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Rice Grain Quality

By JF Rickman and M Gummert,


IRRI, Los Banos
Philippines
What is rice quality?

Rice quality is a
combination of
physical and
chemical
characteristics
which are required
for a specific use
by a specific user.
Genetic Properties

• Chemical characteristics
• Shape
• Size
• Color
• Chalkiness
• Bulk density
• Thermal conductivity
• Equilibrium Moisture
Content
• Flow ability
Acquired properties

• Moisture content
• Grain purity
• Pest damage
• Physical damage
• Immature grains
• Milling
characteristics
• Chalkiness
Quality Characteristics

Genetic Acquired
• chemical characteristics such • moisture content
as gelatinization temperature,
gel consistency, and aroma
• grain shape and size • color and chalkiness
• bulk density • purity

• thermal conductivity • damage


• equilibrium moisture content • cracked grains
• immature grains
• milling-related characteristics (head
rice recoveries, whiteness and
milling degree) are also included as
relevant measures of quality because
they are of concern to consumers
Paddy rice characteristics

• Moisture content
• Degree purity
• Varietal purity
• Grain dimensions
• Cracked grains
• Immature grains
• Damaged grains
Milled rice characteristics
Physical characteristics
• Milling degree
• Whiteness
• Translucency
• Grain length
• Foreign material
• Head rice
• Chalkiness
Chemical characteristics
• Amylose content
• Gelatinization
temperature
• Gel consistency
Milling Degree

• Amount of bran removed in milling process


• Measured by whiteness meter or amount in
weight of bran removed
Whiteness

A combination of
• Varietal physical
characteristics
• Post harvest
management and
• Degree of milling.
Head rice

• The amount of whole kernels


after milling
• A whole kernel is 75% +
Chalkiness

• Endosperm opacity or
white belly
• Opaqueness has an
overall chalky texture
caused by interruption
of final filling of the
grain.
• Loosely packed
starch cells
Grain length

• Length to width ratio


stable varietal
property
• Japonica-short and
bold
• Indicia long and
slender
Foreign matter content

• Purity is related to the


presence of dockage in the
grain.
• Dockage refers to material
other than paddy and
includes chaff, stones, weed
seeds, soil, rice straw, stalks
Milled Rice Standards
(Philippines)
GRADE
Grade Specifications
Premium Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3

Head rice (min %) 95.00 80.00 65.00 50.00

Brokens (max %) 4.90 19.75 34.50 49.00

Brewers (max %) 0.10 0.25 0.50 1.00

Defectives:
 Damaged grains, max % 0 0.25 0.50 2.00
 Discolored grains, max % 0.50 2.00 4.00 8.00
 Chalky and immature grains, 2.00 5.00 10.00 15.00
max %
 Red grains, max % 0 0.25 0.50 2.00
 Red streaked grains, max % 1.00 3.00 5.00 10.00
Foreign matter (max 5) 0 0.10 0.20 0.50
Paddy (max no./kg) 1 8 10 15
Moisture content (max %) 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.00
Chemical characteristics of milled
rice

Gelatinization Gel consistency


temperature measures the
determines the tendency of the
time required for cooked rice to
cooking the rice harden on cooling.

High amylose content?


Rice grains cook dry, are less tender, and
become hard upon cooling.

Low-amylose content?
Rice grains cook moist and are sticky
Amylose content

Classified as :
• Waxy (1-2%)
• Non waxy (>2%)
• Very low (2-9%)
• Low (10-20%)
• Intermediate (20-25%)
• High (25-30%)
High amylose
• High volume expansion, dry
and flaky during cooking,
hard upon cooling
Amylose Content

25-30% amylose
content is classified as
High HIGH

Intermediate amylose rice 20-25% amylose


is preferred in most rice- content is classified as
growing areas of the world Intermediate.
except where low - MEDIUM
amylose japonicas are
grown
10-20% amylose
content is classified as LOW
Low

10% 20% 30%


Gelantization temperature

• Time required for cooking


• Measured by alkali spread
factor
• Environment affect- higher
temperature during growing
high gelatinization
temperature
Classification:
• 1-2 high (74.5-80oc),
• 3, high intermediate,
• 4-5, intermediate (70-74oC),
6-7, low (<70oC
Gel Consistency

If then
Classificat Length of gel
Gel Cooked rice tends to be less sticky. ion (mm)
consistency Harder gel consistency is associated
Hard 27-35
is hard, with harder cooked rices and this
feature is particularly evident in high-
amylose rice. Medium 36-40
Hard
Gel Cooked rice has a higher degree of Medium 41-60
consistency tenderness. This is a preferred
is soft, characteristic Soft 61-100
Maintaining and improving grain
quality

• Variety
• Crop management
• Post production
Variety Selection

• Short and medium type


grains produce higher head
yield
• Earlier maturing varieties
produce less head rice than
late maturing varieties
• Uniform filling varieties have
higher grain density and less
chalkiness
• Flower unevenly also ripen
unevenly.
Crop Management

• Water control
• Nutrient balance
• Weeds
• Even plant
establishment
• Correct plant
population
• Harvested on time
Harvest management

• Threshing
• Drying
• Storage
• Milling
• Market
The fun now begins

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