PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF 3 RICE VARIETIES

Physicochemical properties of three rice varieties were studied. Textu ral properties of gels from La Grue, Bengal, and S201, were investigat ed using the Universal Texture Analyzer, and pasting characteristics b y Brabender Visco/angiography. Gels from La Grue (long grain) had high er fracturability, hardness, amylographic consistency, and setback vis cosity (P < 0.05). Gels from S201, a short grain variety, were harder and had higher fracturability values than those from Bengal, a medium grain variety. Analysis of texture profiles of vice gels could be an a lternative to Brabender viscoamylographs for differentiating among ric e varieties. Tests on in-vitro starch digestibility showed that La Gru e had lower maltose released than S201 or Bengal during the first 15 a nd 45 min of hydrolysis with human salivary alpha-amylase.