Effects of parboiling and fluidized bed drying on the physicochemical properties of germinated brown rice

Changes in physicochemical properties of germinated brown rice (GBR) and parboiled germinated brown rice (PGBR) dried in a fluidized bed dryer at 110–150 °C were investigated. Results indicated that parboiling altered the properties of GBR owing to starch gelatinisation. The moisture content, yellowness, peak viscosity and hardness of PGBR increased, but internal fissured kernel, cooking time, water absorption and total solids loss decreased when compared to GBR. γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) content in GBR was 23.31 mg per 100 g and was reduced to 17.91 mg per 100 g in PGBR. The drying times required to reduce the moisture content of GBR and PGBR to 16% d.b. were 4.01–7.65 min and 5.11–9.50 min, respectively. Final moisture content, which is optimum to prevent internal fissures of dried GBR and PGBR, was 27–29% and 25–28% d.b., respectively. The same trend was observed in the physicochemical properties of GBR and PGBR when increasing drying temperature and time.