PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for producing packaged cooked rice without crumbling or collapsing of cooked rice and with no unevenness of moisture within the cooked rice, and also having an excellent flavor and texture with no roughness on the surface of rice grains.SOLUTION: The air content of a sealed container is 15-40% with respect to the total volume of raw rice and water for cooking rice. In a temperature raising step of raising the product temperature of rice inside the container to a predetermined heat sterilization temperature, the product temperature of rice exceeds 90°C and the container is inverted before the temperature reaches the predetermined sterilization temperature. The pressure applied to the container is adjusted according to the product temperature of the rice from the start of the temperature raising step to the end of a cooling step so that a predetermined range of gap is maintained between the top layer of rice grains inside the container and an inner surface of a container wall above the top layer.COPYRIGHT: (C)2014,JPO&INPIT【課題】米飯の崩れや潰れ、米飯内で水分の不均一がなく、また、香りが良く米粒表面のざらつきがない食感が良い容器詰め米飯の製造方法を提供する。【解決手段】密封された容器の含気量を、生米と炊飯用水の合計体積に対して15~40%とし、容器内の米の品温を所定の加熱殺菌温度まで昇温させる昇温工程において米の品温が90℃を超え、所定の殺菌温度に達する前に容器反転させるとともに、容器内の最上層の米粒と、その上方の容器壁の内面との間に一定範囲の隙間が維持されるように、昇温工程開始時から冷却工程終了時まで米の品温に応じて容器に加わる圧力を調節する。【選択図】なし
