| Abstract: | Two rice varieties, a short grain (Giza 175) and a long grain (Giza 181), were parboiled by soaking in water at 80–85 °C for 1.5 h and then dried in the microwave oven for 3, 5, 6 and 8 min. The effect of such parboiling treatment on milling output and technological properties (cooking and eating quality) of milled rice were studied. There was a negative significant correlation between head rice and the drying time and a positive correlation between the drying time and the broken grains. The effect of such treatment on the chemical composition of milled parboiled rice, i.e. amylose, protein, fat and ash contents, showed that the amylose content of Giza 175 variety significantly decreased while not affect in Giza 181 variety. No significant differences were obtained in protein, fat and ash contents by increasing drying time. Microwave drying was more pronounced on Giza 175 variety rather than Giza 181 one. However, the optimum cooking time of the parboiled samples of the two varieties was not affected as a result of increasing the microwave drying time. |
