Physicohemical basis for the preferential uses of certain rice varieties

Rice varieties such as IR-20, Ponni, Bhavani and IR-50 that are preferred for cooking showed larger surface area, higher water uptake at 96°C, greater cooked volume, soft gel consistency and greater elongation ratio. Rice varieties which are exclusively used for makingidli anddosai exhibited lower protein content, medium alkali score and higher percentage of total as well as soluble starch and amylopectin. Rice varieties which are used for making flakes showed hard gel consistency, higher alkali digestibility values, lower soluble amylose content and relatively higher amount of hot water-soluble reducing sugars. Varieties used for making puffed rice do not show any specific characteristics to differentiate them from the above types. All the rice varieties studied belong to the high amylose group except ASD-1 which belongs to the medium amylose group.