Rice Utilization and Product Development 82

Rice Utilization and Product
Development-82

The objectives of this project, conducted by the Western Regional Research Center, are to develop the information and technology for new products from California rice. The envisioned products include new uses for rice flour, high protein rice flour and liquid sugars, rice bran oil, stabilized rice bran, defatted rice bran and formulated rice. Studies also were done on milling quality using very small samples. Products that will result from this work are for both domestic and foreign markets and are aimed at expanding the use and value of rice.

Consumer tests showed that reformulated rites from both grain types scored well against d commercial quick cooking long grain rice.

Rice Flour

Consumer tests showed that reformulated rices from both grain types scored well against a commercial quick cooking long grain rice.

Baked products from rice flour are especially acceptable for persons on allergy-restrictive diets that do not permit wheat products. Studies completed in 1982 indicate that treatments such as hydration and intense mixing just prior to use improve quality, volume, and appearance of layer cakes made from 100 percent rice flour. An alternative, although more expensive procedure, is to wet mill, dry, and grind a flour with improved baking qualities.

Short and medium grain flours were superior to long grain flours for baking applications. Use of waxy rice flour for pizza crusts caused the crusts to be thinner and lighter in color. A 30 percent substitution of waxy rice flour for wheat was the maximum substitution level.

High Protein Rice Flour and Liquid Sugars

High protein rice flour is analogous to casein in feeding trials at the 20 percent protein level anticipated in infant feeding. The high protein flour was produced by a rapid enzymatic digestion of rice flour with alpha-amylase, thereby decreasing the starch fraction and increasing the protein concentration of the rice flour. The process also produces a rice syrup containing maltose-type sugars. Studies are still in progress on using the syrup as a substrate for yeast production. Concurrently, the high protein rice flour provides an alternative to soy-based infant foods.

Rice Mill Tests

A laboratory decorticating mill devised at the Western Regional Research Center was used for assaying milling quality on small samples of brown rice. The mill was used on 12 short grain and 12 medium grain rice samples provided by the Butte County Rice Growers mill at Richvale. The 12 samples consisted of four each representing high, medium and low head yield. The tests show that total head yield can be predicted from a simple analysis of broken content of dehulled paddy rice without a further polishing test. A machine for dehulling small sales of paddy would serve a need and it might then be possible to measure only the brokens in brown rice for an assay method.