Water Uptake and Gelatinization of White Rice

Abstract

A mathematical model is employed to describe the water diffusion and gelatinization of white rice. Experiments are performed to measure change of water content of rice during soaking. The oberved data are used to estimate the effective diffusion and reaction rate coefficients. Both temperature-dependent coefficients are shown to obey the Arrhenius equation with a distinct break point where rapid gelatinization of rice begins. The enhanced gelatinization process is seen to cause a considerable increase in the activation energies. © 1993 Academic Press Limited.