5000 B.C.
Wheat flour, believed to originate in the Middle East, serves as the basis of the first “noodles.”
4000 BC
Noodles have been a staple in the Chinese diet.
200 BC
Handmade noodles were well established by the time of Han Dynasty (206 BC- 220 AD).
25
Migration of noodles proceeded quickly throughout southeast Asia, arriving in Japan.
300
The Chinese form whole grain paste into various noodle-like products.
500-600
Amidst numerous cultural exchanges, China shares Buddhism and the art of noodle-making with Japan. Buckwheat noodles become a staple of the Japanese tea ceremony.
1138
Arab geographer, Idrisi, travels to Sicily and writes about “triyah,” a food resembling threads and produced in large quantities.
1400
Marco Polo, the great Venetian adventurer, introduced the Chinese staple dish to Italy upon returning from his travels in the Far East.
1700
The very first spaghetti is produced in Napoli, Italy.
1800
Japanese specialty shops create noodles, similar to those eaten today, but requiring considerable preparation time and effort.
Durum pasta had become street food in Naples, and common in much of Italy.
1958
Nissin company first developed instant noodle. Chicken ramen was introduced in Japan.
1970
Ramen have been a staple in college diets, when Nissan brought them to the United States.
It is believed that noodles originated from China as early as 5000 BC, then spread to other Asian countries. Today, about 40% of the flour consumed in Asia is for noodle manufacture. In recent years, noodles have also become very popular outside Asia and this popularity is likely to increase.
The relationship between noodles and pasta also goes back more than 700 years. It is believed that in the late 13th century, Marco Polo traveled to China and brought noodles back to Italy to add to his country's repertoire of pasta.
History of Noodles
