[ this is taken from the asian reporter ]
Tokyo (AP) - Momofuku Ando, the Japanese inventor of instant noodles - a dish that has sustained American college students for decades - had died. He was 96. Nissin Food Products Co., the company Ando founded, said on its website that he died after suffering a heart attack. Born in Taiwan, Ando founded his company in 1948 from a humble family operation. Faced with food shortages in port-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 his success, the company added other products, such as the "Cup Noodle" in 1971. "The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum" opened in 1999 in Ikeda City in Western Japan, commemorating his inventions.
