Effect of Drying Temperature on Drying Characteristics and Quality of Germinated Rices Prepared from Paddy and Brown Rice

Abstract

Kernel fissuring generally occurs during the germination and drying processes when germinated rice is conventionally prepared from brown rice. Fermentation also occurs during germination. These problems result in a product of lower quality. As an alternative, germinated rice may be prepared from paddy. In this work, a comparative evaluation of the drying characteristics and quality of germinated rice prepared from paddy (GP) and brown rice (GBR) was conducted. The experimental results showed that GP had advantages over GBR; that is, it led to a product with higher γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content, a smaller number of fissured kernels, and a smaller number of attached microorganisms during both the germination and drying steps. The required germination time for the GP was also significantly shorter. More important, sensory analysis results revealed that the overall acceptability of cooked GP was higher than that of cooked GBR.