Aging kinetics of low amylose rice during storage at ambient and chilled temperatures

The objectives of this study were to monitor the changes in rice properties during aging and to compare kinetic parameters related to some of those changes. Paddy of three low amylose rice varieties was stored at ambient (30 ± 2ºC) and chilled (8 ± 2ºC) temperatures for 9 and 18 months, respectively. Aging led to a decrease in solid loss, peak viscosity, breakdown, and adhesiveness and an increase in head rice yield, minimum cooking time, water uptake, volume expansion, pasting temperature, final viscosity, through viscosity, setback, and hardness. Low temperature storage efficiently retarded those changes. Data of the time-dependent changes in hardness, adhesiveness, pasting temperature, peak viscosity, and breakdown of all samples stored at 30°C were fitted well with the first-order fractional conversion kinetic model (R² = 0.77 – 0.98). Higher storage temperature resulted in greater rate constant (k; up to 9 times higher) of those changes.     

Hydration and physicochemical properties of small‐particle cassava starch

Acid hydrolysis followed by ball milling was applied to cassava starch in order to fracture the granules. Lintnerisation led to degradation first in the amorphous domains and increased the crystallinity. The resulting increase in internal defects and brittleness made the granules more susceptible to breakage upon milling. Ball milling, although leading to some degree of crystallinity loss, could effectively reduce the size of acid‐hydrolysed starch while the total double helix remained relatively unchanged. The resulting small‐particle starch was structurally more heterogeneous (wider T_m range). Swelling of small‐particle starch was accompanied by solubilisation of water‐soluble fragments at a temperature greater than 60 °C. The properties of individual granules are strongly influenced by the hydration and physicochemical properties of their amorphous and crystalline domains. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry