Texture is a key quality determinant of white salted noodles (WSN). Recombinant inbred lines (RILs) (n = 130) of wheat with all combinations of the three Waxy genes provided a unique opportunity to relate granule bound starch synthase (GBSS) gene dosage with the texture of WSN using texture profile analysis. Harder noodles tended to be more adhesive and chewier (r = -0.68 and 0.97, respectively), whereas a reduction in adhesiveness was correlated with greater cohesiveness (r = 0.65), springiness (r = 0.72), and resilience (r = 0.66). Cohesiveness and resilience were highly correlated (r = 0.94). Highly significant variation existed among the RILs for all noodle texture parameters. Normal starch RIL noodles tended to produce the hardest, most adhesive and chewy, but least cohesive, springy and resilient noodles. Full waxy RIL noodles were the softest, thickest, least adhesive and chewy, and most cohesive and springy. Partial waxy RIL noodles generally were intermediate in texture. The GBSS genotype comprised 27-68% of the variance of noodle texture compared to 27-60% variance for RILs within GBSS class. Based on these results, starch composition is a major contributor to the texture of white salted noodles. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.