Quality Characteristics and Optimization of Ingredients of Sweet Rice Paste as a Replacement of Red Bean Paste

This study was conducted to optimize the conditions of a sweet rice paste as a replacement of red bean paste recipe using the central composite design of response surface methodology (RSM). Ten experimental recipes with two reference points (rice flour and sugar), were selected, and the physical and sensory characteristics of a sweet rice paste were measured. In the Rapid Visco Analyzer test, breakdown value was the highest in rice flour (105.73 RVU). Sweetness significantly increased with addition of sugar contents (p<0.0002) and viscosity increased with addition of rice flour contents (p<0.0185). Moisture contents decreased with increasing contents of rice flour and sugar, whereas yellowness and redness tend to increase. In the sensory evaluation test, quadratic models for color (p<0.01865), sweetness (p<0.0399), thickness (p<0.0073), and overall acceptability (p<0.0249) were approved as independent for the rice flour and sugar contents. In conclusion, the optimal mixing ratio of sweet rice paste was determined to be 45.38 g of rice flour and 77.95 g of sugar.