Quantitative descriptive analysis of cooked rice was performed to investigate the effect of milling ratios (≈8.0–14.0%, based on brown rice) on sensory characteristics of cooked rice, in relation to physicochemical characteristics of milled rice and cooked rice. The proximate composition of uncooked rice decreased with increased milling while whiteness increased. The initial pasting temperature of rice flour decreased with increased milling while peak, breakdown, and setback viscosities increased. The instrumental texture profile of cooked rice revealed that hardness and chewiness decreased with increased milling while adhesiveness increased. A trained panel found that color, intactness of grains, puffed corn flavor, raw rice flavor, wet cardboard flavor, hay‐like flavor, and bitter taste were lower while glossiness, plumpness, and sweet taste were higher with increased milling. Degree of agglomeration, adhesiveness, cohesiveness of mass, inner moisture, and toothpacking of cooked rice increased while hardness and chewiness decreased with increased milling. Sensory analysis of cooked rice was more discriminating than instrumental texture profile analysis in terms of hardness, adhesiveness, and cohesiveness. There were high negative correlations between descriptive attributes of sweet taste, degree of agglomeration, adhesiveness, cohesiveness of mass, and moisture (r = −0.94 to −0.87), protein (r = −0.96 to −0.83), and fat contents (r = −0.91 to −0.85). Instrumental hardness showed high correlation with sensory hardness (r = 0.80).

Physicochemical characteristics of chalky rice kernels were compared with those of vitreous kernels, and the effects of chalky kernels on sensory quality of cooked rice were investigated. Chalky kernels were compared with vitreous kernels using image analysis and amylose contents. Because cooked rice is prepared through soaking and cooking, the changes in water absorption index (WAI) during soaking (15, 30, 60, and 90 min) and the structural changes during cooking (0, 3, 6, and 9 min) in chalky and vitreous kernels were investigated using image analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of various proportions (0, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 15%) of chalky kernels on sensory quality of cooked rice were also studied. The chalky kernels tended to be smaller in kernel area, maximum diameter, minimum diameter, and perimeter than vitreous kernels. Amylose content in chalky kernels was slightly lower than that in vitreous kernels. WAI of chalky kernels was higher than that of vitreous kernels. The effects of chalky kernels on the sensory quality of cooked rice were not significant unless the proportion of chalky kernels was ≥15%. A sensory panel agreed that the overall sensory quality of cooked rice with 15% chalky kernels was the lowest among the samples tested.

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The objective of this study was to identify the drivers of liking for commercially mass‐produced doenjang (fermented soybean paste) among Korean consumers, by correlating the results from descriptive analysis and consumer acceptance testing. Ten doenjang samples were tested, seven of which were manufactured through a modified method and three via applying traditional method for mass production. Significant differences were found in all sensory attributes among the samples (p < .05). The principal component analysis of the descriptive analysis revealed clear discrimination among doenjang samples, according to their sensory characteristics: one group favored mild flavors (high in “sweet” and “umami” tastes and “cooked soybean flavor,” while the other preferred strong fermentation‐related flavors, such as “musty,” “biting,” “soy sauce,” and “fermented fish sauce.” Overall, consumer preference was directed toward doenjang that is high in sweet and umami tastes, meaning that customers favored doenjang produced by the modified method more than traditional‐style doenjang. Practical applications The doenjang market is currently greatly expanding, as consumer interests in health and traditional foods are increasing. Therefore, it is more important than ever to identify the sensory characteristics driving consumer preference, in order to meet consumer expectations. The present study identified consumers who preferred traditional doenjang characteristics as well as sweet and umami characteristics. This suggests the direction in which to proceed in optimizing doenjang flavors, in order to ensure that they match Korean consumer preferences.

Germinated wheat is a food material with potential health benefits due to its high phenolic and antioxidant content, but the reason why germination increases this content is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between protein changes (determined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE)), phenolics, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels, and antioxidant capacity of wheat germinated for various periods (24, 48, 72, and 96 h) compared to control. Each phenolic acid tended to increase with increasing germination time. The GABA content was highest (39.98 mg/100 g dwb) after 96 h of germination. The total oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) was 1.97 times higher after 96 h than in ungerminated seeds. Fifteen proteins, among 82 proteins separated by 2-DE, were highly related with ORAC and were identified by peptide mass fingerprinting (PMS). The PMS revealed strong expression of granule bound starch synthase (GBSS) and glutathione S-transferase (GSTF) after 96 h of germination. Overall, the ORAC at 96 h exhibited a close relationship with the levels of phenolic acids, GABA, and proteins such as GBSS and GSTF. In conclusion, these findings add to the existing knowledge of wheat protein changes and their relationship to the antioxidant properties of germinating wheat seeds.