Improvement of Palatability and Prevention of Abrupt Increases in Postprandial Blood Glucose Levels by Hokurikukona243 after High Pressure Treatment

Diabetes is a lifestyle disease, and its prevention and treatment are extremely important. Since Hoku243 presents fewer short-branched glucans and more long chains in the amylopectin starch, its starch is resistant to gelatinization and the boiled rice grains are non-sticky and brittle. The prevention of abrupt increases in postprandial blood glucose level (BGL) after consumption of Hoku243 (produced by high pressure treatment (HPT) after soaking in unsalted rice koji miso) was investigated in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The BGL at 90 min and area under the curve (AUC) for 120 min after eating were significantly lower in SD rats fed Hoku243 than those in rats fed the control diet, consisting of Koshihikari rice (1% or 5% level). The addition of glucose, glutamic acid, and dietary fibers by soaking in an unsalted rice koji miso (unsalted miso) suspension made the boiled rice tasty and harder. After HPT, the texture of the boiled rice grains became harder, but sticky, which made the rice acceptable in terms of palatability and bio-functional in terms of digestion delay. It is now possible to produce palatable and bio-functional boiled rice grains by HPT and soaking in unsalted miso.