Effect of parboiling on thiamin, protein and fat of rice

Parboiling decreased the thiamin content of rice. Nevertheless, milled parboiled rice contained more thiamin than milled raw rice at the same degree of milling because parboiling caused thiamin to diffuse inwardly. Both the degree of loss and the degree of diffusion depended on the severity of the heat treatment. Bran-polish of parboiled rice had a higher fat and protein content than bran-polish of raw rice at the same degree of milling because the starchy endosperm of parboiled rice had a greater resistance to milling and so the bran and the germ were more effectively removed. Milled parboiled rice tended to have lower protein content than milled raw rice. Starch content was lower in bran-polish from parboiled rice.     

Effect of processing conditions on the oil content of parboiled-rice bran

The oil content of residual milled kernel was consistently lower and of bran higher in parboiled as compared to raw rice at all degrees of milling (d.m.), showing that the rice oil migrated outwards upon parboiling. However, the d.m.-oil content curves for the residual kernel as well as the bran were largely unaffected by varying conditions of parboiling. The total oil content of the grain was also unchanged after parboiling. When the data for the fraction of the total grain oil coming into the bran were plotted against the d.m. for a variety of parboiling conditions, they again fell into a single line. These results showed that, contrary to many earlier claims, the processing condition during parboiling had no effect on the redistribution of the fat in the grain.     

Studies on Expanded Rice. Optimum Processing Conditions

Optimum conditions of parboiling, milling and puffing for making expanded rice were studied on a small laboratory scale. Optimum puffing was obtained by heating milled parboiled rice at a moisture content of 10.5–11% with 15 times its weight of fme sand at 250°C for 10–11 sec. Raw and mildly parboiled rice gave minimal expansion, which increased with increasing severity of parboiling up to a steam pressure of 1.5 kg/cm². However, rice parboiled by heating with sand (250°C, 2.5 min) expanded best. Starch retrogradation after parboiling reduced expansion, as did cracked and broken grains and insufficient milling of the rice. Addition of salt increased expansion. Expansion initially increased and then decreased with increasing age of paddy after harvest.     

Cooking qualities of parboiled rices produced at low and high temperatures

The cooking characteristics of parboiled rice are related to (i) its hydration behaviour at temperatures above and below the gelatinisation point; (ii) to kernel elongation on cooking; and (iii) to the extent of amylose solubility. These properties differ among samples, depending on the parboiling conditions. Samples were prepared by parboiling paddy at 70, 80, 90, 100, 110 and 120°C. The kernel elongation on cooking and the amount of soluble amylose in the gruel were then determined. The water uptake values for raw and parboiled rice samples were determined by hydrating them at room temperature (25-30), 60 and 98°C (boiling temperature) for optimal cooking times. The rate of hydration at temperatures below the gelatinisation point increased on parboiling and, conversely, a reverse pattern above this point. Close correlations existed between the temperature of parboiling and the properties studied. The different properties studied also correlated well. The temperature of parboiling influenced the linear elongation of the kernel after cooking. The soluble amylose content was negatively correlated with the temperature of parboiling. Though the hydration properties of different parboiled samples differed among themselves, depending on the degree of parboiling, they fell into two distinct classes, viz. the samples parboiled at a temperature close to the gelatinisation point having cooking qualities similar to raw rice, and above this point qualities differing from raw rice. The water uptake values at room temperature and at 60°C, and the ratio of water uptake at 98°C and optimum cooking time to that at 60°C were found to be useful in differentiating the parboiled rices into the two classes.     

EFFECT OF ARTISANAL PARBOILING METHODS ON MILLING YIELD AND COOKED RICE TEXTURAL CHARACTERISTICS

ABSTRACT

One of the main objectives of artisanal rice parboiling is to reduce the levels of broken grains (brokens) on milling. Rice samples that had been parboiled using different regimes of soaking temperatures and steaming times were analyzed for their physical properties and cooked rice textures. It was established that inappropriate soaking and steaming regimes resulted in greater levels of brokens than raw‐milled paddy. Consequently, in artisanal parboiling, the initial soaking temperature should be about 90C and the steaming time should be more than 8 min, ideally, about 12 min. On cooking, more severely parboiled rice samples had firmer textures than mildly parboiled samples. The commercially parboiled sample and the more severely laboratory‐parboiled samples required a rice‐to‐water ratio of 1:3, while the raw‐milled sample and the mildly parboiled ones required a 1:2½ rice‐to‐water ratio for optimum cooking.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Artisanal rice parboiling is carried out mainly to reduce the levels of broken grains and increase the yield of milled rice in many countries. If this is carried out very well, there are economic benefits as more rice of better quality is available to be sold. This study provides information on optimum processing conditions, i.e., initial soaking temperature of about 90C and a steaming time of about 12 min. The study also provides recommendations on optimum cooking conditions, i.e., rice‐to‐water ratio, for the variably parboiled rice samples.     

Parboiling of rice. Part I: Effect of hot soaking time on quality of milled rice

This study investigated the effect of soaking time on the quality of parboiled rice. The paddy was soaked in water at 25 and 80 °C for 15, 30, 45, 60 and 120 min. The soaked paddy was steamed, dried, stored and milled. With increasing soaking time a significant increase in water absorption and milling and head rice yield (hence reduction in broken rice) was observed. A significant difference in milling yield, at the 1% level, was obtained between the raw rice control and the hot soaked parboiled samples. A large reduction in fissured grain was observed after soaking. It is suggested that parboiling fills the void spaces and cements the cracks inside the endosperm, making the grain harder and minimizing internal fissuring and thereby breakage during milling.     

Nature of Starch Crystallinity in Parboiled Rice

A-type X-ray diffraction spectra of raw rice was weakened upon mild parboiling and completely disappeared in moderately severe parboiled rice. A feeble V pattern of lipid-amylose complex appeared in its place. There was no unambiguous evidence of a B-type spectra of retrograded starch, although partial and weak B-like spectra could be seen. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that raw rice flour and starch had a large gelatinization and a small lipid-amylose endotherm, the latter disappearing after defatting. The gelatinization endotherm first decreased and eventually disappeared in samples with moderately severe parboiling, but a small lipid-amylose endotherm was visible in most parboiled rice samples. On the whole, parboiled rice appeared largely amorphous with only minor crystallinity, and the peculiar properties of parboiled rice could not be definitely ascribed to a definite crystalline form of starch.     

Effects of parboiling,storage and cooking on the levels of tocopherols,tocotrienols and γ-oryzanol in brown rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Vitamin E and γ-oryzanol display a wide range of biological activities including hypocholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Although white rice is far more popular worldwide, consumption of brown rice is increasing, partially on account of the presence of bioactive compounds; however, the effects of parboiling, storage and cooking on them are not well-characterized. The effects of parboiling and a 6-month storage period on the contents of vitamin E and γ-oryzanol in three brown rice cultivars grown in three different locations in Brazil were investigated. Also, their levels in branded non-parboiled and parboiled brown rice were monitored before and after cooking. Vitamin E homologues and γ-oryzanol were separated by RP-HPLC equipped with PDA and fluorescence detectors. The average levels of total tocols and γ-oryzanol in the raw brown rice cultivars studied were 25 and 188 mg/kg, respectively. Of the vitamin E homologues, γ-tocotrienol contributed with 74% of total tocols, followed by α-tocopherol, α-tocotrienol and γ-tocopherol in minor quantities. The combined processes, parboiling, storage and cooking, led to an approximate 90% reduction in tocols and only γ-tocotrienol was detectable after any of the processes. Parboiling followed by storage resulted in an approximate 40% loss of γ-oryzanol. Cooking had almost no further effect over γ-oryzanol levels in parboiled rice previously stored for 6 months.     

Effect of superheated-steam drying compared to conventional parboiling on chalkiness,head rice yield and quality of chalky rice kernels

Four rice cultivars (Ayutthaya 1, Khao Bahn Nah 432, Plai Ngahm Prachin Buri, and Prachin Buri 2) that usually have a major problem with chalkiness were processed by applying superheated-steam drying and conventional parboiling methods. The main objectives were: (1) to determine the possibility of applying superheated-steam drying to solve the chalkiness and low head rice yield problems and (2) to compare the properties of rice produced using superheated-steam drying and the conventional parboiling process. Both the initial moisture content and superheated-steam drying temperature significantly affected head rice yield. The higher moisture helped to increase starch gelatinization leading to a stronger rice structure and subsequently an increased head rice yield. The rice samples dried in the superheated-steam dryer using an initial moisture content of paddy at 32% w.b. for 6 h under a steam pressure of 1.2 bar and at three drying temperatures (120, 140, 160 °C) had higher milling quality than the conventionally parboiled rice samples. The darker color of the superheated-steam-dried samples was their main drawback. Both parboiling and superheated-steam drying could clearly lessen the percentage of chalky rice kernels compared to the raw paddy. The parboiled rice and superheated-steam-dried rice had more nutrients than normal white rice.     

Rice degree of milling effects on hydration,texture, sensory and energy characteristics. Part 1. Cooking using excess water

The purpose was to assess the effect of degree of milling (DOM) on cooking kinetics, sensory attributes, and energy requirements when cooking rice in excess water. Commercial milling equipment was adjusted to produce parboiled and non-parboiled rice samples that were milled to varying DOMs, including brown rice lots having no milling. Surface lipid content (SLC) ranged from 0.15% to 0.55% for non-parboiled rice and from 0.40% to 0.95% for parboiled rice. The percentage gelatinized kernels, moisture content, peak force and sensory attributes were determined as a function of cooking duration for all samples. The cooking duration required to attain ‘well-cooked’ rice was determined, after which the energy required for cooking was measured. Within the SLC range tested, DOM did not affect cooking kinetics, texture and flavor of rice. Non-parboiled brown rice required the most energy, expressed as energy per unit mass of uncooked rice, to be cooked, followed by parboiled brown, parboiled milled and non-parboiled milled rice.     

Functional Properties as Affected by Laboratory‐Scale Parboiling of Rough Rice and Brown Rice

ABSTRACT: Rough rice (RR) is the conventional feedstock for parboiling. The use of brown rice (BR) instead of RR is gaining interest because it results in shorter processing time and lower energy requirement. This study compared the functional properties of milled parboiled rice under different parboiling conditions from RR and BR. Presoaked RR and BR from cultivars Bolivar, Cheniere, Dixiebelle, and Wells were parboiled under mild (20 min, 100 °C, 0 kPa) and severe (20 min, 120 °C, 98 kPa) laboratory‐scale conditions. Head rice yield improved on the RR and BR samples subjected to severe parboiling and was comparable to that of a commercially parboiled sample. Mild parboiling of BR resulted in lower head rice yields. Parboiling generally resulted in decreased head rice whiteness, decreased apparent amylose, increased total lipid, and sparingly changed protein content. Under the same parboiling conditions, the extent of starch gelatinization was higher for BR compared to RR as manifested by some distinct differences in pasting and thermal properties. The cooking characteristics (water uptake ratio, leached materials, and volumetric expansion) and cooked rice texture (hardness and stickiness) of RR and BR subjected to severe parboiling were fairly comparable. Differences in parboiled rice functional properties due to cultivar effect were evident.     

Impact of parboiling conditions on Maillard precursors and indicators in long-grain rice cultivars

The effect of steaming conditions (mild, intermediate and severe) during parboiling of five different long-grain rice cultivars (brown rice cultivars Puntal, Cocodrie, XL8 and Jacinto, and a red rice) on rice colour, and Maillard precursors and indicators was investigated. Rice colour increased with severity of parboiling conditions. Redness increased more than yellowness when parboiling brown rice. Parboiling turned red rice black. It changed the levels of glucose, fructose, sucrose, and maltose. Losses of the non-reducing sugar, sucrose were caused by both leaching into the soaking water and enzymic conversion, rather than by thermal degradation during steaming. Concentrations of the reducing sugars, glucose and fructose, in intermediately parboiled rice were higher than those of mildly parboiled rice. After severe parboiling, glucose levels were lower than those of intermediately parboiled rice, while fructose levels were higher. These changes were ascribed to the sum of losses in the Maillard reaction (MR), formations as a result of starch degradation and isomerisation of glucose into fructose. It was clear that the ε-amino group of protein-bound lysine was more affected by parboiling conditions and loss in MRs, than that of free lysine. Low values of the MR indicators furosine and free 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF) in processed brown and red rices were related to mild parboiling, whereas high furosine and low free HMF levels were indicative of rices being subjected to intermediate processing conditions. High furosine and high free HMF contents corresponded to severe hydrothermal treatments. The strong correlation (r = 0.89) between the free HMF levels and the increase in redness of parboiled brown rices suggested that Maillard browning was reflected more in the red than in the yellow colour.     

Status of dietary fiber contents in pigmented and non-pigmented rice varieties before and after parboiling

Five different varieties of paddy (four pigmented and one non-pigmented) were shelled and milled in pre and post parboiled form, their dietary fiber contents were estimated. Under similar conditions of milling, raw rice showed a high degree of polish (DOP), 9–12 g/100 g and parboiled rice showed low DOP, 4.6–6.6 g/100 g. Dietary fiber content was high in pigmented rice, 9–10 g/100 g compared to non-pigmented, ∼6 g/100 g. Soluble fiber content in pigmented head rice (dehusked) varied from 1 to 1.5 g/100 g and in its brokens varied from 0.45 to 1.45 g/100 g. Dietary fiber content was low by about 1% in parboiled rice. In the parboiled rice of pigmented varieties, the total fiber content varied from 7.95 ± 0.15 to 9.05 ± 0.25 g/100 g and the soluble fiber content varied from 0.7 to 0.9 g/100 g. In milled parboiled rice the respective values were 5 ± 0.4 to 6 ± 0.1 g/100 g and 0.85 ± 0.05 to 1.25 ± 0.05 g/100 g. However, the soluble fiber content in the non-pigmented brown rice, IR-64 remained same after parboiling, 0.75 ± 0.5 g/100 g. Milled parboiled rice showed higher soluble dietary fiber compared to milled raw rice. In conclusion, dietary fiber was high in pigmented rice varieties when compared with non-pigmented rice.     

Studies on parboiled rice: Part 1—Comparison of the characteristics of raw and parboiled rice

Various properties of raw and parboiled rice were compared in an effort to elucidate the factors responsible for the changes induced by parboiling.The parboiled rice was less prone to disintegration on cooking, the kernels remaining well separated and less sticky than the non-parboiled sample. The solids leached into the cooking water and the extent of solubilisation of the kernels on cooking were both considerably lowered by parboiling. Amylograms of flour prepared from the rice revealed that this was due to the resistance of the starch in the parboiled rice to swelling and solubilisation in hot water.From the results of X-ray diffraction spectra it was concluded that the behaviour of parboiled rice is influenced by the presence of an insoluble helical amylose complex and not, as is generally assumed, by retrogradation.     

Swelling and solubility behaviour of parboiled rice flour

Parboiled rice flour swelled and dissolved more than raw rice flour in water at temperatures below 70°C, but less than raw rice at higher temperatures. This difference between raw and parboiled rice increased with an increasing degree of parboiling. A sample of parboiled rice produced by dry-heating soaked paddy in hot sand behaved differently; but when it was wetted and tempered to favour reassociation of starch, its properties fell in line with normal steam-parboiled rice. The above behaviours of raw and parboiled rice flour were similar to those of corresponding whole-grain rice. They also reinforce the earlier suggestion of starch reassociation in conventional parboiled rice.     

Cooking rice in excess water reduces both arsenic and enriched vitamins in the cooked grain

This paper reports the effects of rinsing rice and cooking it in variable amounts of water on total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, iron, cadmium, manganese, folate, thiamin and niacin in the cooked grain. We prepared multiple rice varietals both rinsed and unrinsed and with varying amounts of cooking water. Rinsing rice before cooking has a minimal effect on the arsenic (As) content of the cooked grain, but washes enriched iron, folate, thiamin and niacin from polished and parboiled rice. Cooking rice in excess water efficiently reduces the amount of As in the cooked grain. Excess water cooking reduces average inorganic As by 40% from long grain polished, 60% from parboiled and 50% from brown rice. Iron, folate, niacin and thiamin are reduced by 50–70% for enriched polished and parboiled rice, but significantly less so for brown rice, which is not enriched.     

Effect of milling on mineral and trace element composition of raw and parboiled rice.

The effect of milling on the mineral and trace element composition of raw and parboiled grain samples of 16 varieties of rice was investigated. Varietal, locational and seasonal differences in the nutrient composition of brown rice were noted. The mean values for different nutrients per 100 g brown rice were total ash 1.37 g, phosphorus 349 mg, magnesium 157 mg, calcium 18 mg and iron 2.16 mg and in μg per g samples, zinc 14.3, manganese 11.0, copper 2.39, molybdenum 0.775 and chromium 0.088. Parboiling per se had no effect on the composition of brown rice. The degree of milling and the initial concentration of the nutrient in the grain determined the magnitude of loss on milling both in raw and parboiled grain. Percent losses of different nutrients on 5 and 10% milling of raw rice respectively were total ash 40, 62; iron 51, 67; magnesium 40, 64; calcium 36, 57; iron 54, 64; copper 26, 45; manganese 48, 56; molybdenum 24, 34; chromium 57, 69; and zinc only 2.8, 4.6. Zinc in rice grain was uniformly distributed and a major portion of other nutrients was concentrated in the outermost 2.5% surface layers of the grain. Parboiling appeared to have altered the distribution of some nutrients in rice grain except for zinc, magnesium and copper. Milling losses for other nutrients were therefore significantly lower in parboiled than in raw rice.     

Parboiling of rice. Part II: Effect of hot soaking time on the degree of starch gelatinization

A differential scanning calorimetric study was done on raw and parboiled rice to determine the degree of gelatinization. Unparboiled rice absorbed the highest amount of endothermic heat, the enthalpy change gradually decreasing with increasing hot soaking time. The highest degree of gelatinization was achieved when the paddy was soaked for 120 min at 80 °C. With increasing degree of gelatinization, the yield point in a compression test also increased. During the parboiling process internal fissures were healed, resulting in higher head rice yield during milling.     

Rice degree of milling effects on hydration,texture, sensory and energy characteristics. Part 2. Cooking using fixed,water-to-rice ratios

The purpose was to assess the effects of degree of milling on hydration and textural characteristics of rice cooked using a range of water-to-rice ratios, and to compare the energy requirements when using these fixed water-to-rice ratios to the energy required when cooking with excess-water. Surface lipid contents (SLCs) ranged from 0.15% to 0.55% for non-parboiled rice and from 0.40% to 0.95% for parboiled rice. Cooking degree was assessed by measuring cooked-rice peak force, moisture content and percentage gelatinized kernels. Milling degree had little to no effect on cooking characteristics of all milled samples. Differences in cooking characteristics between milled and brown rice were less pronounced for parboiled than non-parboiled rice. Non-parboiled milled rice required the least energy to be ‘well-cooked’, followed by parboiled milled rice, non-parboiled brown rice, and parboiled brown rice (there were no significant differences between non-parboiled and parboiled brown rice). In general, excess-water cooking required more energy than fixed water-to-rice ratio cooking.     

INFLUENCE OF PARBOILING ON RICE STARCH STRUCTURE AND COOKED-RICE TEXTURE

Four varieties of rice having very high (29.4%) to low (17.6%) amylose-equivalent (AE) were parboiled by steaming at atmospheric (PB-O) and at 3 kg/cm2 (PB-3) gauge pressure. The cooked rice texture of the raw, PB-0 and PB-3 rice was determined by Viscoelastographe. Gel permeation chromatography of rice flour starch on Sepharose CL-2B, in general, indicated thermal breakdown of starch. The extent of starch breakdown and the firmness values of cooked PB-0 and PB-3 rices were reasonably well correlated suggesting that starch breakdown during parboiling may have some role to play in varying the texture of rice by parboiling. The chain profile of rice starch remained unaltered after parboiling.