Abstract
The effect of soy sauce on the properties of wash-free rice during cooking was examined. Observation of the surface structure of the rice by a scanning electron microscope showed the cell wall of the wash-free rice more clearly than that of milled rice. Wash-free rice cooked with soy sauce, and particularly the salt in soy sauce, had a strong influence on its absorption through soaking. The color of this cooked rice noticeably approximated that of soy sauce, and this color became darker after the rice was left for one hour at room temperature. The addition of soy sauce or salt, especially before soaking, led to an increase in the breaking strength of the rice measured with a creep meter. The soy sauce or salt had no effect on the gelatinization of the cooked rice when added at 1.5% or less.
