Exploration of Drying Methods for Preparation of Quick Cooking Germinated Brown Rice

Quick cooking germinated brown rice (QCGBR) having good cooking and sensory qualities is a convenient food for consumers with busy modern life style. This study compares effect of drying methods on different quality parameters of the QCGBR. Quick cooking germinated brown rice was prepared from paddy var. Prativa using different drying methods. Brown rice was soaked for 12 h, germinated for 24 h in an incubator and pressure cooked, followed by storing at 4°C in refrigerated condition for 24 h. Samples were then hot air dried at 70°C, 90°C, and 110°C, microwave dried at 1.6, 2.4 and 3.2 W g^-1 power level and freeze dried. The cooking qualities, physico-chemical parameters and sensory attributes of the dried samples were studied. Freeze dried and microwave dried QCGBR were found to be better than hot air-dried samples. Taking into account, all the quality parameters, microwave drying at 3.2 W g^-1 power level was found to be the best for preparation of quick cooking germinated brown rice in terms of less cooking time (5±1 min), higher overall acceptability sensory score (7.5±0.58) and higher Gama Amino Butyric Acid (GABA) content (58.8±1.42 mg 100g^-1 of dry matter). The quality parameters of freeze dried QCGBR were better in terms of GABA content (62.6±0.31 mg 100g^-1 of dry matter), solid loss, water uptake, texture and whiteness index. Peak viscosity (2252±11.6 cP) and final viscosity (3678±18.39 cP) were highest in freeze dried sample. However, with respect to low cost and ease of operation, the microwave drying method at 3.2 W g^-1 power level could be adopted for preparation of QCGBR which is a novel convenient health food.