Inventor of instant noodles dies

BBC ^ | 6 January 2007 | BBC

[csvset]

The inventor of instant noodles, Momofuku Ando, has died in Japan, aged 96, of a heart attack.

Mr Ando was born in Taiwan in 1910 and moved to Japan in 1933, founding Nissin Food Products Co after World War II to provide cheap food for the masses.

His most famous product, Cup Noodle, was released in 1971.

Its taste and ease of preparation - adding hot water to dried noodles in a waterproof polystyrene container - have made it popular around the world.

Mr Ando said the inspiration for his product came when he saw people lining up to buy bowls of hot ramen noodle soup at a black market stall during the food shortages after World War II.

Noodles in space

He developed his first instant noodles, Chicken Ramen, in 1958.

The product came out as Japan recovered from the ravages of World War II and began a long period of economic expansion.

It was the masterstroke of providing a waterproof polystyrene container for the noodles that made his Cup Noodle an instant success in 1971.

Nissin has led the global instant noodle industry since then, selling 85.7 billion servings every year, according to Agence France Presse.

His firm also developed a version of Cup Noodle for Japanese astronauts to eat on the space shuttle Discovery in 2005.

In 1999, Mr Ando opened a museum in Osaka devoted to instant noodles.

He retired as Nissin's chairman in 2005.

Japanese newspapers and business people have been paying tribute to Mr Ando.

"He was a self-made man who developed an epoch-making instant noodle product and spread it to all corners of the world," Akio Nomura, chairman of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told Kyodo news agency.

Mr Ando remained active until just days before his death, giving a New Year's speech to Nissin employees and having a lunch of Chicken Ramen with company executives.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/6237013.stm

Published: 2007/01/06 12:58:26 GMT

© BBC MMVII

[csvset]

Momofuku to you too buddy !

RIP

[Kimmers]

College students owe him a big RIP

[Spok]

Millions of college graduates have him to thank. Or not.

[TommyDale]

Who came up with "Noo-Noo-Noodle-O's"?

[Reaganesque]

His remains will be dessicated and placed in a small plastic cup for burial.

[aruanan]

The inventor of instant noodles, Momofuku Ando, has died in Japan, aged 96, of a heart attack.

Instant noodles/sudden death.

[Clintons Are White Trash]

A student at my sons college had an entire website dedicated to Ramen Noodle Recipes - this guy would have been proud!!

I'm sure flags will fly at half staff at college campuses all over the country!

[freekitty]

"College students owe him a big RIP"

That's for sure. Couldn't live without them and still love them.

[Felis_irritable]

RIP.

This is *still* a not-insignificant part of my diet and I've been out of college for almost 30 years... I just like the stuff.

[Slings and Arrows]

Higher education mourns.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Candlelight vigils in dorm rooms at 4am!

[Vaquero]

mmmmmmmmmmmm....loads of MSG to put me into anaphylactic shock.

[July 4th]

I'm a firm believer in a high sodium diet, thanks to this man.

[indcons]

Students around the world mourn his passing.

RIP.

[maui_hawaii]

From a business point of view, he made a good living off of noodles.

[GreyFriar]

Thanks for the post. I've eaten many packages in my time.

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

Ramen Noodles are a food group.

[yankeedame]

His remains will be dessicated and placed in a small plastic cup for burial.

He would have wanted it that way.
(removing hat and looking solumn)

[shadowman99]

His funeral only took 2 minutes and cost 15 cents.

[csvset]

I cook Ramen Noodles, (w/out the seasoning ), then I add sardines that are packed with jalapeño peppers.

Umm Umm Good !

[buck61]

I just like the stuff.

I eat at least four a week.

Don't laugh until you try this. I put the contents into a bowl, add water with sesame oil, to taste. After cooking I add some Jalapeno peppers, diced. Is this crazy or what?

[rusureitflies?]

A sad day. I'll fetch a "Beef" from the freezer. Have it bronzed and hang it from the rear-view mirror of my pick up. Also it kept my chop stick skills up to par. Not bad stuff with Spam either. RIP noodle man...sigh

[Wormwood]

Hopefully, he's is a better place. With a beer volcano and a stripper factory.

Ramen.

[nuconvert]

Now that's funny

[SuziQ]

IIRC there is a Ramen Noodle Museum in Tokyo. We didn't get to that one, unfortunately. ;o)

[cowtowney]

I used to eat this stuff in college all the time.

Now, I would suggest taking it out of the styrofoam container and heating it in a microwave safe bowl. I think the styrofoam/microwave combo is dangerous.

[metmom]

Ramen rocks.

[Thunder 6]

In "the old days" many Field Exercises in the army involved heating this stuff up in a canteen cup (with lots of Tabasco). Nice way to warm up!
Regards,

[inkling]

And just in time, Swedes offer freeze-dry burials.

No word yet if Mr. Ando will be buried with a tinfoil spice packet.

[RepoGirl]

My husband (then boyfriend at the time) proposed to me the day I returned from the local BJs Wholesaler with three pallets of Ramen Noodle (Chicken and Shrimp flavor) for him. He was living on a very limited budget, and Ramen was the staple of his diet.

Used to LOVE this stuff when I was a young lass myself, but sadly, the high sodium, high fat food groups no longer work for me. Back when I had the metabolism for them, I used to LOVE throwing a slab of velveeta in the noodle, hot water mix as it was "cooking". By the time the soup was suitably softened, the cheese had added another layer of sodium and goo. OH MAN! Couple that with a Cherry Coke, and them's good eating!

[null and void]

Damm. He's been an important part of my life and I never even knew who he was. Rest well, my friend, you've urned it.

[Old Professer]

http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/item/06582.html

[mystery-ak]

I send ramen to my son in Iraq by the case...lol

[SolidForce]

Noooooooooooo!

This guy deserves a funeral on the level of Royals!

[csvset]

Here's a link to a page that describes the museum Here

And here's a link to the museum's official website.Here

[Professional Engineer]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

You've met Mr. Aji-No-Moto, I take it ?

[csvset]

I think the styrofoam/microwave combo is dangerous.

The Noodle Soup in the styrofoam cups give me a headache.

[Slings and Arrows]

The Noodle Soup in the styrofoam cups give me a headache

You do know that you're not supposed to eat the cup? ;)

[csvset]

Well that 'splains everything ! Thanks! ;)

[Professional Engineer]

This is *still* a not-insignificant part of my diet and I've been out of college for almost 30 years... I just like the stuff.

We lived in Japan in the mid 60s. I still eat it for many lunches.

[rogue yam]

When I was an undergraduate the local grocery had Top Ramen at ten packages for a dollar. I was so broke I asked the guy what he was charging for Medium Ramen.

[mikrofon]

Yes, it was sad to hear that Mr. Ando had pasta way...

[null and void]

LOL, been there!

[jdm]

pasta way...

LOL

[rawhide]

Damm. He's been an important part of my life and I never even knew who he was....

Lol at your remark!

[RightWhale]

The noodles can sustain life if the flavor packet is discarded unopened.

[struggle]

[null and void]

HUH? What the kids are doing these days with Top Ramen is crushing the pack to break the noodles into bite sized bits, then sprinkling the bits with the flavor packet's contents, and eating it dry!

[Cvengr]

I was thinking the same thing,...now does he get buried in the desert, a swamp or out at sea? (Or in Old Faithful for 2 minutes?)