Optimization of soaking conditions (temperature and time) on physicochemical properties of selected parboiled rice varieties grown in Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

This study aimed to optimize soaking temperature and time for better physicochemical properties of parboiled rice varieties grown in Eastern Ethiopia. Two brown rice varieties (NERICA-4 and NERICA-6) were collected from the Somali Regional Agricultural and Pastoral Research Center in Gode. The experiment was designed to aid the design expert software using box–behnken experimental design of response surface methodology to optimize the effects of soaking temperature (60–70°C) and soaking time (4–6 h). Relevant physical and chemical composition properties of the parboiled rice varieties were investigated using standard methods. Numerical optimization of the responses was performed using design expert software. The results showed that soaking time and temperature significantly (p