ARS | Publication request: Influence of Water to Rice Ratio on Cooked Rice Flavor and Texture.

Submitted to: Cereal Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: July 25, 2007
Publication Date: November 1, 2007
Citation: Bett Garber, K.L., Champagne, E.T., Ingram, D.A., Mcclung, A.M. 2007. Influence of water to rice ratio on cooked rice flavor and texture. Cereal Chemistry. 84(6):614-619.

Interpretive Summary: The amount of water used to cook rice has an affect on texture, but the affect on flavor is unknown. This research examines the affect of three different ratios of water to rice on the sensory characteristics of cooked rice. Four diverse rice cultivars were evaluated at; 1) less that ideal, 2) ideal and, 3) more than ideal water amounts. Results show that there is little effect on flavor, but eleven of the fourteen texture characteristics evaluated were affected. Greater amounts of water increased stickiness between grains and other surface properties, while hardness decreased.

Technical Abstract: Water to rice ratio is known to affect cooked rice texture, whereas, the effects on flavor are largely unknown. To determine the impact of the amount of water during cooking on flavor and texture descriptive attributes, three- water to rice ratios consisting of low (less than ideal), medium (ideal), and high (more than ideal) were evaluated, with the “ideal” being based on amylose content and cook type for the cultivar. Four diverse cultivars produced in the same environment in 2000 were compared: Dellmont (aromatic long grain), Saber (conventional long grain), Neches (waxy long grain), and Bengal (conventional medium grain). A descriptive sensory panel evaluated flavor and texture attribute intensities. The water to rice ratio did not significantly affect flavor attributes across all cultivars. The amount of water affected eleven of the fourteen texture attributes evaluated. Of these eleven, initial starchy coating, slickness, stickiness between grains, cohesiveness, and uniformity of bite increased in intensity with greater amounts of water at cooking; whereas, hardness, stickiness to lips, springiness, and chewiness decreased in intensity.