Effect of aqueous impregnation of rice kernels with gum Arabic and xanthan on storage stability of frozen rice cakes

Rice kernels were steeped (10°C, 5 h) in an aqueous solution containing gum arabic (0.36%) and xanthan (0.24%) and then drained, wetmilled, and steamed to prepare rice cakes. The cakes were then frozen (-40°C for 50 min). The effect of the gum addition on the textural properties of the cakes during storage for 46 h at 25°C after being thawed was examined. Using the combination of gum arabic and xanthan mitigated the quality deterioration of rice cakes such as aggregation of rice flour, which had been induced by xanthan alone. Also, the increase in hardness during storage was substantially reduced by soaking rice kernels in the gum arabic/xanthan solution. Overall results revealed that the steeping in the gum solution improved the storage stability of rice cakes.