Saturday, January 06, 2007

MOMOFUKU ANDO, 96

MIT grabs another point, one that's ready in two minutes and flavored with delicious powder. The Associated Press reports:
Momofuku Ando, the Japanese inventor of instant noodles — a dish that has sustained American college students for decades — has died. He was 96.

Nissin Food Products Co., the company Ando founded, said on its Web site that he died Friday after suffering a heart attack.

Born in Taiwan, Ando founded his company in 1948 from a humble family operation. Faced with food shortages in post-World War II Japan, Ando thought a quality, convenient noodle product would help feed the masses.

In 1958, his "Chicken Ramen" — the first instant noodle — was introduced after many trials. Following its success, the company added other products, such as the "Cup Noodle" in 1971.
His last known meal: chicken-flavored ramen.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Least he died with his favorite comfort food. All of us should be so blessed.

Anonymous said...

It was probably the accumulation of all those chemicals they load in the stuff.

Anonymous said...

Of course now that I've thought about it a few more seconds, they probably didn't have to do anything to keep him from decomposing either...

Anonymous said...

Even at 8 packages for a dollar, those noodles made him one rich Momofuku.

Anonymous said...

Momofuku!
Good one, 3:07.