Abstract
The components contained in the cooking water and in an extract from the surface of rice cooked with acetic acid were examined to clarify the mechanism for the textural change due to the addition of acetic acid. Compared to rice cooked only with distilled water, the water absorption rate above 60°C was higher in the rice grains cooked with acetic acid. The amounts of solids and total sugar extracted from the surface of cooked rice were also increased by acetic acid, indicating that this contributed to the increase in the stickiness, transparency, and glossiness of the cooked rice. It was found, however, that the fine structure of starch in the extract from the surface of the cooked rice was unaffected by the addition of acetic acid. It is suggested that there was hardly any degradation of starch by acetic acid under the cooking conditions used in this study.
