2021 Volume 90 Issue 1 Pages 52-63
We investigated the characteristics of rice grains distributed on the market in China to clarify their quality, palatability and stored substance structure. Surveys were conducted in Shanghai city, which has a large population and many types of staple rice. According to an interview survey, citizens preferred milled rice from Heilongjiang and Liaoning provinces in northeast and Jiangsu province. In particular, milled rice, varieties “Wuchang Dami” and “Qiutian Xiaoting” from the northeastern region and milled rice variety “Sheyang Dami” from Jiangsu province were preferred. Amylose and protein contents were low in “Wuchang Dami” and “Qiutian Xiaoting”, and high in “Sheyang Dami”. Scanning electron microscopical observation of cooked rice revealed that a fine fibrous structure on the surface, a large membranous structure in peripheral layer, and a porous structure in the inner portion were observed in “Wuchang Dami” and “Qiutian Xiaoting”. While, in “Sheyang Dami”, although fine fibrous structures were observed on the surface, development of inner porous structure was insufficient, and protein granules were scattered in middle and central parts with insufficient gelatinization. These structures were similar to those in rice with “high- or low-palatability” in Japan. These results suggest that most of the milled rice sold and eaten in Shanghai city is similar in quality and palatability to milled rice marketed in Japan, with similar ultra-fine structure of cooked rice. It was also found that rice with high quality and palatability is generally distributed and sold in Shanghai city.
