RDA Develops Water-Soluble Rice Flour... "For Use in Beverages and Sauces"

Cooked Rice Flour Ultrasonication
"Developing Mass Production Process to Enhance Production Efficiency"

The Rural Development Administration announced on the 15th that it has developed a technology that prevents rice flour from settling when mixed with water and allows it to blend well.

An official from the Rural Development Administration explained, "Non-settling rice flour is made by mixing regular rice flour with water, heating it to cook, then treating it with ultrasound and drying it again to make powder. The ultrasound treatment reduces the particle size of the rice flour and changes the molecular structure, lowering viscosity while increasing bonding with water, which prevents it from settling when mixed with water."

The appearance of regular rice flour (left) and rice flour developed by the Rural Development Administration mixed with water. Regular rice flour sinks in water, but the newly developed rice flour does not sink.

The amount of rice flour used domestically increased from 37,132 tons in 2018 to 54,446 tons in 2022. Most of it is used in rice cakes (27%) or alcohol (25%). Rice flour tends to settle easily in water and has a high viscosity when heated, causing it to clump like rice cakes, which limits its processability and use in liquid products such as beverages or sauces.

The newly developed rice flour has a viscosity about 3% of that of conventional rice flour and can be used instantly without heating. Since it does not settle in water, the Rural Development Administration expects it to be widely used in beverages, sauces, and cosmetic products.

In particular, if beverage manufacturers apply this technology, beverages can mix evenly without forming layers even without adding emulsifiers or stabilizers, improving quality and shelf life.

The research results have been published in an international academic journal, and a patent application has been completed. Additionally, the research team is developing a continuous ultrasonic process for mass production of non-settling rice flour. Once developed, processing time is expected to decrease and production efficiency to increase.

Song Jin, head of the Fermentation and Processing Foods Division at the Rural Development Administration, said, "This research is an important achievement that dramatically improves the physical properties of rice flour and increases its industrial applicability. We will continue research to enhance the added value of various agricultural products, including rice."