시판 라면제품(봉지면 25시료, 용기면 11시료)을 대상으로 하여 짠맛, 단맛, 감칠맛과 관련한 성분들을 과학적인 방법으로 객관화하고 수치화하였다. 짠맛성분인 $Na^+$ 함량(봉지면 $18.73{pm}3.18%$, 용기면 $17.62{pm}1.92%$)을 분석하여 NaCl 함량을 구한 결과, 봉지면 20.90%, 용기면 18.16%이었으며, 감칠맛 성분인 glutamic acid 함량(봉지면 $10.50{pm}3.78%$, 용기면 $10.47{pm}1.68%$)를 분석하여 MSG 함량을 구한 결과는 봉지면 12.08%, 용기면 12.04%로 비슷하였다. 또한 GMP, IMP 함량은 봉지면 $0.15{pm}0.06%$, $0.20{pm}0.11%$, 용기면 $0.14{pm}0.03%$, $0.18{pm}0.05%$이었다. 단맛성분인 유리당(sucrose, glucose, fructose) 함량을 분석하고 이를 당의 종류별 감미도 계수(sucrose 1.0, glucose 0.7, fructose 1.1)에 따라 sucrose기준으로 환산하여 감미도를 비교한 결과는 봉지면 $19.85{pm}5.68%$, 용기면 $18.02{pm}7.82%$이었다. 따라서, $Na^+$, glutamic acid 및 유리당 분석법이 라면 중의 NaCl, MSG, 감미도를 알아내는 간단하고 정확한 기술로서 유용함을 확인하였다.
Major sensory characteristic components-salty(NaCl), sweet(free sugars), palatable tastes(MSG, IMP, GMP) and related components-in soup base of commercial ramyons(25 ramyons, 11 bowl ramyons) were investigated to estimate their use level. $Na^+$ content($18.73{pm}3.18%$ in ramyons and $17.62{pm}1.92%$ in bowl ramyons) was determined by IC so that NaCl values (20.90% in ramyons and 18.16% in bowl ramyons) could be calculated from it. And from the assayed results of glutamic acid($10.50{pm}3.78%$ in ramyons and $10.47{pm}1.68%$ in bowl ramyons) by LC, MSG values were 12.08% in ramyons and 12.04% in bowl ramyons. GMP and IMP contents were $0.15{pm}0.06%$, $0.20{pm}0.11%$ in ramyons and $0.14{pm}0.03%$, $0.18{pm}0.05%$ in bowl ramyons, respectively. In addition, free sugars contained in ramyons such as sucrose, glucose and fructose were also analyzed by LC. In order to compare the sweetness, the free sugars were multiplied by conversion factor(sucrose 1, glucose 0.7, fructose 1.1), which showed $19.85{pm}5.68%$ in ramyons and $18.02{pm}7.82%$ in bowl ramyons. Therefore it is concluded that the analytical method of $Na^+$, glutamic acid and free sugars can be used as a simple and exact technique for the determination of NaCl, MSG and sweetness of ramyons.
