Abstract
Rice cake is a common traditional food in China. In this study, the effect of Polygonatum cyrtonema (PC) on the qualities and characteristics of rice cake was investigated. The incorporation of PC powder in rice cakes endowed a light-yellow color and increased the water content and water absorption of products. Rheological analysis showed that the rice cake containing PC exhibited weak-gel properties. Additionally, PC (40%) inhibited the rice cake aging and lowered the hardness of rice cakes to 13.86 N after 4 h storage. In vitro starch digestion analysis showed that PC (40%) reduced the digestibility of rice cakes by decreasing the starch hydrolysis rate from 88.70 to 58.95%, displaying a low estimated glycemic index (eGI) of 52.14. The findings mentioned above indicated that the inclusion of PC powder in rice cakes enhanced their characteristics and attributes, which also provided an approach for the development of PC products.