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| Inventor of instant noodles dies | Inventor of instant noodles dies |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The inventor of instant noodles, Momofuku Ando, has died in Japan, aged 96, of a heart attack. | The inventor of instant noodles, Momofuku Ando, has died in Japan, aged 96, of a heart attack. |
| Mr Ando was born in Taiwan in 1910 and moved to Japan in 1933, founding Nissin Food Products Co after World War II to provide cheap food for the masses. | |
| His most famous product, Cup Noodle, was released in 1971. | His most famous product, Cup Noodle, was released in 1971. |
| Its taste and ease of preparation - adding hot water to dried noodles in a waterproof polystyrene container - have made it popular around the world. | Its taste and ease of preparation - adding hot water to dried noodles in a waterproof polystyrene container - have made it popular around the world. |
| Mr Ando said the inspiration for his product came when he saw people lining up to buy bowls of hot ramen noodle soup at a black market stall during the food shortages after World War II. | Mr Ando said the inspiration for his product came when he saw people lining up to buy bowls of hot ramen noodle soup at a black market stall during the food shortages after World War II. |
| Noodles in space | Noodles in space |
| He developed his first instant noodles, Chicken Ramen, in 1958. | He developed his first instant noodles, Chicken Ramen, in 1958. |
| The product came out as Japan recovered from the ravages of World War II and began a long period of economic expansion. | |
| It was the masterstroke of providing a waterproof polystyrene container for the noodles that made his Cup Noodle an instant success in 1971. | It was the masterstroke of providing a waterproof polystyrene container for the noodles that made his Cup Noodle an instant success in 1971. |
| Nissin has led the global instant noodle industry since then, selling 85.7 billion servings every year, according to Agence France Presse. | Nissin has led the global instant noodle industry since then, selling 85.7 billion servings every year, according to Agence France Presse. |
| His firm also developed a version of Cup Noodle for Japanese astronauts to eat on the space shuttle Discovery in 2005. | His firm also developed a version of Cup Noodle for Japanese astronauts to eat on the space shuttle Discovery in 2005. |
| In 1999, Mr Ando opened a museum in Osaka devoted to instant noodles. | In 1999, Mr Ando opened a museum in Osaka devoted to instant noodles. |
| He retired as Nissin's chairman in 2005. | He retired as Nissin's chairman in 2005. |
| Japanese newspapers and business people have been paying tribute to Mr Ando. | |
| "He was a self-made man who developed an epoch-making instant noodle product and spread it to all corners of the world," Akio Nomura, chairman of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told Kyodo news agency. | "He was a self-made man who developed an epoch-making instant noodle product and spread it to all corners of the world," Akio Nomura, chairman of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told Kyodo news agency. |
| Mr Ando remained active until just days before his death, giving a New Year's speech to Nissin employees and having a lunch of Chicken Ramen with company executives. | Mr Ando remained active until just days before his death, giving a New Year's speech to Nissin employees and having a lunch of Chicken Ramen with company executives. |