DisplayTitle

Effects of Rough Rice Storage Conditions on the Amylograph and Cooking Properties of Medium-Grain Rice cv. Bengal¹

¹Published with the approval of the Director, Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, manuscript 97050. ²Research assistant, assistant professor, professor, and graduate assistant, respectively, Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701. ³Corresponding author: E-mail: bpml@engr.uark.edu

Rough rice (cv. Bengal) was stored at four moisture contents (8.8, 10.7, 12.9, and 13.6% MC) and three temperatures (3, 20, and 37°C) for up to six months. The amylograph overall paste viscosity of the milled rice increased during storage. This increase was most apparent in all samples stored at 37°C. For rice stored at 20 and 37°C at all MC levels, a 30–50% increase in peak viscosity (PV) was observed during the first three months of storage. PV subsequently leveled off for rice stored at 12.9 and 13.6% MC but declined for samples stored at 8.8 and 10.7% MC. The final viscosities also increased during storage. The water-absorption ratio of the samples during cooking in excess water increased by an average of 15% over six months of storage. The amylograph and cooking properties were significantly affected (P < 0.05) by rough rice storage duration, temperature, MC, and their respective interactions.