Rice flour - A functional ingredient for premium crabstick

This study was performed to evaluate rice flour as a functional ingredient for premium crabstick and develop a commercially viable recipe. Physicochemical properties of crabstick pastes with 42% surimi, with various rice flour concentrations (0, 1, 3, and 5%), and other ingredients were evaluated. The physical properties were measured during refrigeration and frozen storage. Rice flour measured at various concentrations (5 to 40% in water) using a DSC demonstrated similar patterns with an endothermic peak at around 63. 5°C. During refrigerated storage, the strength of gels increased gradually, while cohesiveness stayed mostly unchanged. During frozen storage, water retention ability (WRA) gradually decreased as freeze-thaw (F/T) cycles were extended, however the water reduction was minimized as rice flour concentration increased. The optimum level was 1% rice flour concentration for chilled and frozen crabstick. Two crabstick samples (control and 1% rice flour) demonstrated no difference in strength and cohesiveness.