Process for producing crude three-layered noodles

A process for producing crude noodles having nerve, viscoelasticity, smoothness and tackiness unique thereto, resistant to softening upon being dipped in hot water, and preservable at ordinary temperature for long, which process comprises the steps of (1) preparing an outer-layer dough by kneading powdery raw material, such as wheat flour, and water, (2) preparing an inner-layer dough having a pH in a neutral or weakly alkaline range by mixing powdery raw material, such as wheat flour, with alginic acid and/or a salt thereof and an alkaline agent, and kneading the resultant mixture and water, and (3) preparing noodle belts from each of the outer-layer and inner-layer doughs in the conventional manner, combining and rolling the belts into a noodle belt having an outer-layer/inner-layer/outer-layer structure, forming noodle strings therefrom in the conventional manner, gelatinizing the starch component of the wheat flour, treating the resultant strings with an acid solution to adjust the pH of the strings to be an acidic range, packaging and hermetically sealing the strings, and sterilizing the product by heating, wherein the gelatinization may be conducted at the same time with the treatment with an acid solution.