Abstract
We conducted a questionnaire survey of both female university students and consumer monitors (Hitachi Appliances) to investigate the application in the home of freezing and microwave heating of cooked rice. The effect of the heating conditions on the palatability of cooked rice after microwave heating was investigated based on the data obtained from the survey.
Most participants reported storing frozen cooked rice for about a week in 8 to 10 cm2 portions each containing around 150 g. More than 90% of them used a microwave oven to heat the frozen cooked rice. Whenever the cooking conditions allowed for adequate gelatinization and swelling, the palatability of the 150 g frozen rice portions after microwave heating was similar to that of the cooked rice before freezing. However, the palatability of 300 g frozen rice portions heated by microwave deteriorated due to uneven heating. Thus, freezing and microwave heating of cooked rice at home was optimal for smaller portions (i. e., 150 g) and for heating of frozen cooked rice placed directly on the attached plate in the microwave oven.
