Effect of the Enzymatic Removal of Endosperm Cell Wall on the Gelatinization Properties of Aged and Unaged Rice Flours

Endosperm cell walls of the milled rice flour derived from aged and unaged rice were degraded and removed selectively using several commercial enzymes. Amylography of these cell wall degraded flours showed that the distinct difference between the gelatinization properties of aged rice flour and unaged rice flour had disappeared after the removal of the cell wall. The possible role of “structure‐maintaining components” in the formation of the characteristic cooking properties of the aged rice during storage is discussed based on these results and also on the microscopic observation of the gelatinization process of the flour.