What do a student in China, an office worker in the UK and an astronaut in space all have in common? And they're not alone—over 100 billion servings of instant noodles(方便面)are bought globally each year, making them one of the world's most successful industrial foods. .
Put simply, they're cheap to produce and buy, which was exactly what their creator planned. Momofuku Ando, a Japanese businessman, spent a year perfecting the recipe(食谱)just after World War Ⅱ. He wanted to make something similar to traditional Japanese noodles, while using the wheat flour(面粉)given to Japan as food aid by the US government. Even in 2000—according to a survey—instant noodles were named Japan's most successful invention, ahead of high-speed trains.
But it's not just the Japanese who love instant noodles. China, Indonesia, Vietnam and India—in that order—all ate more instant noodles than Japan in 2021. In Thailand, for example, you can get green curry flavour, while in Mexico the noodles are garnished(装饰)with lime and salsa. And it seems that customers have grown to expect new things. Nissin, the food company founded by Ando, creates over 300 products yearly, just in Japan.
Their rise in popularity has come at an environmental cost—they're made with palm oil and their packaging is plastic. And while they are a hot, tasty and filling meal, instant noodles don't have much nutritional(营养的)value, and include high levels of salt and fat.
However, instant noodles are undoubtedly lifesavers in emergency or extreme situations. More than 60 years after their invention, instant noodles have become the best choice for anyone short on money, time, or even a kitchen.
A. But how did this happen?
B. They all eat instant noodles.
C. But how did they make instant noodles?
D. Instant noodles have their disadvantages, too.
E. It is no secret that many Asians love eating instant noodles.
F. His creation was instantly popular, playing a part in Japan's post-war rise.
G. Instant noodles are popular, partly because they are easy to adapt to local tastes.
