Influence of different indica rice (Oryza sativa L. subsp. indica Kato) flours on the quality and flavor characteristics of fermented rice cakes

Abstract Backgrounds and Objectives Fermented rice cake is a common traditional fermented food in China with a crystal clear color, unique flavor, dense honeycomb structure, and soft and delicate texture. As its raw materials are not uniform, different batches often have poor product quality stability and different volatile flavor components. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of different indica rice flours on processing adaptability and their impacts on the flavor characteristics. Findings The results show that the seven indica rice flours have significantly different basic compositions and physicochemical properties ( p < .05). Specifically, the fermented rice cake prepared with TG2 showed a large specific volume, good elasticity, bright color, high volatile flavor compound contents, and the maximum comprehensive sensory evaluation score. Additionally, partial least squares discriminant analysis was conducted, and three volatile compounds were identified with variable importance for the projection >1 and odor activity value >1 as the criteria, namely, ethanol, styrene, and phenethyl alcohol, which played major roles in forming the overall aroma of fermented rice cakes. Conclusions The texture, color, and sensory score of fermented rice cakes are closely related to the basic components of the indica rice flour, and the most popular fermented rice cakes have a specific volume of no less than 2 mL/g, an L* of above 78, and a TPA‐tested elasticity of about 3 mm. Significance and Novelty This study may help improve the processing of fermented rice cakes and provide a theoretical basis for their production and flavor control.