In Japan, the kanji representing 'fu' means rice bran and that character was used for mian jin which is a processed food made from rice bran later on ("Honcho shokkan" [Mirror of food in our country])
日本では「麩」という字で糠（ふすま）を指し、後にその加工品である麪筋にもこの字が当てられた（『本朝食鑑』）。