Instant Ramen

Have you ever eaten instant ramen? They're noodles that can be made just by adding hot water. Many instant ramen products come in cups, and all you have to do is fill the cup with hot water and wait for two or three minutes. Others are sold in bags; these you take out of the bag and boil in hot water, also for two or three minutes, then put in a bowl to eat.

A total of 46.4 billion packs of instant ramen are eaten per year in over 80 countries around the world. China is the biggest consumer: The Chinese eat 15.9 billion packs annually. Indonesia follows at 9.2 billion, and Japan is third, consuming 5.2 billion servings. Besides Asia, instant ramen is also popular in the United States, where 2.9 billion packs are consumed annually.

The world's first instant ramen went on sale in Japan in 1958. Both the taste and production methods have continued to improve since then, and instant ramen has come to be accepted and loved by people throughout the world. The following pages take you through the history of instant ramen, from its invention and popularization to the technological improvements that have been made over the decades.

Photo: Nissin Food Products Co.
Statistical data courtesy of Japan Convenience Foods Industry Association