Mixed gel was prepared with rice starch (indica, japonica, or sticky rice starch), polysaccharides (gellan, carrageenan, or konjac glucomannan), CaCl2, and deionized water. Rice starch, deionized water, and CaCl2 were kept constant; a mixture design was used to study the
eVects of varieties of rice starch, polysaccharides and its concentration on the quality of the mixed gel by texture proWle analysis (TPA)
method. The texture proWle of the rice starch–polysaccharides mixed gel was dependent not only on the variety of rice and polysaccharides, but also on the concentration of the polysaccharide. The addition of the non-suitable polysaccharide or non-proper concentration
would lead to deterioration of the gel. Only the suitable polysaccharide at a proper concentration would endow the gel with the excellent
quality. Low concentration (0.3% (w/w)) could increase the hardness and
adhesiveness signiWcantly; the indica rice starch–polysaccharides always owned the largest hardness, adhesiveness, and chewiness. Considering the economic factor, adding 0.2% (w/w) carrageen to the indica rice starch was found to be valuable for improving the texture of
rice gel food, when a higher adhesiveness/hardness ratio was needed, 0.3% (w/w) gellan could be added to indica rice starch. The konjac
glucomannan could not improve the adhesiveness, chewiness, and hardness signiWcantly for any kinds of rice starches. The three varieties
of rice starch, polysaccharides and their concentration had no signiWcant eVect on the springiness of the mixed gel.
© 2007 Published by Elsevier Ltd.