.
Is Rice or Rice Noodles More Fattening?
Do Flat Rice Noodles Have a Higher Fat Content?
Individuals looking to stay slim are generally inclined to think rice is more fattening than rice noodles, yet the test results revealed that portion control is key. The energy per 100g for the 27 dried rice noodle samples ranged from 341 to 377kcal, while that for the 3 fresh mixian samples ranged from 136 to 147kcal. Based on the average content for each noodle category, consuming 1 serving of dried vermicelli (56.2g) would incur an energy intake (around 200kcal) lower than that of 1 bowl of white rice (around 260kcal), but consumption of 2 servings would result in a higher energy intake than 1 bowl of rice. As for fresh mixian, consuming 1 serving (201.9g) would bring on an energy intake of 285kcal, slightly higher than that for a bowl of white rice. Consumers should also bear in mind that many noodles come with additional flavourings, such as seasoning and sauce sachets, which could increase the fat and sugar intake if used as a soup base. Therefore, consumers should try to reduce the amount of flavouring used, as well as refraining from drinking the soup base.
Rich in carbohydrates, grains are the main source of energy for the body. Yet, weight-conscious individuals are particularly concerned about their carb intake. The carbohydrate content per 100g for the 27 dried noodle samples all exceeded 75g (75.7 to 87.3g), while that for the 3 fresh mixian ranged from 30.8 to 32.7g. Based on consumption of 1 serving, fresh mixian would incur the highest carb intake (63.5g), white rice being a close second (55.54g), while that for dried vermicelli was relatively lower (45.2g).
It is an urban myth that flat rice noodles have a high fat content and should be consumed in moderation. However, this depends on the variety of flat rice noodles. The total fat content per 100g for all samples ranged from 0.2 to 1.5g, meaning that they were all “low-fat” foods. The average total fat content for the 5 dried flat rice noodles was 0.8g (0.3 to 1.5g) while that for the 4 dried Thai rice noodles was 0.6g (0.2g to 0.8g), with 1 sample from each category even meeting the definition for “fat free” (containing not more than 0.5g total fat content per 100g solid food sample). It is believed that as generally no oil is added to pre-packaged dried flat rice noodles, the fat content would not be high. However, as fresh flat rice noodles in noodle shops are often brushed with a layer of oil on the surface to enhance the smooth texture, the fat content could be higher due to this practice.
Addition of Starch Could Enhance Texture
But Lowers Protein Ratio and is Hard to Digest
The protein content also vastly varied amongst samples, with that per 100g showing a 21-time variance (0.4 to 9.1g) amongst the 27 dried noodles. The samples with the highest (9.1g) and lowest (0.4g) protein contents were both dried vermicelli. Consumers should be mindful that manufacturers might add corn starch or other types of starch to rice noodles so they won’t easily snap or become pasty during cooking, but this will simultaneously reduce its ratio of rice ingredient. For the 7 samples with starch listed in their ingredients list, their protein content ranged from 0.4 to 7.2g; all fresh mixian samples were labelled as added with other types of starch, and contained protein content from 2.1 to 2.6g. Besides, although the addition of starch could make the rice noodles more al dente, it is also harder to digest. Senior citizens or people suffering from indigestion should pay extra heed.
Consumers should be cautious of the sodium content when consuming rice noodles. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a daily sodium intake of less than 2,000mg (i.e. 2g) for adults. The sodium content of white rice, which is a raw ingredient of rice noodles, would vary depending on various factors, such as its variety, origin, climate, etc. Only 2 tested samples declared added salt on their labels, one of which even reach “high-sodium” food levels (723mg per 100g). The sample in question had a labelled serving size of 100g in Korean, meaning that consumption of 1 serving even without the soup would amount to around 40% of the maximum daily sodium intake recommended by WHO for adults.
Although the remaining 28 samples were not labelled with added salt, while 25 even reached “low-sodium” levels, there was a vast discrepancy in sodium content amongst samples. The sodium content per 100g ranged from 0 to 422mg, amongst which 3 samples had a relatively high sodium content (215 to 422mg). Consumers should also pay attention to the side ingredients to avoid excessive sodium intake.
Aside from the nutrient content, consumers should be mindful of other health risks when consuming rice noodles, such as the metallic contaminant level. If grain rice is cultivated in soil contaminated with metallic contaminants, rice noodles using contaminated grain rice as the ingredient would naturally have a higher level of such contaminants. Over 80% (26 samples) of the tested samples were detected with metallic contaminants, with 24 detected with cadmium, 14 with chromium, and 9 with the carcinogen inorganic arsenic. However, as the levels of metallic contaminants detected were not high, normal consumption would not pose high risks to consumers’ health.
Nutrition Labels of Over 70% Samples Did Not Comply with Guidance
Sodium Content Discrepancy of 1 Model Exceeded 41 Times
7 samples included the nutrient content of seasoning, sauces and other flavourings in their nutrition labels and thus could not be directly compared with other samples. For the remaining 23 samples, the Council compared their nutrient content as detected in the test with that declared on their nutrition labels. It was found that over 70% (17 samples) had a discrepancy between the declared and detected nutrient contents that did not comply with the requirements set out in the Technical Guidance Notes on Nutrition Labelling and Nutrition Claims (“Technical Guidance Notes”) by the Centre for Food Safety (CFS). Nevertheless, there was not a large actual variance between the declared and detected total fat, saturated fatty acid, protein or sugar contents, while the detected amount was also not high.
7 samples were found with a discrepancy between the detected and declared sodium content that exceeded the tolerance limits set out in the Technical Guidance Notes, amongst which 3 samples showed drastic discrepancies ranging from 2,050% to 4,120%. The most severe case was a sample of dried Thai rice noodles which had an over 41-time discrepancy in sodium content. As a result, consumers might unknowingly consume more sodium. The Council has passed the relevant data to the CFS for follow-up action.
Besides, individuals with gluten intolerance should pay extra heed. Gluten was detected in 2 samples but was not labelled as per regulations. Upon consumption of such products, people with gluten intolerance might show symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, wheezing, and eczema.
When selecting rice noodle products, consumers should pay heed to the following:
- Inspect the ingredients list and nutrition label on the packaging and pay attention to the sodium intake;
- Whole grain foods are a better option for maintaining a balanced diet;
- Pair rice noodles with sources of high-quality protein (such as lean meat, fish, egg and tofu) and vegetables;
- Individuals with a weaker digestive system could select rice noodles without added starch;
- Take note of the nutrient content of the accompanying sachets of seasoning or sauce while also being mindful of the usage amount. Refrain from drinking the soup base to avoid excessive sodium intake.
Download the article (Chinese only): https://ccchoice.org/544ricenoodles
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