Korean researchers pave way for rice cake exports by extending shelf life

Time now for our “Life & Info” segment...where we focus on information useful for your everyday life whether you are in Korea or somewhere else around the world.Today, we turn our focus on Korean food.Tteokbokki, a sweet and spicy rice cake dish, has been gaining popularity worldwide, …especially in Southeast Asian countries.However,... exporting rice cakes has been difficult due to their one-month-long shelf life.Now, Korean researchers have found a way to extend the shelf life of rice cakes to eight months at room temperature.This is expected to pave the way for more rice cake exports.Park Se-young has more. Korean rice cakes, or tteok, are made using steamed rice flour.The steamed flour is pounded to make rice cakes, which are then used to make the spicy rice cake dish called tteokbokki.The plain white rice cakes can be stored for about a month in cold storage, and tend to go bad within days at room temperature."Distributing tteok at room temperature is expected to cut distribution costs compared to cold storage …and promote consumption."The Rural Development Administration and Kangwon National University developed the technology to extend the shelf life of rice cakes to up to eight months at room temperature.First, the researchers used dry rice flour instead of steamed rice flour to reduce microbial contamination.Then, organic acids were added to lengthen shelf life."By adding complex organic acids to the water, we were able to optimize the pH level, concentration and immersion time."Lastly, the rice cakes were sterilized to block contamination during distribution.Most importantly, the method had limited impact on the overall taste and texture of the product.Nearly 16 million U.S. dollars of these plain rice cakes were exported in 2018, …with almost seven million dollars of exports going to Southeast Asia.The researchers expect the rice cakes with extended shelf life to lead to more exports and make rice cake-based dishes like tteokboki more accessible around the world.Park Se-young, Arirang News.