Parboiled rice: Understanding from a materials science approach

The material properties like glass transition temperature, diffusion, microstructures of rice kernels and gelatinization and retrogradation of the rice starch are reviewed to understand the nature and quality of the parboiled rice. Details of the diffusion related material properties of rice kernels such as the rate of diffusion, different models of diffusion, diffusion in glassy and rubbery state and diffusion in the gelatinized starch are discussed. The influences of hydrothermal treatment on the properties of the rice kernel are also highlighted to understand the overall quality of parboiled rice.