Effects of drying approaches combined with variable temperature and tempering on the physicochemical quality of rice

Abstract

In this study, the effect of drying approaches in conjunction with variable temperature and tempering on the physicochemical quality of rice was investigated. The development of fissures, head rice yield, taste quality, textural properties, and microstructure of rice with different drying approaches were evaluated by employing principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that increasing the tempering treatment could enhance the physicochemical quality of rice, and that the different drying approaches had a significant influence (P < 0.05) on the development of fissures, head rice yield, taste quality, and textural properties. High temperatures result in partial gelatinization of the starch, destruction of the starch granules, and an increase in fissures, as revealed by the microstructure of rice with different drying approaches. In addition, the drying approaches with a variable temperature of Δ0 (35 °C), Δ5 (45 °C–50 °C), and Δ0 (45 °C) in combination with the tempering treatment exhibited a high overall physicochemical quality. This study offers a point of reference for further research into the changes in the physicochemical quality of rice during drying.