Changes in Sensorial and Microstructural Characteristic of Puffed Brown Rice with change in Preconditioning in Hot Sand Bed Puffing

Brown Rice Puffing

Abstract

Puffed rice is a popular product in Southeast Asia due to its Ready-to-Eat nature and sensorial qualities. Preconditioned polished rice is heated in hot sand to produce puffed rice. Bran layer of rice resists the expansion during the puffing. This study is carried out to improve quality and analyze the acceptability of puffed brown rice in hot sand. In this study, puffed rice was produced from parboiled brown rice (unpolished rice) with sand heating method at different preconditioning levels by varying salt levels (0-6% (w/w)). Quality parameters hardness and expansion are determined by texture analyser and method mentioned in previous literature, respectively. The fuzzy logic technique is used for analysis of sensory parameters such as taste, texture, and color. Gradual increase in salt up to 4% showed improvement in the expansion and decreased the hardness of puffed brown rice. After that 4% salt, both quality parameters showed a constant trend. Microstructural study showed puffed brown rice cross-section is similar to puffed polished rice. However, the puffed brown rice surface showed fissures of the bran layer whereas polished puffed rice showed a smooth surface. The cross-sectional view showed that air voids get wider at higher salt levels. Sensorial acceptability was studied using the fuzzy logic technique, and color is the least essential quality attribute, and taste and texture were in the first and second rank, respectively. Salt content of 4-5% produces the most acceptable puffed brown rice.