LAUSR

The use of chitosan as a natural preservative has increased for rice-based products, but little is known about chitosan effects on product quality. This work elucidated chitosan effects on the physical properties (moisture content, pH, and color), texture, and microstructure of flat rice noodles. Chitosan solutions (0.33 and 0.50 g chitosan/100 mL acetic acid) were added to rice flour noodles. Chitosan exhibited no effect on moisture contents, but it decreased the rice noodle pH and whiteness. Confocal laser scanning micrographs revealed that acetic acid caused protein network formation in rice noodles. Chitosan did not affect textural properties of rice flour gel because the acetic-acid-induced protein networks inhibited chitosan effects. During storage at 30 °C for 5 d, chitosan retarded increases in the hardness and gumminess and decreases in the cohesiveness and springiness of rice flour gel. Results show that chitosan is useful as a preservative in rice flour noodles without adversely affecting noodle quality.