Rice starch was modified with various levels of 2-octen-1-ylsuccinic anhydride (OSA). Treatments with OSA at 3, 5, and 10% resulted in starch derivatives with 0.016, 0.033, and 0.070 degrees of substitution (DS), respectively. Thermovisco properties of the derivatives were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and rapid visco analysis (RVA). Water content in the sample was found to have a significant effect on the characteristics of the DSC endotherm. Pasting properties of the OSA-starch and the effect of pH and salt on the RVA profiles were also studied. In general, with increased OSA-modification, the starch derivatives swelled and gelatinized at lower temperatures to achieve higher viscosities. Specifically, based on DSC analysis at 80% water, the peak temperature of gelatinization decreased from 68.5 to 63.2 degrees C as the OSA modification increased in DS from 0 (intact starch) to 0.070. On the other hand, RVA results indicate that, for samples undergoing similar increase in OSA modification, the pasting temperature decreased from 88.7 to 51.5 degrees C and the peak viscosity increased from 668 to 6822 cP.