A A C C   2 0 0 0   A n n u a l   M e e t i n g

The texture and flavor of cooked rice are considered by consumers to be important quality attributes. To meet consumer needs worldwide for rice with specific flavor and textural attributes, the rice industry needs consistent supplies of rice that are well-defined in terms of sensory characteristics. Rapid, objective, analytical tools that are capable of measuring the impact of genetic, environmental, and postharvest handling factors on sensory properties are needed to allow this definition and optimization of rice cultivars for specific markets. USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists in collaboration with industry, university scientists, and U.S. rice breeders have been striving to develop such tools. The approach being taken is to correlate rice sensory attributes measured by descriptive analyses (an objective, analytical form of sensory analysis) with physicochemical measures. This talk will provide an overview of using RVA, GC/MS, and texture analyzer measures as predictors of sensory quality. The classification of rice cultivars based on cluster analysis of sensory attributes with amylose and protein contents will also be discussed.