Novel Evaluation of Miyagi Rice for Commercial Use and Its Correlation with Eating Quality Characteristics

Abstract

In recent decades, the commercial use of cooked rice, for ready-made meals, has been steadily increasing in Japan. In Miyagi Prefecture, approximately half of the rice produced is supplied for the market, including restaurants, food processing, and other commercial applications. To identify rice varieties suitable for commercial use, we established novel evaluation indices: weight stability while molding the rice and tolerance to breakage when fluffing after cooking. Correlations between these new indices and conventional eating quality parameters were analyzed to reveal their relationship. There was a significant correlation between weight stability and physical properties of cooked rice surface. Also, tolerance to breakage showed a correlation between physical properties of whole cooked rice, amylose contents and Mido-value.