# Analysis of Sushi Rice: Preparation Techniques, Physicochemical Properties and Quality Attributes
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Shelf-Life Study of Cooked Sushi Rice
#### 3.3.2 Sensory Evaluation  
While the organoleptic characteristics of cooked sushi rice are fundamentally defined by its seasoning, the conventional preparation methodology involves the incorporation of sushi vinegar, a composite solution prepared from rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. The sugar and salt components serve a dual functional role: primarily modulating the vinegar's acidic profile and secondarily enhancing the taste. These acidic interventions demonstrate the capacity to restore sensory freshness and decrease hardening phenomena observed in prolonged cooked rice storage [36].  
The sensory analysis of differently processed sushi rice samples over a 10-day period are illustrated in Figure 5. Evaluated sensory attributes included odour, taste, texture, colour, appearance, and overall acceptability. The data in the figure allow us to suggest that the water-to-rice ratio used in cooking sushi rice can have impact on odour profile and its changes during storage. This indicates that the rice samples experience a decline in odour quality as they are stored for longer periods. On day one, the different rice samples show varying initial odour values, with R2 having the highest baseline odour and R1 the lowest.  
On day one, the sushi rice samples demonstrate varying initial colour and appearance scores, with R2 and R3 having the highest scores, and R1 the lowest. The different R1 to R5 water-to-rice ratios result in distinct texture profiles during storage. Samples R2 and R3 began with higher texture scores but declined more rapidly compared to samples R1 and R5. For all the rice samples, the taste scores declined over the 10-day storage period. However, the rate of decline differed between the samples. Samples R3 and R3 started with higher taste scores but declined more rapidly compared to samples R1 and R5. [PERSON] et al. [20] found that water-to-rice ratio significantly impacts texture quality, and optimizing this ratio can maximize cooked rice texture without altering flavour. Colour and appearance ratings exhibited a less pronounced decline compared to other attributes, suggesting that these characteristics were less affected by storage time. The analysis indicates that odour and taste are significantly influenced by storage time, with noticeable declines over the 12-day period. In contrast, colour and appearance were the least affected, with most samples maintaining relatively high ratings. Notably, R1 and R5 generally maintained higher ratings across most attributes, suggesting that the specific water-to-rice ratio may be more effective in preserving sensory qualities.  
Figure 5: _Cont._Figure 5: _Cont_.  
A clear downward trend in overall acceptability was observed for all rice samples over the 10 d. However, the rate of decline differs between the samples. This suggests that the water-to-rice ratio used in cooking sushi rice can have significant impact on the overall acceptability of the rice during storage. On day one, the sushi rice samples have varying initial overall acceptability scores, with R2 demonstrating the highest and R1 having the lowest. The final days showed a more pronounced drop in ratings, indicating increased degradation of sensory qualities. The general decline in overall acceptability suggests that the sensory qualities of the rice degrade over time, impacting the perceived quality. In summary, the water-to-rice ratio used in cooking sushi rice appears to be a critical factor influencing the sensory profile and shelf-life of the final product.