Arisara Khunprama¹, Aree Rittiboon¹, Marisa Jatupornpipat^1,

Ready-to-eat fried rice with Golek sauce, a traditional food product of Southern Thailand, was developed using a standard recipe. The product, which was sterilized in a retort bowl at 116°C and an F0 value of 5 min, exhibited a slightly decreased L* value, increased a* and b* values, and a trend for an increasing pH. While the protein and carbohydrate content decreased, the fat, ash, moisture content and water activity index all increased. The sterilization process decreased the hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness of the cooked rice, a main component of the product, whereas the texture parameters of the cooked vegetable protein (TVP) increased. The product exhibited acceptable sensory quality characteristics, and no living microorganisms were detected in the product after 6 months of storage at ambient temperature. These findings indicate that the retort sterilization process does not negatively affect the quality of this food product to a degree that is unacceptable. The viability and manufacturability of a ready-to-eat fried rice with traditional Golek sauce should provide consumers an additional choice of a safe, convenient, and delicious southern food that may be a favorite of many people.

Golek sauce, ready-to-eat, retort, processing food, physicochemical properties