Hinohikari rice is considered to have a distinct taste for many Japanese people. However, there are no studies comparing the physicochemical properties of Hinohikari rice and those of other cultivars. Therefore, in this study, we compared the characteristics of cooked rice and their starch pasting properties of the Koshihikari, Hinohikari, and Akitakomachi cultivars. The obtained protein and amylose contents suggest that all three rice cultivars have a good taste. The presence of a gel-like

more »

... r, which primarily consists of polysaccharides, was observed on the surface of the cooked rice. The amount of water-soluble polysaccharides present in the surface layer of Hinohikari rice was significantly higher than those of the other two cultivars. Further, cooked Hinohikari rice showed a different frictional forcehorizontal movement distance curve and water-soluble polysaccharides adhering to the surface layer. The breaking characteristics of cooked rice were similar between the Koshihikari and Hinohikari curtivars. Our results suggest that cooked Hinohikari rice presents different characteristics from those of Koshihikari and Akitakomachi rice.