Why is there a funny smell/the rice is yellow/too dry?
It is not unusual for a newly manufactured appliance to have a slight “new” smell during its first few uses. Some people are more sensitive to these odours than others, and you may notice a smell that resembles new plastic, packaging or manufacturing materials.
This is generally temporary and should diminish and disappear after the first few cooking cycles. It is not unique to Yum Asia or Zojirushi and can occur with many newly manufactured electrical appliances.
As a precaution, we recommend running an initial cooking cycle and discarding the first batch of rice. This can help remove any residual manufacturing or packaging aromas before you begin using the cooker normally.
If You Notice an Odour When Cooking Rice
If a smell continues after the initial few uses, or develops when using the Keep Warm function, check the following:
Clean the inner bowl thoroughly, particularly after cooking mixed rice, seasoned rice or other dishes. Food residue left in the bowl can develop an odour over time.
Do not leave rice on Keep Warm for longer than recommended. For Zojirushi models, we generally recommend keeping rice warm for no more than 12 hours.
Avoid keeping very small quantities of rice on Keep Warm for extended periods, as the rice can dry out and deteriorate more quickly.
Do not leave the rice spatula inside the inner bowl while the rice is being kept warm.
After cooking, loosen and mix the rice thoroughly using the supplied rice spatula. This helps release excess moisture and prevents the rice from compacting.
With Yum Asia rice cookers, we find that rice quality can begin to deteriorate after approximately 15 hours on Keep Warm. This is because the cooker maintains the rice at a temperature designed to keep it safe to eat, which can result in some moisture loss over extended periods.
Why Does Rice Dry Out on Keep Warm?
The Keep Warm function is designed to maintain the rice at a safe temperature, rather than simply keeping it at the same condition as immediately after cooking.
Because the rice is being held at an elevated temperature for an extended period, some moisture naturally evaporates. As a result, rice will generally become drier the longer it remains on Keep Warm.
If you need to keep rice warm for longer, you can occasionally add a small splash of water and mix it thoroughly through the rice. This can help restore some moisture and reduce drying.
For the best taste and texture, however, we recommend eating the rice relatively soon after cooking rather than keeping it warm for extended periods.
In Summary
A slight new-appliance smell during the first few uses is normal and should gradually disappear. Running an initial cooking cycle and discarding the first batch of rice can help remove residual manufacturing aromas.
If you experience a strong, burning, electrical or unusual smell that does not diminish, stop using the appliance and contact us for assistance. This is different from the normal temporary “new appliance” smell described above.