We investigated the tribological properties as well as rheological properties of native and gelatinized rice starch in liquid o/w emulsions and semi-solid emulsion-filled gelatin gels. For both native and gelatinized rice starch dispersions, friction coefficient increases with increasing concentration. This may give an indication that the fat-mimicking functionality of rice starch might not be due to their contribution to lubrication, but due to their contribution to thickness and melting. Native rice starch increases friction probably due to its irregular shape and particle agglomeration at high concentration that indirectly increase surface roughness and asperity contacts. This can also be concluded from the appearance of an extended boundary lubrication regime in the friction curves. Gelatinized rice starch increases friction probably due to the stickiness of leached starch polymers. In the case of rice starch-o/w emulsions, oil droplets could reduce the friction caused by stickiness of gelatinized rice starch. Appearance of the hydrodynamic lubrication regime in the friction curves of gelatinized rice starch is due to the increased viscosity and sliding speed. The tribological behaviors of rice starch-emulsion-filled gels are more complex than liquids due to the bulk properties and breakdown properties of gel matrix. We conclude that morphology and surface properties of the starch particles, bulk and breakdown properties of matrices are the main factors that determining the tribological profile of food model systems.