# Analysis of Sushi Rice: Preparation Techniques, Physicochemical Properties and Quality Attributes
###### Abstract  
This study explores the multifaceted aspects of sushi rice preparation, including the washing, soaking, and cooking processes and their impact on the texture, microbial, colour, and sensory properties of rice. Selenio rice, a premium short-grain rice of the _Japonica_ variety, was analyzed for variations in amylose content and viscosity profiles. The study highlights how the rice's compositional characteristics, particularly the amylose-to-amylopectin ratio, influence gelatinisation and cooling behaviour. The study examined washing duration, water-to-rice ratios, soaking times, and seasoning effects on product quality. The results demonstrated that washing rice for 230 s was optimal for the nigir  
rice are due to its higher amylopectin content, which provides a sticky characteristic when cooked [5; 6], while a higher content of amylose is generally associated with rice of a firmer texture, less prone to sticking [7]. In the research by [PERSON] et al. [8], it was demonstrated that rice varieties with smaller amylose molecules and a greater proportion of long amylose chains tend to exhibit a firmer texture following cooking. The tradition of washing rice before cooking is commonly applied in the sushi industry, primarily to remove dust and impurities. In studies on the subject, it has been indicated that rinsing rice is vital for making rice products, and the number of required rinses depends on the rice variety [9; 10]. According to [PERSON] et al. [11], the act of washing rice has been identified as a means to eliminate lipids adhering to the surface of raw rice grains. Consequently, this procedure assumes significance because it serves as an effective method for mitigating lipid oxidation, primarily by the removal of free fatty acids, thereby contributing to the prevention of off-flavour development in cooked rice. Soaking is a significant processing stage prior to cooking, since the process itself can help avoid uneven cooking between the surface and inner part of the rice. The even distribution of water during soaking ensures a reduction in cooking time and a decrease in energy consumption. Additionally, during soaking, foreign substances such as excess starch and free fatty acids are removed from the grain surface, resulting in less flavour deterioration [12; 13]. The cooking and textural characteristics of rice are determined by a comprehensive set of interrelated parameters, including multiple stages of rice production and preparation. These critical factors comprise rice varieties (_Pusa Basmati_, _Swarna_), the conditions and techniques employed during drying and storage processes, the initial moisture content of the rice, amylose content, starch type, the extent of milling, water-to-rice ratio, as well as pre- and post-cooking processing. Each of these parameters substantively contributes to the ultimate sensory and textural properties of the cooked rice [14]. Domestic rice preparation methodologies typically include two primary cooking strategies: one characterized by the utilization of excess water, and an alternative approach involving a precisely predetermined water amount with a standardized rice-to-water ratio. In the latter method, the water is completely absorbed during the cooking process, resulting in a more controlled and predictable final rice preparation outcome [15]. Increasing the amount of water during thermal processing can mitigate the intensity of retrogradation phenomena while simultaneously enhancing the perception of juiciness, thereby counteracting undesirable textural changes in the product. Extensive research has been conducted on the characterization of the physicochemical properties, cooking processes, sensory properties, and instrumental textural measurements of rice [16; 17; 18; 19; 20]. Despite extensive research on rice's physicochemical properties and its behaviour during processing, limited studies focus specifically on sushi rice and the factors affecting its quality throughout production and storage.