Nutraceutical Concentrations within the Bran of Various Rice Kernel Thickness Fractions

Several important nutraceutical compounds, such as tocotrienols, tocopherols, and oryzanols, can be extracted from rice bran, a by-product of milling. This study was conducted to not only provide information regarding nutraceutical concentrations within the rice kernel based on bran collected from successive milling, but also to determine levels of nutraceutical concentrations across several different thickness fractions. Nutraceutical compounds were measured in the bran from two long-grain rice varieties, Cypress and Drew. Rough rice was separated into three thickness fractions (<1·84, 1·84–1·98, and >1·98 mm) and each fraction milled for three successive 10 s milling durations. Bran was collected from each milling duration of each thickness fraction to allow quantification of the nutraceutical content. Results showed that bran collected from rice milled for longer durations (30 s) had lower levels of tocotrienols and tocopherols compared to bran from shorter milling durations (10 s). The highest concentration of oryzanols was in the rice bran from the first 10 s milling duration. Overall, compared to bran from thinner kernels (<1·84 mm), the bran from thicker kernel fractions contained a higher content of nutraceuticals.     

Effect of Rice Kernel Thickness on Degree of Milling and Associated Optical Measurements

Three cultivars of long-grain rice were milled to three degree of milling (DOM) levels. Inverse linear relationships were established between surface fat concentration (SFC) and Satake milling meter (MM1B) optical DOM measurement values, including whiteness, transparency, and DOM, for the unfractionated head rice within each cultivar. Milled bulk rice for each cultivar was subsequently separated into thickness fractions. Effects of milled rice kernel thickness on SFC and optical DOM measurements were investigated. For a given DOM level, SFC decreased with increasing milled rice kernel thickness up to a thickness of 1.67 mm, after which it remained constant. As the overall DOM level increased, the difference in DOM between thin kernels and thick kernels lessened, implying that thin kernels were milled at a greater bran removal rate than thick kernels. Milled rice kernel thickness significantly (at the 0.05 significance level) affected MM1B whiteness and MM1B transparency in two of the cultivars because of the predominant effects of the thinner kernel fractions. Within each cultivar, MM1B DOM was not significantly influenced by milled rice kernel thickness.     

Influence of Kernel Size and Shriveling on Soft Wheat Milling and Baking Quality

Small kernels of soft wheat are sometimes considered to be harder than larger kernels and to have inferior milling and baking characteristics. This study distinguished between kernel size and kernel shriveling. Nine cultivars were separated into large, medium, and small kernels that had no shriveling. Eleven cultivars were separated into sound, moderate, and severely shriveled kernels. Shriveling greatly decreased the amount of flour produced during milling. It adversely affected all other milling quality characteristics (ash content, endosperm separation index, and friability). Shriveled kernels produced flour that had inferior soft wheat baking qualities (smaller cookie diameter and higher alkaline water retention capacity). In contrast, test weight and milling qualities were independent of kernel size. Small, nonshriveled kernels had slightly better baking quality (larger cookie diameter) than larger nonshriveled kernels. Small kernels were softer than large kernels (measured by break flour yield, particle size index, and flour particle size). Small nonshriveled kernels did not have diminished total flour yield potential or other reduced flour milling characteristics. Those observations suggest a possibility of separating small sound kernels from small shriveled kernels to improve flour yield and the need to improve dockage testing estimation techniques to distinguish between small shriveled and small nonshriveled kernels.     

Degree of Milling Effects on Rice Pasting Properties

The effects of degree of milling on pasting properties of medium‐grain (cv. Bengal and Orion) and long‐grain rice (cv. Cypress and Kaybonnet) were quantified using a Brabender ViscoAmylograph and a Rapid Visco Analyser. For all the cultivars tested, surface and total lipid contents decreased as the degree of milling increased. The peak viscosities for all rice increased with the degree of milling and the rates of increase were higher for medium‐grain than long‐grain cultivars. Degree of milling did not have a consistent effect on final viscosity for all the cultivars tested.     

Relating Rice Milling Quality Changes During Adsorption to Individual Kernel Moisture Content Distribution

Several varieties of rough rice that were either stored for an extended period of time or freshly harvested were conditioned to initial moisture contents ranging from 10 to 17%. After the individual kernel moisture content distributions were measured, the samples were soaked in water at temperatures ranging from 10 to 40°C. The samples were then dried and milled. The bulk critical moisture content, at which head rice yield began to decline due to moisture adsorption, ranged from 12.5 to 14.9%, depending on the variety, harvest moisture content, and storage conditions. The kernel critical moisture content, determined from each sample from the cumulative kernel moisture content frequency distribution, increased with increasing sample initial moisture content.     

Effect of Milling Temperature and Postmilling Cooling Procedures on Rice Milling Quality Appraisals

The objective of this research was to study the effects of different milling conditions and postmilling handling procedures on appraised milling quality of rough rice. Rough rice (M202) with moisture content of 11.5 ± 0.2% was used for this study. The samples were milled with a McGill number 3 mill under four milling conditions, including normal milling, milling at high temperature, milling with cooling using ice water, and room temperature water. The milled rice samples were cooled in closed and open plastic containers and in open pans with three temperatures: 15, 23, and 35°C. The effects of milling and postmilling conditions on milled rice temperature, moisture loss, cooling rate, single and multiple fissuring rates, total rice yield (TRY), head rice yield (HRY), whiteness index (WI), and total lipid content (TLC) were evaluated. Results showed that high single and multiple fissuring rates and low TRY and HRY were inherent in improper milling and postmilling conditions. Single fissuring rates were 15.9 and 17.6% and multiple fissuring rates were 3.5 and 7.2% for rice samples milled under normal and high‐temperature conditions, respectively. Cooling methods that used open containers and pans had more moisture losses and further resulted in lowering appraised milling quality than methods that used closed containers. Low‐temperature milling conditions followed by cooling in closed containers significantly reduced single and multiple fissuring rates and improved TRY and HRY by 0.9 and 1.5 percentage points, respectively. The effects of tested milling and postmilling conditions on WI and TLC were not significant. Obtained results constitute valuable information for developing milling and cooling procedures to achieve consistent, accurate, and reliable milling quality appraisals for rough rice.     

In Vitro Binding of Bile Acids by Rice Bran,Oat Bran,Wheat Bran,and Corn Bran

The in vitro bile acid binding by rice, oat, wheat, and corn brans was determined using a mixture of bile acids normally secreted in human bile at a physiological pH of 6.3. The objective of the study was to relate bile acid binding of cereal brans to health promoting properties. Three experiments were conducted testing substrates on an equal weight (dry matter) basis, an equal total dietary fiber (TDF) basis, and an equal TDF and equal fat basis. Each experiment was repeated to validate the results (for a total of six experiments). The relative in vitro bile acid binding of the cereal brans on an equal TDF basis considering cholestyramine as 100% bound was rice bran 51%, wheat bran 31%, oat bran 26%, and corn bran 5%. The data suggest that cholesterol lowering by rice bran appears to be related to bile acid binding. The primary mechanism of cholesterol lowering by oat bran may not be due to bile acid binding by soluble fiber. Bile acid binding did not appear to be proportional to the soluble fiber content of the cereal brans tested. Bile acid binding by wheat bran may contribute to cancer prevention and other healthful properties.     

Effect of Grain Morphology on Degree of Milling and Iron Loss in Rice

Grain morphological characteristics were thought to play a significant role in genotypic variation in Fe concentration in white rice. Comparing 17 rice cultivars representing six major grain morphological categories, the present study systematically investigated the relationship between grain morphology, the degree of milling (DOM), and the loss of Fe during the polishing process. The relative importance of key morphological parameters in this relationship was also investigated. The grain morphological characteristics of different rice cultivars significantly affected the degree of Fe loss during polishing to produce white rice. This variation in Fe loss from polishing among the six categories of rice cultivars is mainly due to their difference in DOM (r = 0.73**) and this loss in Fe was the primary factor determining the level of Fe concentration in the white rice. Among the morphological parameters investigated, grain length and length-to-width ratios played the most significant role in determining the DOM, which suggests that these two grain attributes may serve as the initial screening parameters when selecting cultivars for high Fe white rice production. Degree of Fe loss was lowest in short-bold grain shape category compared with the other grain shapes.     

Influence of Storing Rough Rice with High Moisture Content on Subsequent Drying Characteristics and Milling Quality

The objective of this research was to determine the influence on drying characteristics and resultant milling quality of storing high moisture content (MC) rough rice (Oryza sativa L. ‘Bengal’ and ‘Cypress’) under various conditions and durations before drying. Immediately after harvest, drying experiments were performed with samples of both cultivars using two drying air conditions: 52°C with 25% rh and 60°C with 17% rh. Rough rice from each cultivar also was stored for 27 and 76 days at ‐9 or 4°C. After storage, all samples were dried under the same two drying air conditions as at harvest. Head rice yields (HRY) were determined for all dried samples. There were no significant differences between the drying rates or resultant HRY of Bengal or Cypress rice samples stored for either 27 or 76 days at both storage temperatures and then dried compared with the HRY of samples dried immediately after harvest. This research shows that it may be possible to store high MC rice for extended periods of time without detrimental effects on HRY.     

Impact of Starch Gelatinization and Kernel Fissuring on the Milling Breakage Susceptibility of Parboiled Brown Rice

Parboiling, a hydrothermal treatment of paddy or brown rice, improves the texture and nutritional characteristics of cooked rice. We investigated milling breakage susceptibility of brown rice parboiled under different soaking and steaming conditions, resulting in samples with different degrees of starch gelatinization and levels of fissured grains and white bellies, that is, parboiled grains with translucent outer layers and an undesirable opaque center. The milling breakage susceptibility was 2.1% for raw rice and ranged from less than 1% up to 11.3% for parboiled rice. Parboiled samples with increased milling breakage susceptibility contained higher levels of white bellies and fissured grains. In white bellies, starch gelatinization is incomplete. Scanning electron microscopy revealed inhomogeneities in individual white bellies and fissured rice grains, indicating moisture gradients inside the grains during parboiling. Starch needs to be completely gelatinized to ensure the absence of white bellies and minimal fissured grain levels in the parboiled end product and, as a consequence, a decreased milling breakage.     

大米加工精度的图象识别方法

通过计算机图象处理技术与色度学理论的有机结合，研究了染色后大米的胚乳、皮层以及胚芽所呈现的不同颜色特征和区分方法，由实测确定各级大米加工精度与国标分级的定量关系，从而提出了大米加工精度的自动检测方法。     

Digital Image Analysis Method for Rapid Measurement of Rice Degree of Milling

A digital image analysis method was developed to quickly and accurately measure the degree of milling (DOM) of rice. The digital image analysis method was statistically compared to a chemical analysis method for evaluating DOM, which consisted of measuring the surface lipids concentration (SLC) of milled rice. The surface lipid area percentage (SLAP) obtained by the image analysis method and the SLC obtained by chemical analysis had a high coefficient of determination using a quadratic model (R² = 0.9819) and using a logarithmic model (R² = 0.9703). The quadratic model and the logarithmic model were validated using the test data set and it received high coefficients of determination (R² = 0.9502 and R² = 0.9459, respectively).     

Nitrogen Fertilizer Increases Seed Protein and Milling Quality of Rice

Rice grain breakage during milling is a problem in many parts of Asia. It has been suggested that nitrogen (N) fertilizer can improve the milling quality of rice. Therefore, this study investigates effects of N fertilization on grain N concentration, endosperm storage protein distribution, and milling quality of rice. Four Thai extra long grain commercial rice cultivars (KDML105, KLG1, PTT1, and CNT1) were grown at Chiang Mai University in the wet season of 2001 with 0 or 120 kg of N/ha at flowering. Anatomical sections showed that there was more storage protein accumulated in the lateral regions of polished grain of high N concentration than in grain of low N concentration. Percent (%) unbroken rice was positively correlated with relative abundance of storage protein in the lateral region of the endosperm in all cultivars. Applying N increased head rice N concentration in all cultivars, whereas % unbroken rice was increased in KLG1 and CNT1. KDML105 cultivar, on the other hand, already had high % unbroken rice and more abundant storage protein in the lateral region with the grain of low N concentration. It is hypothesized that high density of storage protein in the lateral region of the endosperm provides resilience and lessens grain breakage during milling. The additional protein may increase hardness in rice grains and thus could make the rice more resistant to breakage during milling. Furthermore, N fertilization may enhance the nutritional quality of rice grain by increasing the glutelin content, which is rich in lysine.     

Effects of Kernel Vitreousness and Protein Level on Protein Molecular Weight Distribution,Milling Quality,and Breadmaking Quality in Hard Red Spring Wheat

Dark, hard, and vitreous kernel content is an important grading characteristic for hard red spring (HRS) wheat in the United States. This research investigated the associations of kernel vitreousness (KV) and protein content (PC) levels with protein molecular weight distribution (MWD), milling quality, and breadmaking quality characteristics of HRS wheat. The U.S. regional crop quality survey samples from three consecutive growing years were combined into three composite samples with different levels of wheat PC and then further segregated into separate samples with three different levels of KV. Analysis of variance showed that KV level had significant (P < 0.001) effect on variation in test weight, break flour yield, and damaged starch content. Among protein MWD parameters analyzed by size‐exclusion HPLC, the high‐molecular‐weight polymeric proteins in the SDS‐unextractable fraction had significant (P < 0.01) association with KV. Regression analysis indicated that addition of KV to the PC level improved the model for both farinograph and baking water absorption values in all three growing years. This information could help the flour milling and baking industries to further segregate HRS wheat based on KV levels in addition to PC levels for their intended end‐use applications.     

Effect of Kernel Size and Mill Type on Protein,Milling Yield,and Baking Quality of Hard Red Spring Wheat

Optimization of flour yield and quality is important in the milling industry. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of kernel size and mill type on flour yield and end‐use quality. A hard red spring wheat composite sample was segregated, based on kernel size, into large, medium, and small kernels, as well as unsorted kernels. The four fractions were milled in three roller mills: Brabender Quadrumat Jr., Quadrumat Sr., and Bühler MLU‐202 laboratory mills. Large kernels had consistently higher flour yield than small kernels across mills, with the Quadrumat Jr. mill showing the lowest flour yield. Mill type and kernel size significantly affected variation in flour protein molecular weight distribution. When compared with larger kernels, flour milled from the small‐kernel fraction contained a higher gliadin fraction and SDS‐unextractable high‐molecular‐weight polymeric proteins, which had positive correlations with bread loaf volume (r = 0.61, P < 0.05) and mixograph peak time (r = 0.84, P < 0.001). Overall, small kernels could contribute to enhancing flour breadmaking quality while having a detrimental effect on milling yield.     

Effects of Maturity on Grain Quality and Wet‐Milling Properties of Two Selected Corn Hybrids

The effects of maturity on grain quality and wet‐milling properties were investigated for two hybrids of corn. Significant differences for hybrid and maturity were observed for all grain quality parameters. Test weight, absolute density, and thousand‐grain weight all increased as the corn matured. Kernel hardness increased and breakage susceptibility varied with increased maturity. Water uptake parameters decreased with maturity of the grain. The starch yield results from wet milling showed that the starch yield increased significantly within each cultivar in the early stages of grain maturity, but there were no significant differences between hybrids. Mathematical models using selected grain quality parameters accurately predicted trends in starch yield for the immature and mature corn samples in this study.     

Factors Affecting the Slope of Head Rice Yield vs. Degree of Milling

Milling data of four long-grain rice cultivars were analyzed to determine the uniformity in the slope of their curves for head rice yield (HRY) versus the corresponding degree of milling (DOM). The data set for each cultivar comprised samples that had been subjected to various drying air conditions and durations and milled over a range of moisture contents. All treatment combinations were split and milled for either 15, 30, 45, or 60 sec in a McGill no. 2 laboratory mill to obtain HRY versus DOM data. Linear relationships between HRY and DOM, as observed in past research, were confirmed. This implies that as rice is milled to greater extents (higher DOM), the HRY decreases linearly. Within the bounds of the experimental levels tested, neither the drying air condition nor drying duration affected the rate at which HRY changed with DOM. However, the cultivar and the moisture content at which the rice was milled significantly (P < 0.05) influenced this rate. At higher milling moisture contents, the decrease in HRY per unit of increase in the DOM was greater than at lower moisture contents. While not conclusive, there was an indication of a relationship between the average kernel thickness of a cultivar and the HRY versus DOM slope.     

Rice Grain Morphological Characteristics Correlate with Grain Weight and Milling Quality

Using image analysis technology, the morphological measurements of paddy, brown (BR), and milled (MR) grains of 408 rice (Oryza sativa L.) lines representing a wide range of grain morphology were obtained, and the measurements' relationships with grain weight, milling quality, and chalkiness were investigated. The principal component analysis identified two morphological traits with a total variance of 95.7% in MR. Weight of MR was modeled as a function of the principal components using linear regression (R² = 0.95). For milling quality measurements, dominance analyses indicated that single grain weight of the paddy and BR grains were two primary parameters in determination of BR and MR recovery, whereas surface area, perimeter, and diameter were primary parameters that controlled head milled rice (HR) recovery. All measured morphological properties (surface area, perimeter, diameter, length, width, length‐to‐width ratio, roundness, and thickness) and grain weight significantly correlated with percentage of chalky (%C) grain and chalkiness (%C × % area with chalk) for all milled grains. The grain width, roundness, and thickness positively correlated with chalkiness, whereas the length and length‐to‐width ratio negatively correlated with chalkiness. The growing environment significantly affected grain HR recovery, %C grain, and chalkiness but had little effect on grain morphology and weight.