Evaluation of textural and chemical properties of newly bred characteristic rice grains

Physical and chemical properties, such as amylose content, protein content, cooking qualities, pasting properties and some textural properties of cook ed rice grains, were evaluated on various kinds of newly bred characteristi c rice grains. These rices were developed in the research project, "Super R ice Project", sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisher ies for the purpose of the promotion of rice consumption. Low-amylose rice showed soft texture and retardancy for retrogradation after cooking. High-a mylose rice exhibited hard texture and expanded well on cooking. Giant-grai n rice showed hard but sticky texture and Slender-long grain rice became so ft but nonsticky after cooking. Low-amylose indica rice was very soft alter cooking. Rice grains harvested in 1993 had extraordinary higher amylose co ntents and lower pasting viscosities compared with those grown in 1992 and 1994. It would be due to the very low temperature during the ripening seaso n of rice in 1993. These new characteristic rices were classified into 5 gr oups, which were "High-amylose rices", "Slender-long grain rices", "Giant-g rain rices", "Low-amylose rices" and "Low-amylose indica rices and Ordinary rices" by the cluster analysis based on 6 textural and chemical parameters .