document_title: Bloodline (TV series)

question_text: who plays john rayburn's wife on bloodline

question_tokens: who plays john rayburn 's wife on bloodline

text: Bloodline (TV series)

text: Plot[edit]

text:
Season
Episodes
Originally released

1
13
March 20, 2015 (2015-03-20)

2
10
May 27, 2016 (2016-05-27)

3
10
May 26, 2017 (2017-05-26)

text: Season 1 (2015)[edit]

text: The series begins with narration by John Rayburn:

text: "Sometimes you know something’s coming. You can feel it. In the air. In your gut. And you don’t sleep at night. The voice in your head is telling you that something is going to go terribly wrong and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. That’s how I felt when my brother came home."

text: Danny Rayburn returns home to Islamorada, Florida for the 45th anniversary of his parents' Robert and Sally Rayburn's seaside hotel, The Rayburn House – a pier will be dedicated in their honor to mark the occasion. Danny is the black sheep of the family, with a poor reputation among them, including his three younger siblings: John, Kevin, and Meg. John is a detective with the local sheriff's office, Kevin owns a local marina, and Meg is an attorney with a local law firm. Danny wants to make his return permanent as he wishes to stay to help his parents at their inn. Robert is reluctant to let Danny stay, but leaves it up to the three siblings to decide Danny's fate.

text: The siblings decide against Danny staying as they conclude that he will only break their mother's heart in the end. John breaks the news to Danny, but lies to him by telling him it was their father who wanted him gone, rather than the siblings. Ultimately Danny does not leave, although he gets a ride to the bus stop from John. Danny's confrontation with his father inadvertently causes Robert to have mini-strokes, eventually resulting in his death.

text: The Rayburns' past is full of dark secrets that are revealed throughout the season. Danny's dysfunctional relationship with his family primarily stems from the untimely death of his younger sister, Sarah, when he was a teenager. Danny took Sarah out on a boat. Her seahorse necklace fell into the water, and when she attempted to retrieve it, she drowned. Robert lost control and beat Danny over her death. Sally covered up this abuse by having John, Kevin, and Meg lie to the police about their brother's injuries.

text: Robert's death opens the door for Danny to have a permanent job at the inn. Danny appears to be changing his ways with hard work and dedication, which puts him in Sally's good graces. However, Danny's problem past is shown via his connection with childhood friend and troublemaker Eric O'Bannon. The two begin siphoning gasoline from local docks for drug and human trafficker, Wayne Lowry. As they gain Lowry's trust, they are given larger jobs to complete. Danny eventually uses his job at The Rayburn House as a front to smuggle cocaine for Lowry.

text: John and the sheriff's department collaborate with the DEA in an investigation into the deaths of unknown women and drug trafficking in Monroe County by Lowry and his men. The investigation leads John to Danny and his recent activities. While secretly investigating Danny, John finds Danny's smuggled cocaine in a shed on The Rayburn House property. During a meeting among John, Kevin, and Meg, the three siblings conclude that the only way to fix the situation and not put the family's business at risk with the Feds is to move the drugs to Danny's home in Miami. Unbeknownst to Danny, they move the drugs, replacing them with empty suitcases. The loss of the drugs puts Danny in a bad situation with Lowry, who believes that Danny has stolen the cocaine from him. Lowry sends a hitman to assassinate Danny, but Danny kills the hitman.

text: Under pressure, Danny begins to act erratically. Danny tries to get to John by taking his daughter Janie out on a boat and giving her a seahorse necklace, similar to the one that belonged to their deceased sister, Sarah. John and his wife Dianna take this as a threat against the family, so John sends his wife and children away for a few days. The seahorse necklace causes John to reach his breaking point. During a confrontation, John drowns Danny in the ocean. Distraught from murdering his brother, John turns to Kevin and Meg for help. The three decide to cover up the murder by moving Danny's body. John eventually sets a boat on fire to create an explosion that would frame Danny's death. Unsatisfied with what she is told, Sally turns to family friend and retired detective Lenny Potts to privately investigate the matter. In the aftermath of Danny's death, Meg moves to New York City to take a job with a large firm; Kevin reunites with his estranged wife, Belle, who is now pregnant with their child; and John reunites with his family. The season ends with the arrival of Danny's son, Nolan, at John's home to find out what happened to his father.

text: Season 2 (2016)[edit]

text: Danny's death continues to haunt the Rayburn family. Wayne Lowry confronts John, claiming to have a tape of John's history that could be used as blackmail against him. John's deputy Marco Diaz continues to question people in relation to Danny's death, including Eric O'Bannon. Meg returns from New York, John runs for Sheriff, and Kevin continues to struggle with his business. Nolan and his mother arrive at the Rayburn house and meet Sally to discuss Danny. Through Nolan and Eve, the Rayburns learn more about Danny's past, including his asking Robert to borrow some money for his restaurant. Robert made him choose between that or his continuing to send money to Eve for Nolan's support. Ozzy, an old friend of Danny's from Miami, has gotten involved with Eve and works with her to appeal Meg's cancellation after her father's death of the payments to Eve for child support of Nolan. John tries to get the tape off Lowry by telling him to turn himself so that the DEA can arrest his contacts and his family will be protected. Lowry ends up about to do it but backs down due to Kevin giving back some of the drugs Danny had. Lowry is killed by the father of one of the victims killed when he blew up a boat containing people they were trafficking. While John runs for Sheriff, Marco gets closer to find Danny's killer. Marco, who used to have a relationship with Meg, grows to resent the Rayburn family for lying and telling contradictory stories. Eric O'Bannon tells Marco he has proof that John killed Danny. Kevin goes to see Marco to tell him that John killed Danny; Marco responds that John, Meg, and Kevin are all going to prison. Kevin murders Marco.

text: Season 3 (2017)[edit]

text: Following Diaz's murder, Kevin seeks Roy Gilbert's help to cover up the murder. Gilbert engineers a plan that frames O'Bannon for the murder, but Kevin nearly loses his life in the process. The impending trial creates further rifts within the Rayburn clan; Meg vanishes, Kevin becomes further ensnared in Gilbert's shady machinations, and John is increasingly consumed by guilt for Danny's death.

text: Cast[edit]

text: Main cast[edit]

text:
Kyle Chandler as John Rayburn, the second son; a detective and local deputy with the Monroe County sheriff's office[3][9]
Ben Mendelsohn as Danny Rayburn, the oldest son and black sheep of the family[3] (main, seasons 1–2; guest, season 3)
Linda Cardellini as Meg Rayburn, the daughter and youngest sibling; an attorney and the family peacekeeper[3][10]
Norbert Leo Butz as Kevin Rayburn, the hot-headed youngest son; he refurbishes boats at Indian Key Channel Marina[3]
Jacinda Barrett as Diana Rayburn, John's wife; she runs a plant nursery[3]
Jamie McShane as Eric O'Bannon, Danny's friend and Chelsea's brother; a parolee[3]
Enrique Murciano as Marco Diaz, Meg's former long-term romantic partner; a detective with the Monroe County sheriff's office and John's partner[11]
Sam Shepard as Robert Rayburn, the patriarch[3] (main, season 1; guest, season 2)
Sissy Spacek as Sally Rayburn, the matriarch[3]
Katie Finneran as Belle Rayburn, Kevin's estranged wife[11] (recurring, season 1; main, seasons 2–3)
John Leguizamo as Ozzy Delvecchio, a man from Danny's past (seasons 2–3)[12]
Andrea Riseborough as Evangeline (Eve) Radosevich, the mother of Nolan Rayburn who has unfinished business with the Rayburn family (season 2)[13]
Chloë Sevigny as Chelsea O'Bannon, Eric's younger sister; a nurse[14] (recurring, seasons 1–2; main, season 3)

text: Recurring cast[edit]

text:
Steven Pasquale as Alec Moros, Meg's legal client and lover[14]
Mia Kirshner as Sarah Rayburn, Sally and Robert's deceased elder daughter. Angela Winiewicz portrays young Sarah in flashbacks.
Brandon Larracuente as Ben Rayburn, John and Diana's son[11][15][16]
Taylor Rouviere as Janie Rayburn, John and Diana's daughter
Glenn Morshower as Wayne Lowry, a local bait shop owner who deals and distributes illegal drugs
Gino Vento as Rafi Quintana, smuggler and Wayne Lowry's employee
Eliezer Castro as Carlos Mejia, a former employee of the Rayburns' who hires Meg as a lawyer
Bill Kelly as Clay Grunwald, a DEA agent
Jeremy Palko as Nicholas Widmark, Kevin Rayburn's neighbor
Randy Gonzalez as Manny, employee at the Rayburn House
Frank Hoyt Taylor as Lenny Potts, an old Navy friend of Robert's and a retired Monroe County detective
Owen Teague as Nolan Rayburn, Danny's son, whom only Robert knew about. Teague portrays the young Danny Rayburn in flashbacks.
Beau Bridges as Roy Gilbert, a political supporter and ally of John Rayburn for county sheriff, and a drug trafficker.
David Zayas as Sheriff Aguirre, the incumbent sheriff running against John; also his and Marco's superior.

text: Production[edit]

text: Conception[edit]

text: Bloodline was announced in October 2014 as part of a partnership between Netflix and Sony Pictures Television, representing Netflix's first major deal with a major film studio for a television series.[17] The series was created and executive produced by Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, and Daniel Zelman, who previously created the FX series Damages. According to its official synopsis released by Netflix, Bloodline "centers on a close-knit family of four adult siblings whose secrets and scars are revealed when their black sheep brother returns home."[18]

text: The writing trio settled on the theme of family as they tried to determine what their next project would look like. According to Zelman,

text: "Over the years we've found ourselves talking a lot about family and how family dynamics have changed — or not changed — as we've gotten older." Glenn Kessler added, "As we've hit our 40s, our understanding of our family dynamics has begun to change. And because we all come from families with three sons, we recognize the roles we play. It's something we'd been talking about. So the thought was, why not try to mine some of that in our creative life?"

text: They settled on a family-thriller genre, set in the Florida Keys. They explored the ghost of the past in family role formation. The pitch was attractive to a number of outlets before Netflix landed the drama as a 13-hour season to launch all at once — a structural advantage very important to the show's creators.[19]

text: Casting[edit]

text: The creators were intrigued by the idea of casting Kyle Chandler, whose on-screen persona in Friday Night Lights was warm and inviting, to play the ostensibly noble but deeply flawed John Rayburn. They met with Chandler in Austin, Texas, and pitched the part.

text: "They said, 'This is like an experiment. We're not quite sure if this is going to work the way we're doing it, but we want to try to create this family dynamic we're aware of and create this family around it'", he recalled. "And their hesitancy of whether it would work or not... made me, thinking back on it, realize they were into it 110% because they were trying to create something new. I didn’t know what would happen with it or where it could go... But I was like, I’m in."[20]

text: Ben Mendelsohn was the only actor whom the producers met with for the role of Danny Rayburn; they found his combination of intellect and acting ability perfectly suited to the part. Glenn Kessler was grateful for Netflix's hands-off approach to the decision, explaining, "They very much supported us finding the best actor that we thought could play the role." In addition, as much of the show's dramatic tension comes from the relationship between John and Danny, a certain chemistry between the two actors was vital. According to Chandler, "[Mendelsohn]'s so easy to work with. And yet, he's tricky — when you're working with him, [psychologically] there's so much going on."[19]

text: Linda Cardellini and Norbert Leo Butz secured their parts as siblings Meg and Kevin Rayburn, respectively, through meetings with the creators. According to Kessler, Sissy Spacek and Sam Shepard were described prior to casting as the "dream" actors they'd want to play the Rayburn parents. A Damages fan, Spacek signed on after the cast started coming together, explaining, "There's so much good work coming out of television. I wanted to be a part of it."[19]

text: The second season features the additions of John Leguizamo and Andrea Riseborough as series regulars, both playing characters from Danny's past.[12][13] Ben Mendelsohn returns as a series regular for the second season, despite his character's having been killed off in season one. Glenn Kessler said,

text: "The DNA of the show is such that the past is always with us", and, "We're going to learn more about Danny's effect on the family and more about his past, and also what his effects are in the present day." He added that Mendelsohn's return "was always part of the plan. When we first hired him, it was for more than the first season."[21]

text: The third season features Chloë Sevigny as a series regular; she'd previously recurred in seasons one and two.

text: Filming[edit]

text: Todd A. Kessler described why they shot the show on location in the Florida Keys:

text: "We looked at several places and realized there is no place quite like the Keys and the color of the water and being outside and it really feeling like paradise and then having this kind of underbelly of what's going on underneath it."[22]

text: The creators acknowledged Crime and Punishment as a major narrative influence for what they described as a 13-hour movie. As Todd Kessler explained,

text: "in that story the murder takes place at about page 60 and there’s another 400 pages of the book to go. The tagline that we use for promotion — 'We’re not bad people, but we did a bad thing' — is very much the fabric of the series. The first season just gets us to the starting line."[23]

text: The show favors a mix of classic noir and hyper-realism in its look. Cinematographer Jaime Reynoso said, "he never saw [Bloodline] as a TV show", finding the all-at-once Netflix model useful in filming the series as if it were a shorter film. He explained, "The concept the writers had was they wanted it hyper-realistic, almost documentary style." He found first takes were often the best, with actors not rehearsing in order to maintain spontaneity.[24] Bloodline editor Naomi Geraghty also stressed the importance of realism to the show: "Nobody is ever saying what they’re saying, so part of how you build on that is by staying with those moments and you save sharp or jarring cuts for flashbacks."[25]

text: Production cost[edit]

text: In September 2016, Vulture.com reported that the cost per episode for the show was approximately US$7 million to US $8.5 million per hour, with a total cost for the 33 episodes between US$231–US$289 million. Despite receiving tax credits for shooting in Florida, shooting in the Florida Keys was costly. The high production cost is cited as one of the reasons for cancellation, despite positive reviews and award nominations.[26] Executive producer Todd A. Kessler said: "We decided to set the show there...because it's crucial to what the show is, not because of the tax incentive, but it does affect things financially for us and the show will be challenged because of that. It makes things more difficult".[27]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Critical[edit]

text: Season 1[edit]

text: Critics received the first three episodes of Bloodline for initial review, and reception was positive—the season received a score of 75 out of 100 based on 31 reviews on Metacritic.[28] Rotten Tomatoes gave the season an approval rating of 80%, with an average rating of 7/10 based on 44 reviews, and a critical consensus of: "While Bloodline's tricky timeline detracts from the potency of the story and its characters, the show remains an addictive, tightly drawn brainteaser framed on a believable canvas."[29]

text: Several critics gave especially positive reviews. Ken Tucker of Yahoo! TV called it a "twisty mood piece ... well worth your time".[30] Dorothy Rabinowitz, writing for The Wall Street Journal, said the series possesses a "magnetic pull".[31] David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter raved, "Chalk up another forceful punch [for Netflix] with Bloodline, a riveting, superbly cast slow-burn family drama set between the oceanfront paradise and the murky mangrove swamps of the Florida Keys."[32] Other strong reviews came from The A.V. Club,[33] the Los Angeles Times,[34] the New York Times,[35] the Philadelphia Inquirer,[36] Variety,[37] Entertainment Weekly,[38] and the San Francisco Chronicle.[39] Cinema Blend, Decider, Badass Digest, and Forbes have hailed Bloodline as the best Netflix original to date.[40][41][42][43]

text: Debate ensued among some critics who felt the three episodes Netflix provided for review were insufficient. As Hank Stuever wrote in his review for The Washington Post, "I’ve enjoyed Bloodline so far, but it’s impossible to say if it’s consistently this good, because Netflix would share only three episodes (out of 13) with critics."[44] For HitFix, Alan Sepinwall (who awarded the three episodes a B-) echoed the sentiment, saying, "We'll see if they play those [time-shifting] games to this extent with Bloodline — Todd Kessler has suggested to at least one reporter that the flash-forwards won't be a series-long (or even season-long) device — but for now, the new show seems more style over substance."[45] He later revised his opinion on the matter, writing that Bloodline ultimately "played fair" with its narrative. He summed up his thoughts on the season: "In the end, Mendelsohn was so great that I'm glad I made it to the end, but this one feels better-suited to the anthology miniseries model than as an ongoing."[46]

text: Other mixed reviews came from James Poniewozik of TIME,[47] Robert Bianco of USA Today[48] and Margaret Lyons of Vulture.[49] However, Sean Fitz-Gerald, who reviewed the season as a whole for Vulture, wrote in sum: "Bloodline was a gripping, slow burn of a journey, so stressful, engaging, and uncomfortable ... KZK did a fantastic job crafting something real enough to find introspective truth in."[50]

text: The Playlist named Bloodline the normative successor to Breaking Bad because of its complex and tragic anti-hero narrative. Critic Nikola Grozdavonic said: "As TV shows continue to soar during this golden age of television, the bar keeps rising higher and higher ... Right now [Bloodline is] the greatest example of how profoundly effective the 13-episode format can be in modern storytelling. Of course, shows have to be technically sound in order to represent their story in the greatest possible light, and the team behind Bloodline does an outstanding job in every technical department. Breathtaking cinematography, an immersive soundtrack, and a coyly observant camera all enhancing the viewing experience by a noticeable degree. The picturesque location of the Florida Keys, divided between gorgeous coral reefs and dark mangroves, is captured with an eye for the sensual and the symbolic. And yet, all of this would turn to dust if the story didn't reach as deep as it does, and the writing and performances weren't as spectacular as they are.[51] IndieWire asserted that Bloodline's mix of noir and family drama allows it to successfully confront complex familial dynamics. According to author David Canfield, "The opening minutes of Bloodline rather perfectly ascertain a new trend happening in dramatic television right now: the family noir ... The conceit of these new series is to realize what's common to family-centric fiction within a construct that is both unsettling and pessimistic ... Bloodline identifies the origins of familial roles, each shaped by a cataclysmic event in the Rayburn siblings' childhood. The time-shifting is intrinsic to the show's ideas, exploring the formation of identity through flashbacks and, via glimpses of the future, affirming their inflexibility."[52]

text: Critics' reactions were more divided to Bloodline in its entirety, with end-of-season reviews from publications, such Vox.com,[53] IGN,[54] and Uncle Barky,[55] ending up very favorable. While reviews from HitFix,[46] and Vulture[50] were more mixed.

text: The first season was named among the best of 2015 by Rolling Stone,[56] The Star-Ledger,[57] Vanity Fair,[58] The Guardian,[59] IGN,[60] The A.V. Club,[61] The Week,[62] Maxim[63] and The Hollywood Reporter.[64] However, IndieWire named the show one of the most disappointing TV shows of 2015.[65]

text: Season 2[edit]

text: Season 2 of Bloodline received mixed reviews from critics, with many reviewers criticizing the pacing, but praising the performances and cinematography.[66] On Metacritic, the season has a score of 60 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[67] On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 47% approval rating, based on 16 reviews, with a rating average of 6.1/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Despite impressive performances and attractive cinematography, Bloodline's second season fails to recapture its predecessor's dramatic intrigue."[68]

text: Season 3[edit]

text: The third and final season received negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds an approval rating of 29% and an average score of 5/10 based on 7 reviews.[69]

text: Accolades[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Recipients
Result
Ref.

2015

Critics' Choice Television Awards

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Ben Mendelsohn
Nominated

[70]

Gold Derby Awards

Drama Supporting Actor
Ben Mendelsohn
Nominated

[71]

Primetime Emmy Awards

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Kyle Chandler
Nominated

[72]

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Ben Mendelsohn
Nominated

Writers Guild of America Awards

Television: New Series
Bloodline
Nominated

[73]

EWwy Awards

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Sissy Spacek
Nominated

[74]

2016

Artios Awards

Achievement in Casting – Television Series Drama
Debra Zane, Lori Wyman, Shayna Markowitz
Nominated

[75]

Satellite Awards

Best Television Series – Drama
Bloodline
Nominated

[76]

Best Actor – Television Series Drama
Kyle Chandler
Nominated

Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film
Ben Mendelsohn
Nominated

Golden Globe Awards

Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Ben Mendelsohn
Nominated

[77]

OFTA Awards

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Ben Mendelsohn
Nominated

Primetime Emmy Awards

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Kyle Chandler
Nominated

[78]

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Ben Mendelsohn
Won

IGN Awards

Best TV Actor
Ben Mendelsohn
Won

[79]

2017

Artios Awards

Achievement in Casting – Television Series Drama
Debra Zane, Lori Wyman, Shayna Markowitz, Marie-Thérèse Verbruggen, Erin Fragetta
Won

[80]

Art Directors Guild Awards

One-Hour Contemporary Single-Camera Television Series
Tim Galvin
Nominated

[81]

Satellite Awards

Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Ben Mendelsohn
Won

[82]

Primetime Emmy Awards

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Ben Mendelsohn
Nominated

[83]

text: Commercial[edit]

text: The official trailer was released in mid-February, containing the Lissie cover of Metallica's song "Nothing Else Matters". After the trailer's release, Bloodline ranked eighth among all cable/streaming programs in Digital Audience Ratings and was the top trending program, despite being a month out of its premiere. According to Variety, "The first full trailer release for [Netflix's] upcoming drama “Bloodline” ... already has nearly 1 million more views in just a week’s time, landing the show on the Cable/Streaming and Trending leaderboards this week."[84]

text: DVD and Blu-ray releases[edit]

text: Bloodline has been released on DVD in Australia; season 1 on May 5, 2016,[85] and season 2 on May 31, 2017.[86] The first season has also been released on DVD and Blu-ray in Europe in March 2016.[87] The series has yet to be released on DVD or Blu-ray in North America.[88]


document_title: The Leftovers (TV series)

question_text: how many episodes in the final season of the leftovers

root

text: The Leftovers (TV series)

text: Premise[edit]

text: The Leftovers starts three years after a global event called the "Sudden Departure", the inexplicable, simultaneous disappearance of 140 million people, 2% of the world's population, on October 14, 2011.[8] Following that event, mainstream religions declined, and a number of cults emerged, most notably the Guilty Remnant.[9]

tag: p

text: The first season revolves around the Garvey family and their acquaintances in the fictional town of Mapleton, New York. Kevin Garvey is the Chief of Police. His wife Laurie has joined the Guilty Remnant. Their son Tommy has left home for college, and their daughter Jill is acting out.[2] In the second season, the lead characters move to the fictional town of Jarden, Texas, where not a single citizen was lost in the "Sudden Departure". The third and final season unfolds three years later, in 2018, starting 14 days before the cryptic seventh anniversary of the Sudden Departure, with events taking the main characters to Australia.

text: Cast and characters[edit]

text: Main[edit]

text:
Justin Theroux as Kevin Garvey, Jr., Mapleton's Chief of Police and a father of two, who is trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy in this new world. The breakup of his family puts more and more of a strain on him.
Amy Brenneman as Lorelei "Laurie" Garvey, Kevin's wife, and Tom and Jill's mother, who left her entire life behind to join a mysterious cult called the Guilty Remnant.
Christopher Eccleston as Matt Jamison, a former reverend and current editor of a self-published tabloid that outs sinners. He struggles with his inability to accept that he, a good Christian, was not taken in the Sudden Departure while many sinners were. He has a wife, Mary.
Liv Tyler as Megan "Meg" Abbott, a woman about to get married when she becomes the target of the Guilty Remnant.a
Chris Zylka as Tom "Tommy" Garvey, Laurie's son (whom Kevin has raised as his own), who has recently dropped out of college and taken refuge with a mysterious guru called "Holy Wayne".
Margaret Qualley as Jill Garvey, Kevin's teenage daughter, a straight-A student who has a difficult relationship with her father.a
Carrie Coon as Nora Durst, a wife and mother who lost her husband, son, and daughter in the Sudden Departure. She is Matt's sister.
Emily Meade as Aimee, Jill's free-spirited high school friend, who seems unfazed by the rapture. (season 1)
Amanda Warren as Lucy Warburton, Mapleton's take-no-prisoners mayor. (season 1)
Ann Dowd as Patricia "Patti" Levin, the leader of the local chapter of the Guilty Remnant.
Michael Gaston as Dean, a man who seems to understand that times have changed and addresses it head-on—often violently. (season 1, recurring season 3)
Max and Charlie Carver as Adam and Scott Frost, happy-go-lucky identical twin brothers. (season 1)
Annie Q. as Christine, one of Holy Wayne's former "groupies", and whose role apparently has a special and mysterious meaning. She was also Tommy's friend.
Janel Moloney as Mary Jamison, Matt's wife, who was rendered comatose by a car crash during the Sudden Departure. (seasons 2–3, recurring season 1)a
Regina King as Erika Murphy, a doctor who runs an urgent-care facility. The Murphys are the Garveys' neighbors in Jarden, Texas. (seasons 2–3)a
Kevin Carroll as John Murphy, Erika's ex-husband and head of the town's volunteer fire department. (seasons 2–3)
Jovan Adepo as Michael Murphy, Erika and John's teenage son. (seasons 2–3)
Scott Glenn as Kevin Garvey, Sr., Mapleton's former chief of police who has been committed to a mental health institute. (season 3, recurring seasons 1–2)a

tag: ul

text: Notes[edit]

text: Recurring[edit]

text:
Paterson Joseph as Henry "Holy Wayne" Gilchrest, Jr., a post-Sudden Departure savior who "heals" people of their burdens (seasons 1–2)
Natalie Gold as Sam's Mother, a woman who lost her baby son Sam in the Sudden Departure (seasons 1, 3)
Marceline Hugot as Gladys, a member of the Guilty Remnant (seasons 1–2)
Wayne Duvall as Detective Louis Vitello (season 1)
Sebastian Arcelus as Doug Durst, Nora's husband who departed with their two children (season 1)
Jasmin Savoy Brown as Evangeline "Evie" Murphy, Erika and John's teenage daughter, Michael Murphy's twin (seasons 2–3)
Darius McCrary as Isaac Rayney, a fortune teller (season 2)
Steven Williams as Virgil, Evie and Michael's grandfather (season 2)
Dominic Burgess as Dr. Brian Goodheart, an Australian scientist (season 2)
Mark Linn-Baker as himself (seasons 2–3)
Turk Pipkin as Pillar Man, a mysterious figure residing atop the pillar in Jarden Square (season 2–3)
Brett Butler as Sandy, the wife of the Pillar Man and a friend of Matt's (seasons 2–3)
Joel Murray as George Brevity, and agent of the Department of Sudden Departure (seasons 2–3)
Bill Camp as David Burton, an Australian man appearing to Kevin in the afterlife (season 2–3)
Lindsay Duncan as Grace Playford (season 3)[10]
Damien Garvey as Kevin Yarborough, an Australian Chief of Police (season 3)
David Gulpilil as Christopher Sunday (season 3)
Katja Herbers as Dr. Eden (season 3)

text: Development and production[edit]

text: HBO acquired rights for series development with Perrotta attached as writer/executive producer and Ron Yerxa and Albert Berger as executive producers in August 2011, shortly before the book came out.[11]

text: Damon Lindelof had reportedly been a fan of Perotta's earlier novels and had first learned of the book from a positive review by Stephen King in The New York Times in August 2011.[12][13] In June 2012, Lindelof announced he would be developing the series alongside Perrotta. He served as the series' showrunner.[2]

text: In February 2013, HBO ordered a pilot and, in September, ordered a 10-episode first season.[14][15] The Leftovers is the first series HBO acquired from an outside studio that it did not produce in-house.[16]

text: The first season covers the entirety of the book; the second and third seasons are completely original material.[17][18] In April 2015, it was reported that the setting for the second season would shift from Mapleton, New York to a small town in Texas.[19] The series shifted filming locations from New York to Austin, Texas, with nearby Lockhart serving as the mainstreet of fictional Jarden, Texas, when principal photography commenced in late April.[20][21] For the second season, which features several changes, including cast, location, and storylines; Lindelof cited The Wire and Friday Night Lights as influences.[22][23]

text: The final season began principal photography in early May 2016, in Austin.[18] In June 2016, the production moved to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, where it filmed the remainder of the series and completed post-production. On the move to Melbourne, Lindelof said, "We're immensely grateful for the opportunity to try something that looks and feels different from the preceding seasons and we absolutely cannot wait to bring our story to its conclusion down under."[24][25] It was also confirmed that the season would have a shortened 8-episode run.[26]

text: Casting[edit]

text: In June 2013, casting announcements began. Justin Theroux, Liv Tyler, Christopher Eccleston, Ann Dowd, Amanda Warren, Michael Gaston, and Carrie Coon were announced to star in the pilot.[27][28][29]

text: For the second season, eight of the 14 main cast members from season one returned,[5] while Emily Meade, Amanda Warren, Annie Q., Max Carver, Charlie Carver and Michael Gaston did not.[30] In April 2015, casting began for a Black American family comprising a father, ex-convict John Murphy; his hearing-impaired doctor wife, Erika; and their teenage children Evie, an outgoing athlete, and Michael, a pious Christian.[19] The roles of John, Erika, and Michael are portrayed by Kevin Carroll, Regina King and Jovan Adepo, respectively, all as series regulars.[31][32] Darius McCrary was cast in a recurring role as Isaac Rayney, John's friend and a palm reader.[32] Steven Williams was cast in a recurring role, playing Virgil, a confidant of Kevin's.[33] Janel Moloney, who had a recurring role in the first season as Mary Jamison, was promoted to a regular cast member in season two.[5]

text: For the third season, it was confirmed in May 2016 that the entire main cast from the second season would return, with the exception of Dowd, and that Scott Glenn and Jasmin Savoy Brown had been promoted to series regulars,[26] however, Brown remained a guest star for the third season. Actress Lindsay Duncan joined the cast on December 6, 2016.[34] Main cast members Michael Gaston and Annie Q. from season one returned as guest stars.

text: Opening credits and theme music[edit]

text: The main title from the first season uses "The Leftovers (Main Title Theme)", an original piece of music by composer Max Richter, accompanied by images like a fresco in the style of the Sistine Chapel. The second season uses "Let the Mystery Be" by Iris DeMent. In addition, the opening changes to one that shows images of pictures and people who were departed missing from them and in their place is various images of earth-related phenomena like rain, clouds, aurora borealis and lightning. Season 3 retains the opening from Season 2 but several episodes contain a different theme song. In addition, the Season 1 main title theme and the song "Let the Mystery Be" were both reprised for the penultimate episode and series finale respectively.

text:
Season 3

None
"Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now" by David Pomeranz
"Personal Jesus" by Richard Cheese
"This Love Is Over" by Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs
"Ashrei" by Benzion Miller
"1-800 Suicide" by Gravediggaz
"The Leftovers (Main Title Theme)" by Max Richter
"Let the Mystery Be" by Iris DeMent

tag: table

text: Episodes[edit]

text:
Season
Episodes
Originally aired

First aired
Last aired

1
10
June 29, 2014 (2014-06-29)
September 7, 2014 (2014-09-07)

2
10
October 4, 2015 (2015-10-04)
December 6, 2015 (2015-12-06)

3
8
April 16, 2017 (2017-04-16)
June 4, 2017 (2017-06-04)

text: Reception[edit]

text: Critical response[edit]

text:
Season
Critical response

Rotten Tomatoes
Metacritic

1
81% (60 reviews)
65/100 (42 reviews)

2
93% (33 reviews)
80/100 (22 reviews)

3
98% (35 reviews)
98/100 (17 reviews)

text: Season one of The Leftovers received mostly positive reviews from critics. Metacritic scored season one 65 out of 100, based on 42 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[35] Rotten Tomatoes scored the season 81%, based on 60 reviews, with an average rating of 7.68/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Its dour tone and self-seriousness may make for somber viewing, but The Leftovers is an artfully crafted, thought-provoking drama that aims high and often hits its mark."[36] IGN reviewer Matt Fowler gave consistently high scores to all the season one episodes, including two perfect 10 scores for "Two Boats and a Helicopter" and the season finale "The Prodigal Son Returns."[37] He then gave the entire first season a review score of 9.4 out of 10, particularly praising the character-centric episodes, Max Richter's score and the performances, particularly Carrie Coon's.[38]

text: Season two received critical acclaim. On Metacritic, it has a score of 80 out of 100 based on 22 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[39] Rotten Tomatoes gave the second season a rating of 93% with an average score of 8.73 out of 10 based on 33 critic reviews, with the critical consensus "The Leftovers continues to be unpredictable and provocative in season two with its new location, though the inexplicable circumstances will still frustrate many viewers."[40] Alan Sepinwall of HitFix gave it an "A" grade and wrote that "The Leftovers is still TV's best drama as season 2 begins"; it has "tighter focus, but same powerful, immersive experience".[41] In his five out of five star review, Todd VanDerWerff of Vox wrote: "It's a show that wants to provoke a reaction in you, whether it's admiration, hatred, or just bafflement. It's HBO's best drama—and thus must-see TV."[42]

text: The third season has received unanimous acclaim from critics. On Metacritic, it has a score of 98 out of 100 based on 17 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[43] On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 98% rating with an average score of 9.43 out of 10 based on 35 reviews with the critical consensus "With reliably ambitious storytelling and outstanding performances from its cast, Season 3 of The Leftovers approaches the series' conclusion as thoughtfully, purposefully, and confidently as it began."[44] Maureen Ryan of Variety wrote the final season "is spectacular, in every sense of that word."[45]

text: Critics' top ten lists[edit]

text:
[show]2014[46]

No. 1 HitFix
No. 4 IGN
No. 5 IndieWire
No. 7 Yahoo! TV
No. 8 Digital Spy
No. 8 Vox
No. 8 We Got This Covered
 – The Globe and Mail

text:
[show]2015[47]

No. 1 HitFix
No. 1 IndieWire
No. 1 IGN
No. 1 Rapid City Journal
No. 1 Screen Crush
No. 1 The Star-Ledger
No. 1 Thompson on Hollywood
No. 2 Cinema Blend
No. 2 Complex
No. 2 The Hollywood Reporter
No. 2 Lincoln Journal Star
No. 2 The Playlist
No. 2 Vox
No. 3 The Daily Beast
No. 3 Philadelphia Daily News
No. 3 TV Fanatic
No. 3 We Got This Covered
No. 4 Adweek
No. 5 Salon
No. 6 The A.V. Club
No. 6 Omaha World-Herald
No. 6 Paste
No. 6 TV.com
No. 8 TIME
No. 9 RogerEbert.com
No. 9 Vulture
 - The Atlantic
 - Flavorwire
 - The New York Times
 - Variety
 - The Week

text: Accolades[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee(s)
Result
Ref.

2014
Critics' Choice Television Awards
Most Exciting New Series
The Leftovers
Won
[48]

Hollywood Music in Media Awards
Best Main Title – TV Show/Digital Streaming Series
Max Richter
Won
[49]

Outstanding Music Supervision – Television
Liza Richardson
Nominated

2015
Critics' Choice Television Awards
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Christopher Eccleston
Nominated
[50]

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Carrie Coon
Nominated

International Film Music Critics Award
Best Original Score for a Drama Series
Max Richter
Nominated
[51]

Gold Derby TV Awards
Best Drama Supporting Actress
Carrie Coon
Nominated
[52]

Satellite Awards
Best Genre Series
The Leftovers
Nominated
[53]

Best Supporting Actor for a Series, Miniseries, or TV Film
Christopher Eccleston
Nominated

Best Supporting Actress for a Series, Miniseries, or TV Film
Ann Dowd
Nominated

Writers Guild of America Awards
Long Form Adapted
Damon Lindelof & Tom Perrotta for "Pilot"
Nominated
[54]

2016
Critics' Choice Television Awards
Best Actor in a Drama Series
Justin Theroux
Nominated
[55]

Best Actress in a Drama Series
Carrie Coon
Won

Best Drama Series
The Leftovers
Nominated

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Christopher Eccleston
Nominated

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Ann Dowd
Nominated

Regina King
Nominated

Gold Derby TV Awards
Best Drama Episode
"International Assassin"
Won
[56]

Best Drama Leading Actor
Justin Theroux
Nominated

Best Drama Leading Actress
Carrie Coon
Nominated

Best Drama Series
The Leftovers
Nominated

Best Drama Supporting Actor
Christopher Eccleston
Nominated

Best Drama Supporting Actress
Regina King
Nominated

Ensemble of the Year
The cast of The Leftovers
Nominated

Satellite Awards
Best Genre Series
The Leftovers
Nominated
[57]

Television Critics Association Awards
Outstanding Achievement in Drama
The Leftovers
Nominated
[58]

USC Scripter Award
Outstanding Writing – Television
Damon Lindelof and Jacqueline Hoyt for "Axis Mundi"
Nominated
[59]

Writers Guild of America Awards
Episodic Drama
Damon Lindelof & Nick Cuse for "International Assassin"
Nominated
[60]

2017
Gold Derby TV Awards
Best Drama Episode
"The Book of Nora"
Won
[61]

Best Drama Guest Actress
Ann Dowd
Nominated

Best Drama Leading Actor
Justin Theroux
Nominated

Best Drama Leading Actress
Carrie Coon
Nominated

Best Drama Series
The Leftovers
Nominated

Best Drama Supporting Actor
Christopher Eccleston
Nominated

Ensemble of the Year
The cast of The Leftovers
Nominated

Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Ann Dowd
Nominated
[62]

Television Critics Association Awards
Individual Achievement in Drama
Carrie Coon (for The Leftovers and Fargo)
Won
[63]

Program of the Year
The Leftovers
Nominated

text: Critics' top ten lists[edit]

text:
[show]2014[64]

No. 1 Hitfix
No. 3 IGN
No. 6 New York Magazine
No. 7 New York Magazine
No. 8 Vox
No. 9 The Hollywood Reporter
No. 10 Buzzfeed

text:
[show]2015[65]

No. 1 Hitfix
No. 1 IGN
No. 1 New York Magazine
No. 2 Vox
No. 2 The Hollywood Reporter
No. 2 TV Guide
No. 2 Indiewire
No. 2 Hitfix
No. 3 Entertainment Weekly
No. 4 Hitfix
No. 4 The A.V. Club
No. 5 The A.V. Club
No. 8 Newsday
No. 8 Variety
No. 8 Vulture
No. 10 New York Magazine

text: Home media[edit]

text: The first season was released on Blu-ray and DVD in region 1 on October 6, 2015. The set contains two audio commentaries and four behind-the-scenes featurettes.[66] The second season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on February 9, 2016.[67]


document_title: Instant noodle

question_text: when did ramen noodles become popular in america

question_tokens: when did ramen noodles become popular in america

text: Instant noodle

text: History[edit]

text: Instant noodles were invented by Taiwanese-Japanese inventor Momofuku Ando in Japan. It was first marketed on 25 August 1958 by Ando's company, Nissin, under the brand name Chikin Ramen.[3] Ando developed the production method of flash frying noodles after they had been made, creating the "instant" noodle. This dried the noodles and gave them a longer shelf life, even exceeding that of frozen noodles. Each noodle block was pre-seasoned and sold for 35 yen. Initially, due to its price and novelty, Chikin Ramen was considered a luxury item, as Japanese grocery stores typically sold fresh noodles for one-sixth their price.[4][5] Despite this, instant noodles eventually gained immense popularity, especially after being promoted by Mitsubishi Corporation.[6]

text: In 1971, Nissin introduced Nissin Cup Noodles, a cup noodle to which boiling water is added to cook the noodles. A further innovation added dried vegetables to the cup, creating a complete instant soup dish.

text: According to a Japanese poll in the year 2000, "The Japanese believe that their best invention of the twentieth century was instant noodles."[7] As of 2010[update], approximately 96 billion servings of instant noodles are eaten worldwide every year. China consumes 42 billion packages of instant noodles per year – 44% of world consumption – Indonesia, 14 billion; Japan, 5.3 billion, Vietnam 4.8 billion, USA 4 billion. Per capita, South Koreans consume the greatest amount of instant noodles, 69 per capita per year.[8]

text: Composition[edit]

text: There are three key ingredients in wheat based noodles: Wheat flour, water, and salt.[9] Other than the three main ingredients, USDA regulations allow instant noodles to contain palm oil, seasoning, sodium phosphates, potato starches, gums, and other ingredients.[10] Knowing the composition of instant noodles is crucial to understanding the physical chemical properties of the product; therefore, the function of each ingredient listed above is specified below.

text: Flour[edit]

text: Noodles can be made from different kinds of flours, such as wheat flour, rice flour, and buckwheat flour, depending on the various types manufacturers want to make. For instant noodles, flours which have 8.5-12.5% protein are optimal because noodles must be able to withstand the drying process without breaking apart, which requires a higher amount of protein in flour, and during frying, high protein content can help decrease the fat uptake.[9] Gluten, which is made up of glutenin and gliadin, is the most important wheat protein that forms the continuous viscoelastic dough of noodles. The development of gluten structures and the networking between gluten and starches during kneading is very important to the elasticity and continuity of the dough.

text: Water[edit]

text: Water is the second most important raw material for making noodles after flour. The hydration of dough determines the development of gluten structure, which affects the viscoelastic properties of dough. The water absorption level for making noodles is about 30% - 38% of flour weight; if the water absorption level is too high, hydration of flour can not be completed, and if the water absorption level is too low, the dough will be too sticky to handle during processing.[9] For instant noodles, dehydration is an important step after noodles are made because water can offer a hospitable environment for microorganisms. Depending on dehydration methods, USDA has regulation on moisture content of instant noodles: for instant noodles dehydrated by frying, moisture content cannot exceed 8%, and for those dehydrated by methods other than frying, moisture content cannot exceed 14.5%.[10]

text: Salt[edit]

text: Salt is added when making the flour dough to strengthen gluten structures and enhance the sheeting properties of dough, and it can make the noodles softer and more elastic. Salt also offers the basic salty flavor of noodles and can cover some of the off-flavor generated by flour and processing. Another function of salt is to slow down the activities of enzymes, such as proteolytic enzymes, which could interrupt the gluten structures, and microbial growth. Alkaline salt, such as sodium and potassium carbonates, could be added to noodle dough to enhance the yellow color of the product if needed because flavonoid pigments in flour turns yellow at alkaline pH levels, and the increase of pH could also influence the behavior of gluten, which could make noodle dough even tougher and less extensible (for some noodles, such as Japanese ramen, this is wanted). For making fresh noodles, the amount of salt added is 1-3% of flour weight, but for instant noodles, due to the longer shelf life, it requires higher salt content.[9]One pack of ramen will bring you well over half the daily recommended amount of sodium.[11]

text: Kansui[edit]

text: Kansui, an alkaline solution consisting usually of a 9:1 ratio of sodium carbonate to potassium carbonate, is added to the flour and water when making ramen to help develop several of its unique characteristics.[12] The addition of kansui aids in the gluten development of the noodle as well as promotion of gelatinization of starches, both of which contribute to the springiness and chewiness characteristic of ramen[13]. Additionally, the addition of kansui enhances the yellow color of ramen noodles by bringing about chromophoric shift of several compounds called flavonoids that are native to wheat flour.[12]

text: Oil[edit]

text: Frying is a common dehydration process for producing instant noodles. Therefore, oil becomes an important component of instant noodles. According to USDA regulation, oil-fried instant noodles should not have fat content higher than 20% of total weight, which means theoretically, amount of oil uptake during frying process could go even higher. Therefore, the high fat content of instant noodles is always the reason why consumers who are pursuing healthy diets would not buy this product. Palm oil is always chosen as the frying oil for instant noodles due to its heat stability and low cost. However, overall, due to the high fat content and low moisture content, instant noodles are highly susceptible to lipid oxidation, and relatively high amount of preservatives are added. Hence, to avoid the generation of off flavors and health risking compounds, some instant noodles were dehydrated by ways other than frying to reduce the fat content. According to USDA, un-fried instant noodles should have fat content lower than 3%.[10]

text: Starches[edit]

text: Potato starches are commonly added in instant noodles to enhance gelling properties and water-holding capacities of noodles. Gelling properties could enhance the elasticity and chewiness of instant noodles, and water holding capacities could improve the smooth and shiny look of noodles after cooking and shorten the cooking time.

text: Polyphosphates[edit]

text: Polyphosphate is used in instant noodles as additive to improve starch gelatinization during cooking (rehydration) to allow more water retention in the noodles. Normally 0.1% of flour weight phosphate compounds are added to water before mixing and making the dough.

text: Hydrocolloids[edit]

text: Hydrocolloids such as guar gum are widely used in instant noodles production to enhance water binding capacity during rehydration and shorten the cooking time. Gums are dispersed in water before mixing and making noodles dough.[14]

text: Production[edit]

text: This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: The main ingredients in instant noodles are flour, starch, water, salt and/or a salt substitute known as kansui, a type of alkaline mineral water containing sodium carbonate and usually potassium carbonate, as well as sometimes a small amount of phosphoric acid.

text: Specific types of noodle can be made from a mix of wheat flour and other flour such as buckwheat. There are variations to the ingredients used depending on the country of origin in terms of the salt content and the flour content.

text: Noodle production starts with dissolving the salt, starch, and flavoring in water to form a mixture which is then added to the flour. The dough is then left for a period of time to mature, then for even distribution of the ingredients and hydration of the particles in the dough, it is kneaded. After it is kneaded, the dough gets made into two sheets compounded into one single noodle belt by being put through two rotating rollers. This process is repeated to develop gluten more easily as the sheet is folded and passed through the rollers several times. This will create the stringy and chewy texture found in instant noodles. When the noodle belt is made to the desired thickness by adjusting the gap in the rolls, it is then cut right away. Wavy noodles are made in a slow paced conveyor belt and are hindered by metal weights when coming out of the slitter which gives the noodle its wavy appearance. If the strands are to be molded into other shapes, liquid seasoning could be added as well. Once the noodles are shaped, they is ready to be steamed for 1–5 minutes at 100 °C (212 °F) to improve its texture by gelatinizing the starch of the noodles. When steaming, the addition of water and heat breaks up the helix structure and crystalinity of amylose. Amylose begins to diffuse out of the starch granule and forms a gel matrix around the granule.[15]

text: Next, noodles can be dried in one of two ways: by frying or by hot air drying. Fried instant noodles are dried by oil frying for 1–2 minutes at a temperature of 140–160 °C (284–320 °F). The frying process decreases the moisture content from 30–50% to 2–5%. Common oils used for frying in North America consist of canola, cottonseed and palm oil mixtures, while only palm oil or palm olein are used in Asia. Air-dried noodles are dried for 30–40 minutes in hot air at a temperature of 70–90 °C (158–194 °F), resulting in a moisture content of 8–12%. During the drying process, the rapid evaporation of water creates pores throughout the food matrix, which allows for short cooking times in the finished product. In the case of fried noodles, the creation of pores is directly related to the uptake of fat into the noodles[16]. More than 80% of instant noodles are fried as it gives more evenly dried noodles than hot air drying which can cause an undesired texture in finished noodles, and also taking longer time to cook. However, with fried noodles, the oil content is about 15–20% and decreases the shelf life of the noodles due to oxidation whereas in hot air-dried noodles it has only 3% oil content maximum.[14]

text: Before packaging with seasoning, the noodles are cooled after drying, and their quality of moisture, color, and shape are checked. Packaging of the noodles include films impermeable to air and water. There are two forms of packaged instant noodles, one in a bag with the provided seasoning in small sachets inside, or in a cup with seasoning on the top of the noodles. There are a variety of flavors to the noodles depending on which ones are added to the seasoning. Such flavors include beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, oriental, etc. In instant noodle cups, soy protein and dehydrated vegetables and meats are often added for further flavor.

text: The shelf life of instant noodles ranges from 4–12 months, depending on environmental factors. Their stability comes from the high sodium content with low moisture, and low water activity. Instant noodles can be served after 1–2 minutes in boiled water or soaked in hot water for 3–4 minutes.[17]

text: Physical properties[edit]

text: Noodles from instant ramen noodle soup are continuous viscoelastic gluten matrix evenly mixed with starch granules, salt, gums, and other additives and preservatives. There are four key ingredients in making the noodle dough, which are wheat flour, water, kansu, and salt. After mixing, kneading, compounding, and rolling, a continuous viscous noodle dough sheet is made and cut by roll slitters. The conveying belt which transports noodle dough sheet moves slower than the rotation speed of blades on the slitters; therefore, noodle dough sheet could be pressed multiple times up and down and produce the unique wavy form of instant noodles. After slitting, noodle dough sheets undergo steaming and frying, which triggers starch gelatinization to increase the water retention during cooking in boiling water to shorten the cooking time of instant noodles.

text: "Elasticity"[edit]

text: Even though dry instant noodles might not show any sign of elasticity, cooked instant noodles generally have higher elasticity than other types of noodles when they are cooked, and the unique wavy form also differentiates instant noodles from other common noodles like udon or flat noodles. The wavy form of instant noodles sometimes creates random spirals after noodles are cooked, which can give a unique springiness to the noodle strands. The wavy form of instant noodles is formed when noodle dough sheets are being cut by rotation slitters. As mentioned above, due to the difference between the velocity of conveying belt and blade rotation, noodle dough sheets could be pressed by blades multiple times within a certain area, and that creates the unique wavy form of instant noodles.[9] During pressing by heavy blades, the continuous gluten structure is ruptured at certain points and does not return to its original shape, but the remaining gluten structures are strong enough to keep it hanging; therefore, wavy noodle strands are formed and maintained during processing. Other than the physical springiness, the selection of ingredients also ensures the high elasticity of instant noodles. Instant noodles require wheat flour with high protein content to ensure noodle strands are broken during processing,[9] which will make a more viscoelastic noodle dough and result in more elastic noodles. Furthermore, potato starch is a key ingredient in instant noodles, which has characteristics of low gelatinization temperature, high viscosity, and rapid swelling.[9] Therefore, the addition of starch could also increase the elasticity of noodles. High salt content in instant noodles also increase the elasticity of noodle strands. Salt, dissolved in water as ions, could strengthen the interaction between gluten structures which can also increase the elasticity of noodles.[18]

text: Short cooking time[edit]

text: The initial purpose of inventing instant noodles was to shorten the cooking time of conventional noodles. Therefore, a short cooking time could be regarded as the most decisive characteristic of instant noodles. Instant noodles are cooked in boiled water; therefore, enhancing water retention is the major method to shorten cooking time.

text: Starch gelatinization is the most important feature in instant noodles that can enhance water retention during cooking. Two key steps in instant noodle processing serve the function to trigger starch gelatinization, which are steaming and oil-frying. Starch gelatinization occurs when starch granules swell in water with heat, amyloses leak out of starch granules, which could bind to water and increase the viscosity of gluten matrix. Steaming offers an optimal condition for the gelatinization of potato starches. After steaming, rapid oil-frying vaporize the free water, and gelatinization continues until all the free water is dehydrated. During frying, water in noodle strands migrates from central region outwards to replace the surface water that is dehydrated during frying. Therefore, a porous sponge structure in the noodle is created due to vaporization. During the migration of water, it carries thermal energy from oil to the surroundings and bound water to offer the heat for finishing starch gelatinization. Furthermore, the heat transfer during evaporation protects instant noodles from burning or being overcooked during frying.[9] Moreover, as a common additive, guar gum can not only increases the elasticity and viscosity of noodles to enhance the mouth feel, it can also increase the water binding ability of noodles when cooking in boiling water. Hydrocolloids could bind large amounts of water; the more water they bind, the faster heat will transfer to the center of noodles.

text: Health and safety concerns[edit]

text: Nutritional value[edit]

text: Instant noodles are often criticized as unhealthy or junk food.[19] A single serving of instant noodles is high in carbohydrates and fat, but low in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.[20][21][22]

text: Lead[edit]

text: Lead contamination in Nestlé's Maggi brand instant noodles made headlines in India, with some 7 times the allowed limit, with several Indian states banning the product as well as Nepal.[23] On June 5, 2015, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned all nine approved variants of Maggi instant noodles from India, terming them "unsafe and hazardous" for human consumption.[24]

text: Worldwide[edit]

text: This section's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (February 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: Instant noodles are a popular food in many parts of the world, undergoing changes in flavor to fit local tastes. In 2015 the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA) noted 52 countries consumed 97.7 billion servings which China (and Hong Kong) consumed 40.43 billion and Indonesia consumed 13.20 billion servings, both countries dominated world instant noodle consumption by almost 55 percent.[25]

text: Argentina[edit]

text: In Argentina, instant noodles are gaining popularity and can be found in supermarkets in most major cities. The brand is usually Sapporo Ichiban. The Maruchan brand can also be found at Disco and Coto supermarkets. Due to the recent Chinese immigration wave, specialized Chinese supermarkets offer a wide variety of instant noodle brands.

text: Australia[edit]

text: The most popular manufacturer of instant noodle in Australia is San Remo Macaroni Company, whose Fantastic and Suimin brands hold a 30% market share.[26] Other brands include Indomie, Indomie Mi Goreng, Maggi, Wai Wai, Nissin's Demae Ramen, and Nongshim's Shin ramyun served with broth. Instant noodles are often referred to as "two-minute noodles" in Australia, a reflection of their preparation time.

text: Bangladesh[edit]

text: Maggi is the most popular brand of instant noodle in Bangladesh. Instant noodles are a popular snack. They are often combined with eggs and seasonal vegetables.[citation needed]

text: Brazil[edit]

text: For a long time, the main manufacturer of instant noodle was Nissin Miojo, to the extent that in Brazil the most common name for them is "miojo", which is a Nissin trademark. Manufacturers call them "lámen", from Japanese ramen. Many other companies, such as Maggi and Nestlé, also offer this product. There are many variants, such as "Lámen Cremoso", which has a creamy sauce, and "Lámen Hot", which includes pepper, as well as yakisoba and spaghetti.

text: Canada[edit]

text: This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: Instant noodles were first introduced into Canada at least as early as 1974[citation needed], with Ramen noodles as its Japanese originator. There are many brands available, including major brands from companies such as Nissin Foods, Sapporo Ichiban, Mr. Noodles, Nongshim, and Knorr. In some areas, these noodles are referred to simply by their brand names, though they are predominantly referred to as "instant noodles". These brand-name packages generally only contain one flavoring pouch. Some brands, mostly more expensive Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Thai brands, include more flavoring and separate packets for dried vegetables, flavoring contained in oil, and pepper, in addition to the soup stock. Korean brands such as Nongshim are readily available in most large grocery stores, and in some major cities, brands imported from Europe are also available.

text: In larger grocery stores and Asian markets in larger cities, a large variety of brands and international flavors can be found, including noodles from such places as Thailand, Indonesia, and India. Instant noodles from Grace, a Caribbean food company, are available in some places. Due to the large South Asian population in some major cities, Maggi is also a popular brand. Product formats include regular plastic wrapping and in various foam food containers.

text: China[edit]

text: The market is focusing on higher-end products. The top three brands in this category dominate more than 85% of the market; for the lower end, the leading five brands hold about 60% of the market share. The dominant brands in the Chinese market are:

text:
Ting Yi (aka Master Kong or Kang-shi-fu, 康師傅), owned by the Taiwanese Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corporation and managed with a Japanese strategic alliance partner Sanyo Food, the third-largest player in the Japanese market. Master Kong is the largest brand, with a business scope extending to beverages (RTD) and bakeries.
Uni-President (aka President or Tong-Yi, 統一), a PLC listed in Taiwan. Like Master Kong, it once had its own businesses in beverages and bakeries. However, the company recently formed a JV partnership with Hwa-Long and Nissin to distribute beverages. Uni-President's home market is Taiwan, but the company is now expanding aggressively in mainland China.
Hwa-Long (華龍, i.e. Chinese Dragon), a local company allied with Nissin. Because of that relationship, Hwa-long has long been regarded as Nissin's agent in the world's largest consumer market. Recently Hwa-long, Nissin, and Uni-President formed a partnership in the beverage business in order to collectively compete against Master Kong.
Bai-xiang (白象, i.e. White Elephant), a local company spin-off based on a former state-owned enterprise, which still enjoys a strong local customer base. It is a leading brand in terms of volume, and its products fall into the lower price range.

text: In 2014, instant noodles sales declined by 9.1 percent year-on-year, due to some lower-income migrant workers shifted to more quality instant noodles from Korea, while Chinese instant noodle companies lured the consumers with cheaper instant noodles. 40 billion packets of instant noodles sold annually in China with about half portion of world's consumption per year.

text: Colombia[edit]

text: Instant noodles were introduced in 2010 by Nissin Foods of Japan.[27] On September 13, 2013; Nissin Foods opened its commercial office in Bogotá, investing US$ 6 million in its corporate offices.[28]

text: Denmark[edit]

text: Virtually all supermarkets sell instant noodles of some sort, but they tend to be Westernized and come in foam containers, costing upwards of 5 kroner. Ethnic stores and specialty shops offer the most popular alternative, Yum Yum, whose prices range from 3–4 kroner; "3 for 10" offers are nearly universal. Its popularity has been sufficient to become a generic brand name. Mama, another brand from Thailand, is the second most popular Eastern brand but has a much smaller market share. Wai Wai, a brand from Nepal, is also available. Most Danish supermarket instant noodles contain MSG as a flavor enhancer.

text: Germany[edit]

text: Instant soups have a long tradition in Germany, back to the 19th century, with, for example, the inventions of Justus von Liebig, or Maggi products. Instant noodles as discussed here, however, were relatively unknown in Germany until the 1990s, but they have since continually gained in popularity.

text: There are two types of ramen in Germany: the first, generally called "Instant-Nudeln" (instant noodles), tend to be a mild, Westernized version and come in flavors such as chicken, vegetable, beef and button mushroom. The second type is called "Ramen" and is quite similar to instant noodles as they are known in Asia. German "Ramen" was originally considered an ethnic food and was only available in specialty stores. Since the mid-1990s, it has become available at German supermarkets. The most popular brands are Yum Yum, Thai Chef, Nissin Cup Noodles, and Maggi.

text: Hong Kong[edit]

text: Cantonese people have a long history of cooking yi mein, a noodle invented in the Qing Dynasty[citation needed]. Modern instant noodles were publicly introduced as "Doll Noodles" in the late 1960s by Winner Food Products Ltd, which was bought by Nissin in 1984. That term has since become a synonym for instant noodles irrespective of brands in Hong Kong and it is usually taken as a derogatory term for poor, busy and/or unhealthy lifestyles but these noodles have become a part of daily life in Hong Kong.[citation needed]

text: Most supermarkets offer a vast choice, including brands from many different countries. Common brands include Shin Ramyun of South Korea, Nissin and Demae Itcho of Japan, Sau Tao of Hong Kong, Indomie of Indonesia, Koka of Singapore and Mama of Thailand. Besides instant wheat noodles, supermarkets also sell instant rice noodles and Cantonese egg noodles. Premium instant noodles can also be found. Some of them are priced at more than HK$20 a pack.

text: Some noodles are also marketed as a snack which need not to be cooked; consumers ingest the noodles directly out of the packaging similar to crisps. The most common brand for this is Fuku and Baby Star.

text: Hungary[edit]

text: Hungary is 43rd in the world in the consumption of instant noodles according to the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA), having consumed 20 million packages/cups of noodles in 2014.[29]

text: Thai President Foods, manufacturer of MAMA noodles, opened an instant noodles factory in Hungary in 2013. The Hungarian factory's two production lines have a capacity of 4.5 million noodle packs per shift per month. It produces "Thai Chef" and "Asia Gold" brand noodles for the European market.[30]:33

text: India[edit]

text: On June 5, 2015, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned all nine approved variants of Maggi instant noodles from India, terming them "unsafe and hazardous" for human consumption.[24] Although in November 2015, Maggi instant noodles made a return in the Indian market after the ban was lifted.[31]

text: India is Nestle Maggi's largest market. Other brands include instant noodle from Patanjali Ayurved, Ching's, Knorr, Sunfeast Yippee, Top Ramen, Joymee, Nissin, Horlicks, Wai Wai and several domestic and regional brands.[32]

text: Indonesia[edit]

text: An early instant noodle in Indonesia was "Supermi", introduced in the 1970s by Indofood Sukses Makmur, the largest instant noodle producer in the world. It later introduced two additional brands – "Indomie" and "Sarimi".

text: Currently, Indofood Sukses Makmur has a market share of about 70% of Indonesian instant noodle production. In 1999, the figure was about 90%; their market share declined following the introduction of "Mie Sedaap" by Wings Food in 2003.

text: Indonesians prefer noodles with a strong flavor. Popular flavors of Indonesian instant noodle include Chicken curry, Onion and Chicken, Bakso (beef meatball), Mie Goreng and Chicken Soto, a traditional Indonesian chicken soup. In the past, Indomie tried to produce 30 different flavors to reflect various traditional dishes of Indonesian cuisine, but the product line was discontinued after disappointing results with only several popular variants remain in production. Strong local preferences contribute to the low volume of sales of Japanese and other foreign instant noodles in Indonesia; hot and spicy Korean noodles appeal most to these tastes and have the largest market share among foreign instant noodles.

text: Most of the market share is owned by the product Indomie Mi goreng, A dry instant noodle meant to replicate the traditional Indonesian dish Mie goreng, or fried noodles. Other variants of popular instant noodles in Indonesia includes Mie Gelas, which is sized so it could be served in a drinking glass, and Pop Mie, which is similar to Cup Noodles.

text: Although originally targeted for family at home as a simple ready to cook hot meal, today in Indonesia instant noodles are also sold in warung (simple shop) commonly called warung indomie, despite the brand served there not always Indomie, and also in convenience stores. Indonesians tends to add additional ingredients to instant noodles to improve its nutritional value and taste. Simple boiled Chinese green cabbage, boiled or fried egg, corned beef, bottled sambal chili sauce, pepper and fried shallots might be added.

text: Japan[edit]

text: Japan is the country of origin of instant noodles. Instant noodles remain a "national" light food. The average Japanese person eats 40 packs of instant noodles per year.[8]

text: After their invention by Momofuku Andō in 1958 (shoyu (Soy sauce) flavor), instant noodles became very common in Japan. In the 1970s, makers expanded their flavors to include such examples as shio (salt), miso, or curry. Beginning in the 1980s, makers also added dried toppings such as shrimp, pork, or eggs. Today, instant noodles are divided into two groups: "traditional" cheap (¥100 to ¥200) noodles with few toppings and expensive (¥200 to ¥350) noodles with many toppings, which are often packed into a pouch. Various kinds of instant noodles are produced, including ramen, udon, soba, yakisoba, and pasta.

text: Major makers in Japan are:

text:
Nissin Food Products 日清食品, whose products include Chicken Ramen and Cup Noodles, has a 40.4% market share As of 2005[update].
Tōyō Suisan 東洋水産, under the brand name Maruchan, whose products include Akai Kitsune and Midori no Tanuki, has a 19.2% market share.
Sanyō Foods サンヨー食品, Sapporo Ichiban, has an 11.5% market share.
Myōjō Foods 明星食品, Charumera, has a 9.9% market share.
Acecook エースコック, Super Cup, has an 8.3% market share.

text: Korea[edit]

text: Ramyeon (라면), often translated as instant noodles, is a Korean instant noodle dish made by boiling a precooked and dried noodle block with flavoring powder or sauce.[33] The stereotype of a South Korea ramyeon is red and spicy, with or without common toppings such as egg, chopped scallions and chili peppers. Best selling ramyeon in 2016 include Shin Ramyun (Nongshim), Jin Ramen (Ottogi), Ansungtangmyun (Nongshim), Samyang Ramen (Samyang Food), and Neoguri (Nongshim).[34]

text: The word ramyeon (라면) derived from the Chinese lāmiàn (拉麵) or lǎomiàn (老麵).[35] Ramyeon is not considered to be a Sino-Korean word.[35]

text: Ramyeon is very popular is South Korea, with nearly every convenience store selling some type of ramyeon. Due to the ease of preparation and low cost, ramyeon is often eaten by college students and campers.

text: The first instant ramyeon in South Korea was introduced by Samyang Food in 1963 with technical assistance from Myojo Foods Co. Japan, which provided manufacturing equipment.[36][37][38] The Lotte Food Industrial Company (currently named Nongshim) invigorated the Korean ramyeon market in 1965.[39]

text: Since the 2010s, Korean stores and restaurants have spread over the whole world. Baguio City has several Korean restaurants serving Ramyeon.

text: In South Korea, instant noodles are more common than non-instant noodles; the word ramyeon (Korean: 라면), generally means the instant kind. Most South Korean food stalls make instant ramyeon and add toppings for their customers.

text: Ramyeon is typically spicy. Shin Ramyun (신[辛], literally "spicy") is the best-selling brand in South Korea.[40] It has also become popular in China and the United States. The leading manufacturer of ramyeon in South Korea is Nong Shim ([農心], literally "Farmer's Heart"), which exports many of its products overseas.

text: In 2004, over 600,000 boxes of Shin brand Ramyeon were sent to North Korea as part of the aid relief program when the Ryongchŏn train station exploded, injuring many North Koreans. Insider sources have said that most of it was sold in North Korean black markets, making its way to Pyongyang, instead of being distributed as aid. North Korean visitors to China also frequently purchase South Korean ramyeon from Chinese stores, where Shin Ramyeon is known as "Korean Tangmi Ramyeon."

text: Indigenous production of Ramyeon in North Korea began in 2000. The first Ramyeon brand was "kkoburang guksu," which literally means "curly noodles" in Korean. Later, a joint venture by North Korean and Hong Kong-based companies began producing "jŭksŏk guksu," (Korean: 즉석 국수) which literally means "instant noodles." Ramyŏn is popular among North Korean elites who live in Pyongyang and Nampo. In contrast to hot and spicy South Korean Ramyeon, North Korean Ramyŏn has a much milder and brothier flavor.[41]

text: Common types of Ramyeon are:

text:
Original ramyeon (plain instant noodles in soup)
Cheese ramyeon (a slice of cheese served on top)
Mandu ramyeon (dumplings on top)
Ham ramyeon (ham slices on top)
Tteok ramyeon (rice cakes on top)
Egg ramyeon (egg iserved on top)
Haemul ramyun (an assortment of seafood and scallops on top)
Kimchi ramyeon (kimchi on top)
Ramyeon without soup

text: A partial list of ramyeon brands:

text:
Ansungtangmyun
Buldakbokkummyun
Doshirak
Jin Ramen
Neoguri
Samyang Ramyun
Snack Myeon
Shin Ramyun
Kimchi Ramyeon
Chapagetti
Chacharoni
Zhawang

text: Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei[edit]

text: Maggi has practically become synonymous with instant noodles. All instant noodles of the same type are referred to as "maggi," regardless of the brand. Popular flavors include curry, chicken, tom yum, and asam laksa. Both soup-based and dry variants are available. Indomie, Nissin, Cintan and Mamee brands of instant noodles are also well loved by Malaysians, Singaporeans and Bruneians.

text: Though instant noodles are usually eaten at home, they are also very popular as restaurant or cafe meals, especially in Mamak shops similar to Hong Kong's "cha chan teng" cafes. These noodles are usually stir fried with egg and fish cake, using a minimum amount of monosodium glutamate.

text: In recent years, instant noodle manufacturers have tried to introduce low-MSG seasonings, as well as new processes that do not require frying for the noodles, and have introduced new flavors such as chilli crab and seafood.

text: Mauritius[edit]

text: The Apollo (brand name) noodle is very popular in Mauritius. Popular flavors include shrimp, curry, chicken and vegetable. This Mauritian brand is today also widely available in some Western markets like France.

text: Mexico[edit]

text: Instant noodles are very popular in Mexico, where they are often viewed as a snack-grade food. Flavors such as lime and chili are popular, often combined with shrimp. It is available in many grocery stores and convenience stores through all the country. This kind of soup was introduced in the 1980s by the Maggi Corporation as "Instant Maggi Ramen", marketed in a small plastic bag with artificial flavors, but it did not become popular until cup noodles were introduced in 1990 by Maruchan. Due to this popularity, the instant noodles are often referred to simply as "Maruchan". Today, many local brands such as "La Moderna" and "Herdez" have developed their own cup noodles, along Nissin, which is also a newcomer. In the early 2000s, Maggi introduced four instant noodles flavors, like tomato pasta or chicken with green tomatoes, but they were soon discontinued.

text: Nepal[edit]

text: Instant noodles are famous in Nepal. In the early 1980s, Gandaki Noodles (P.) Ltd.[42] of Pokhara city, introduced Rara, a white instant noodles named after the largest lake of Nepal. It was a fair success among urban population. Then in around 1985, Chaudhary Groups(CG)[43] entered the market with Wai Wai. Wai-Wai noodles, a brown, spicy and precooked noodle, became a big hit among the people.[44] Over the years, its popularity has grown heavily and consist of a major part of the dry foods sold in Nepal and are available in any part of the country. The Quality control office of Nepal withheld Nepal quality marks for wai wai in 2012.[45]

text:
Wai-Wai noodles, Golmol produced by CG.[46] Wai Wai is popular in India too. CG has established its factories in India.
Mayos, Ru-Chee, Hurray produced by Himalayan Snax & Noodles Pvt. Ltd. (HSNPL)[47]
2pm, Rumpum by Asian Thai Foods Pvt. Ltd. (ATF)[48]
ABC, Muskan, Hits, Halchal, Baby by Smart Food and Snacks Pvt. Ltd. (SFS)[49]

text: New Zealand[edit]

text: Various brands of instant noodle from Australia like Maggi, Trident, and Fantastic are sold through both ethnic outlets and mainstream super-hypermarkets, including Yum Yum and Indomie Mi Goreng

text: Nigeria[edit]

text: Since its introduction in 1988, Indomie is the most popular instant noodle brand in Nigeria.[50] Instant noodle brands are now eaten in most households across the country.[51] By 2008, nine other brands of noodle had appeared on the market. Affirming Indomie's hold on the market, Christopher Ezendu, a distributor at the popular Oke-Arin market on Lagos Island, reported that these other brands are aspiring to be like the market leader.[52] In 2013 a wholly owned and managed Nigerian company based in Abuja, Royal Mills and Foods limited, launched a new brand of instant noodle, De-Royal Instant Noodles with two flavors (chicken and onion chicken), in Nigeria.[53]

text: According to the World Instant Noodle Association, Nigeria was the 13th largest consumer of instant noodle in the world in 2007.[54]

text: Pakistan[edit]

text: Instant noodle is not a traditional part of Pakistani cuisine, but it showed rapid growth over the review period and became very popular because it is easy to prepare within minutes. Due to the busy lives of urban consumers, they prefer a quick and convenient meal which was provided by noodles. It continued to become popular among children and the younger generation as a mini meal with many flavors such as masala and chicken.[55] There are three challenging brands of instant noodles in Pakistan.[56] Nestlé's Maggi which was the first brand to enter market in 1992, followed by Knorr of Unilever in 1993 and in 2012 Shan Food Industries introduced Shoop.[57] Knorr is leader with 55% market share and that of Maggi is 45%.[56] Maggi Noodles are available in six flavors: Chicken, Chatkhara, Masala, Lemon Chaska, Karara and Bar-B-Q.[58] In 2011, Knorr launched Soupy Noodles, along with two other variants, Chicken Delite and Mast Masala. Knorr Noodles have become the brand of choice for kids over the years.[59]

text: Peru[edit]

text: In Peru, Aji-no-men brand ramen had been the only brand sold for a long time. Recently, Maruchan and Nissin ramen became available too, in a wide range of flavors, including beef, chicken, chicken with greens, hen, spicy hen, creole-style hen, shrimp, and oriental-style.

text: Philippines[edit]

text: There are many local and imported brands of instant noodle in the Philippines, which are locally known as "instant mami" (after a Philippine version of chicken noodle soup). Brands available in the Philippines include Lucky Me, Payless, Nissin, QuickChow, Maggi and Ho-Mi. They are sold in packets, sealed paper cups, or sealed foam food containers. Instant noodles are popular as a quick snack or for breakfast because of their fast preparation and affordability.

text: People in the Philippines sometimes add a fresh egg directly into the instant noodle either in the pot or the bowl. Another popular variation is the instant pancit canton, stir-fried noodle which is boiled and drained to which a flavoring powder, soy sauce, oil and carrot and celery pieces are added. Popular variations include spicy, soy-sauce-calamansi, and sweet-spicy.

text: Poland[edit]

text: Instant noodles began appearing on Polish store shelves during the early 1990s. Despite being called "Chinese soup", the first brands on the market were produced in Vietnam and had a somewhat spicy, garlic-flavored taste. The noodle packages contained pouches of flavored soup base, spicy oil, dried vegetables or even minuscule shrimps.

text: The product gained particular popularity among students due to its affordability and convenience. "Kaczka łagodna" (Mild duck), "Kurczakowa łagodna" (Mild chicken) and "Krewetkowa ostra" (Spicy shrimp) were the most common flavors. Today, the local Kim Lan and worldwide Knorr brands offer varieties ranging from cheese-and-herb flavored noodles to local Polish specialties like barszcz czerwony or żurek.

text: Ngoc Tu Tao, who emigrated to Poland from Vietnam and established the Tan-Viet Group in 1990, is credited with introducing the instant noodle to Poland. His VIFON brand holds a 35% share of the Polish instant soup market, selling over 100 million packages a year. Ngoc Tu Tao has appeared in Wprost magazine's annual ranking of the 100 most wealthy Polish citizens.[60]

text: Inexpensive supermarket private-label brands and regular mid-market products do not differ much in taste, while their prices can range from PLN 0.8 to PLN 2.00. Noodles packaged in foam bowls are slightly more expensive, priced from PLN 4.00 to PLN 8-9.

text: Russia[edit]

text: Russia's most popular instant ramen brands are the local brand Rollton and the Korean brand Doshirak (Initially named Dosirak, but was rebranded after it was discovered that it sounds unpleasant in the Russian language). Instant noodles have been popular in Russia's Far East region since the late 1980s and made their way west in the early 1990s. In Russia, like most noodle products, they are still considered a lesser-quality option to turn to in lean economic times. They are popular among college students and homeless as a regular meal.[61]

text: Saudi Arabia[edit]

text: Since its introduction to Saudi Arabia, the brand "اندومي" (Indomie) dominated the market; currently the brand "تويا" (Toya) is popular. Instant noodles are popular among children and young adults. However, it is not usually served as a meal in households.

text: South Africa[edit]

text: Instant noodles have become commonplace in South Africa since the 1990s, when they were first introduced to the general consumer market. While various brands are available, the most common is Maggi 2 Minute Noodles. Because of their low cost, instant noodles are popular in South Africa's poorer communities. They are also popular among students and office workers as a quick snack. In South Africa the term "Ramen" is not used to describe Instant Noodles but rather the traditionally thicker noodles used in authentic Japanese cuisine.

text: Sweden[edit]

text: Instant noodles have been widely available in Swedish supermarkets for more than 10 years and are very popular, especially among students. The most common brands include Nissin's Demae Ramen, Samyang, Euroshopper, Eldorado and ICA. Other brands include Mr. Cup cup noodles and Little Cook. Cup noodles are usually sold for 10 SEK per package, while packet noodles are usually sold at 4 for 15, 5 for 20 or 6 for 30.

text: Taiwan[edit]

text: Instant noodle inventor Momofuku Ando was born in Taiwan. According to statistics from the International Ramen Manufacturers Association, Taiwan is the world's 12th largest instant noodle market, with an annual NT$10 billion (US$300 million) in sales. This translates into an annual total of 900 million packs, or 40 per person.[62] Uni-President (aka President or Tong-Yi, 統一) takes the largest market share of instant noodles in the country, and is a major player in the global instant noodle market.

text: Major makers in Taiwan are:

text:
Uni-President (aka President or Tong-Yi, 統一) is the first instant noodle maker in Taiwan. Its first and most famous product is Rouzaomian (肉燥麵). Uni-president has the greatest market share in Taiwan and is also one of the largest instant noodle makers in Mainland China.
VEDAN (味丹; Pinyin: Wei Dan)
Wei Lih (維力) is famous for its Zhajiangmian (炸醬麵).
Ting Yi (aka Master Kong or Kang-shi-fu, 康師傅) is also the biggest instant noodle maker in Mainland China.
Ve Wong (味王; Pinyin: Wei Wang)

text: Thailand[edit]

text: "MAMA" (Thai: มาม่า) brand noodles is the leader of Thailand's instant-noodle industry. MAMA got its start in 1972 as a joint venture between Taiwan's President Enterprise and Thailand's Saha Pathanapibul PLC.[63] In 2016, there are three well-known brands of instant noodles, "Yum Yum", "Wai Wai", and "MAMA". "MAMA" controls about half the market.[63] Tom Yum Shrimp is the best selling flavor. Thais call instant noodles "Mama", now a generic term in Thailand. Thais consume an average of 45 packs of noodles per person per year, fourth in the world after Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia.[30]:29

text: Due to their ubiquity, instant noodles were chosen as a vehicle for dietary fortification by a joint effort of the Federation of Thai Industries, instant noodle producers, and the Ministry of Public Health about 10 years ago. The vitamins and minerals added are iron, iodine, and vitamin A.[64][65]

text: Unlike Japanese or Malaysian instant noodles, Mama noodles are often used to cook different dishes using only the noodles, leaving out the seasoning. The typical method of cooking is by adding boiled water, but Thais typically add meat, pork, chicken or egg to spice up the instant noodles. Sometimes they will cook the noodles and combine the noodles in a dish called a noodle salad known as "yum Mama". This dish is often prepared with meat balls, tomatoes, onions, and lettuce. Another method is to stir fry the cooked noodles with pork, chicken, eggs, and vegetables to give the noodles extra flavor. They are sometimes consumed directly as a snack without further cooking by crushing the noodles in the packet, adding seasoning powder in the packet and shaking the packet to coat the crushed dried noodles evenly with the seasoning. Instant noodle products have become successful in Thailand, because they are cheap, easy to eat, can be easily found, and offer a range of flavors. Recently some brands of instant noodles include real dehydrated meat such as pork or beef. The average retail price is about six baht for the regular size[63] and 10 baht for Yum Yum Jumbo packs.[citation needed]

text: For years, sales of MAMA noodles was considered a barometer of the Thai economy, with consumption rising when times were lean. This has not been the case recently. In 2014, when the political crisis slowed Thailand's economic growth to 0.9 percent and eventually led to a military coup, the growth of MAMA noodle sales hit a low of one percent. In 2015, when the military government could not lift the country beyond an estimated 2.8 percent growth, sales of MAMA noodles only grew 0.4 percent—a record low. Saha Pathanapibul's vice-president, Vathit Chokwatana, attributed the poor sales to falling commodity prices, which have weakened the purchasing power of rural people.[63]

text: The Netherlands[edit]

text: Various brands of instant noodle are sold through both Toko and non-specialty supermarkets, including Saimin, Indomie Mi Goreng, Maggi, Thai varieties such as Mama and Yum Yum, and some more Western alternatives, such as Conimex and Good Noodles by Unox. Both cup and packet varieties are available.

text: Ukraine[edit]

text: Instant noodles have been quite popular in Ukraine in the past 10 years because they are cheap and save time. Mivina noodles can be cooked as soup or eaten dry; dry instant noodles are as popular in Ukraine as potato chips and croutons. Mivina is rivaled by the Russian Rollton, which also produces instant noodles for quick soups.

text: United Kingdom[edit]

text: A common form of instant noodles in Britain is Pot Noodle, a cup noodle first marketed by Golden Wonder in the late 1970s, and acquired by Unilever in 1995. These use artificial flavorings and are generally suitable for vegetarians (there is no chicken in Chicken Pot Noodles, for example) and are sold by virtually every major supermarket chain, general groceries shops, and convenience stores. Boiling water is added to the noodles to cook them.

text: Packet noodles such as Batchelors' Super Noodles are also sold. Several of the larger supermarkets sell eastern brands such as Nissin, Koka noodles and Shin Ramyun, which once could only be found in Asian groceries. Larger retail chains may offer their own brand in basic packaging and a variety of flavors, e.g. Asda, while noodles such as Maggi can also be found in many groceries, but are less widespread. Kabuto Noodles, launched in 2010, was the UKs first up-market instant noodle brand [66] followed by Itsu and Mr Lee's Noodles.

text: Unlike in North America, the term ramen is not used in this context; ramen in the UK would generally only refer to the original Japanese cuisine.

text: United States[edit]

text: In the United States, instant noodles were first available by Nissin Foods in 1971. In 1972, Nissin Foods introduced "Nissin Cup Noodles" in a foam food cup, which led to an upsurge in popularity. Soon after, many other competing companies were offering similar instant noodle products.

text: Today, in the U.S., the instant noodle is commonly known as ramen, after the Japanese dish on which it was originally based, and it comes in a variety of mostly meat-based flavors. The three major brands are Nissin Top Ramen (originally Top Ramen's Oodles of Noodles), Maruchan Ramen, and Sapporo Ichiban. A wide range of popular brands imported from other countries are available at many Asian grocery stores and some supermarkets. Instant ramen noodles are extremely popular among students and other people of low income, due to their ease of preparation and unusually low cost. With Top Ramen brand, Shrimp is pink, Oriental is blue – though now it's called "Soy Sauce." A new brighter logo helps emphasize the two vegetarian flavors: Soy Sauce and Chili. While price varies throughout the U.S., generally several packages can be purchased for 25 cents or less.

text: Vietnam[edit]

text: Instant noodles are popular in Vietnam, where they are often eaten as a breakfast food. Both wheat and rice noodles are common. Acecook Vietnam, Masan Food and AsiaFoods are leading producers of instant noodles.[67] Popular Vietnamese instant noodle soups include Oriental, bánh đa cua, bún bò Huế-flavored, phở, and hủ tiếu Nam Vang, a Phnom Penh-style noodle.