Glutinous rice is almost fully made of which molecule?
Amylopectin
Glycogen
Amylose
Sucrose
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is Amylopectin.
Glutinous rice, also known as sticky rice or sweet rice, has a unique texture primarily due to its high content of amylopectin. Amylopectin is a complex polysaccharide and a major component of starch, the carbohydrate stored in plant tissues. Starch consists of two molecules: amylopectin and amylose. Amylopectin is highly branched, which allows it to hold more water and create a sticky, gelatinous texture when cooked. This is why glutinous rice is so sticky and clumpy when cooked, unlike regular rice.
Amylose, on the other hand, is a linear polysaccharide with fewer branches. It tends to form a gel-like structure but doesn’t create the same sticky texture as amylopectin. In glutinous rice, amylopectin can make up around 90% of the starch content, giving it its distinctive sticky consistency. This is why glutinous rice is ideal for making dishes that require rice to hold together, such as sushi, rice cakes, and dumplings.
Glycogen is the storage form of glucose in animals, not a plant starch, and sucrose is a disaccharide sugar made up of glucose and fructose, commonly found in plants as a source of energy. Neither of these molecules is present in significant amounts in glutinous rice.
In summary, the high concentration of amylopectin in glutinous rice is responsible for its sticky texture, making it different from regular rice, which has a higher proportion of amylose.