Influence of Soaking on Crushing Strength of Raw and Parboiled Rice

Effects of a Whole-grain Paddy Rice Diet on the pH Distribution in the Gizzard and Retention Time of Digesta in the Crop of Broiler Chicks

We previously reported that a diet containing 65% paddy rice suppressed the colonization of Campylobacter jejuni in the cecum of broiler chicks, suggesting that this type of diet has positive effects on upper gastrointestinal tract function in broilers. To reveal the possible mechanisms involved in this antibacterial effect of the whole-grain paddy rice diet, we performed experiments comparing the digesta passage rate in the crop and gizzard, the development of gizzard, and the pH distribution in the gizzard between groups of chicks fed two different diets, such as ground corn and whole-grain paddy rice. During these experiments, we made the following observations: the chicks in the group fed the whole-grain paddy rice diet had more developed gizzards and significantly larger crop content than the chicks in the group fed the ground corn diet. The chicks fed the whole-grain paddy rice diet retained the digesta in the crop for much longer and had less variation in the pH values in the gizzard than those fed ground corn. On the basis of these observations, we concluded that the hardness of the rice hull in whole-grain paddy rice leads to a larger amount and longer retention of content in the crop, as well as the uniformity of the internal pH of the gizzard, by promoting gizzard activity. We speculate that the hardness of the rice hulls promoted the grinding activity of the gizzard, resulting in the long retention time of the digesta in the crop and uniformity of the internal pH of the gizzard, which may sterilize or suppress Campylobacter growth in the gastrointestinal tract of broiler chicks.

Rice: Parboiling and Milling Properties

Parboiling is a hydrothermal processing technique during rice has to pass through many stages which alter the physicochemical properties and nutritional profile of grain. Different parboiling techniques have been developed for preparation and industrialization of rice. During parboiling process, starch granules are gelatinized and retrograded as a result various changes occur in rice kernel, which affects its quality parameters. Parboiling has marked influence on organoleptic properties, improved the strength and nutritional profile of grain. Parboiling treatment principally brings the characteristic change in rice grain such as milling, cooking, storage and eating qualities. Milling is an important unit operation for removing the husk and bran from the rough rice. Milling significantly affects the cooking and nutritional properties of rice. The important parameters focussed during milling are the head rice yield and kernel hardness. Milling technology is therefore geared to obtain maximum outturn of milled rice and to reduce breakage.

Hydration behaviour of food grains and modelling their moisture pick up as per Peleg's equation: Part I. Cereals

Cereals and millets generally hydrate at a moderate rate and their hydration behaviour differs in native and in processed state. The study was on the hydration of paddy, milled rice, parboiled rice, wheat, millets and equilibrium moisture content (EMC) on soaking at room temperature. Paddy hydrated very slowly, hydration rate was slow in brown rice but fast in milled rice and highest in waxy rice. In most of the rice varieties, maximum absorption occurred at the end of 30 min. In wheat hydration rate was slow and its EMC was highest (43%). Maize grits of big size hydrated slowly compared to small grits. In coarse cereals EMC varied from 28 to 38%. Foxtail millet hydration was slow whereas that of finger millet was fast. The data were tested on the Peleg's equation, which gave a reasonable fit to experimental data. Peleg's constants k1 and k2 were calculated for the above grains and their hydration behaviour has been predicted. The model fitted very well to milled rice hydration data where the coefficient of variance ranged from 0.9982 to 0.9995. With exception in some millet the hydration data fitted well with the Peleg's equation. Generalized equations have been formulated for prediction of moisture content of cereals and millets.