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The present study entitled „Quality evaluation of newly released KAU rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties and their suitability for traditional food products‟ was conducted to evaluate the physical, biochemical, nutritional, cooking and organoleptic qualities of newly released KAU rice varieties. The study also aimed to assess the suitability of these rice varieties for the preparation of selected traditional food products.
Milling per cent among rice varieties varied from 64.07 per cent in Prathyasha (MO-21) to 77.83 per cent in Ezhome-2. Vyttila-8 obtained the highest head rice recovery of 57.45 per cent while it was lowest in control variety Jyothi (41.08 per cent). The highest thousand grain weight (20.68 g) and volume weight (14.6 mm3) was observed in Vaishak (PTB-60). Based on the L/B ratio, the grain shape of Ezhome-1, Vyttila-8, Vaishak (PTB-60) and Uma were classified as bold medium. Ezhome-2, Prathyasha (MO-21) and Jyothi varieties were categorised as slender long grains. For most of the physical quality parameters, raw rice of newly released varieties were found to be superior over the control varieties Jyothi and Uma.
Newly released rice varieties obtained lower total index for organoleptic qualities than control varieties. Ezhome-2 obtained highest total index for table rice among newly released varieties. Among rice varieties, lowest cooking time of 18.51(Prathyasha (MO-21)) to highest of 24.75 (Ezhome-2) minutes was noticed for obtaining optimum cooked rice. Highest water uptake of 5.74 ml/ g was observed in Ezhome-2 and lowest of 3.3 ml/ g in Jyothi. Control varieties Jyothi and Uma obtained volume expansion ratio of 5.62 and 6.07 respectively, which was higher than that of the newly released rice varieties. Among rice varieties, amylose content varied from 10.20 per cent in Prathyasha (MO-21) to 23.32 per cent in control variety Uma. Gel consistency of different rice varieties was
determined and it varied from 27.50 to 145 mm. Cooking qualities of the newly released rice varieties were found to be comparable with that of the control varieties. Among newly released rice varieties, higher grain elongation ratio of 0.90 was noticed in both Ezhome-2 and Prathyasha (MO-21). Maximum keeping quality up to 12.60 hours was noticed in Vaishak (PTB-60) and minimum of 11.24 hours in Prathyasha (MO-21).
The moisture content of different rice varieties ranged from 8.5 per cent in Ezhome-2 to 11.6 per cent in Ezhome -1 and Prathyasa (MO-21). The highest total carbohydrate, starch, energy, protein, zinc and phosphorous content was noticed in newly released rice variety Ezhome-2. Fat content in different rice varieties ranged from 0.30 per cent in Ezhome-2 to 0.71 per cent in Vaishak (PTB-60). The highest fibre content of 0.7 g/ 100g was noticed in Ezhome-1. Maximum thiamine content of 0.07 mg/ 100g was noticed in Vaishak (PTB-60). The highest calcium and iron content was noticed in Jyothi and Prathyasha (MO-21) respectively. Newly released rice varieties were found to be superior to control varieties in nutritional qualities.
In the case of unroasted rice flour, highest bulk density of 0.73 g per ml was noticed in Ezhome-2 and the lowest of 0.63 g per ml in Jyothi. In roasted rice flour, the highest bulk density of 0.62 g per ml was observed in control variety Uma. The highest water absorption index of 25.46 was observed in unroasted rice flour of variety Jyothi (control) and 25.11in roasted rice flour of Uma (control). Highest water solubility index of 0.78 was observed in unroasted rice flour of Vyttila-8 and the lowest of 0.34 in Ezhome-1. In roasted rice flour the highest water solubility index of 0.81 was noticed in Ezhome-2 and the lowest in Vyttila-8 (0.28). At the end of the 12th day of study the highest synerisis per cent in unroasted rice flour was noticed in Vyttila-8 and that of roasted rice flour in Ezhome-1. Physical properties of rice flour of newly released rice varieties were comparable with that of the control varieties.
Evaluation of microbial qualities indicated that at the end of 6th month of storage bacterial count and fungal growth was observed in raw and roasted flour of different rice variety. Yeast was not observed in any of the raw rice and roasted rice flour of different varieties till 5th month of study. Vyttila-8 was found to be the most suitable rice variety for the preparation of rice flakes and unniyappam. The most suitable variety for the preparation of cooked rice and iddli was control varieties Jyothi and Uma respectively. Prathyasha (MO-21) was found to be the most suitable variety for the preparation of appam and ada and is also suited for idli. Vaishak (PTB-60) was the most suitable rice variety for puttu. In the present study, It was observed that newly released red rice varieties were suitable for the preparation of different traditional food products.