The company is investing around CNY50 million (€4.9m) in a new centre at the university that will cover an area of 1,000 square metres.

Luo Yun Bo, chairman of the College of Food and Nutritional Engineering at the university, told AP-Foodtechnology.com that the centre would explore how to make instant noodles more nutritious, tasty and convenient.

"For example, should more vitamin C be added?"

The move is the latest sign that Chinese food producers are starting to respond to increasing consumer interest in health. Noodles are one of China's biggest selling processed foods. In 2005, 46 billion bags of instant noodles were produced and the sales reached CNY32.6 billion (€3.2bn). But most instant noodles are fried and with a rapid rise in obesity in China in recent years, some consumers are keen to try healthier options.

Last year, new brand Wu Gu Dao Chang launched an unfried noodle range, tapping into weight consciousness as well as consumer fears over the carcinogen acrylamide, produced when starchy food is heated to high temperatures.

Luo said however that unfried instant noodles are unlikely to become a big seller for the industry.

"Even in the more developed market in Japan, the unfried instant noodle only takes 10 per cent market share," he said.

He added that while the production method is slightly different, the nutritional components are similar, which means unfried noodles are not much healthier than when they are fried.

Jinmailang has around 30 per cent share of the instant noodle market.

Additional reporting by Pan Yan.