Quality analysis of indigenous organic Asian Indian rice variety- <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Salem</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> samba</i>

Abstract

Rice is the world’s most important food crop and is a primary food source for over one third of the world’s population. The current scenario in the food and agriculture sector marks the sudden increase in concern towards organic farming and conservation of genetic biodiversity in rice production. The objective was to analyze the various quality aspects in terms of proximate and nutrient composition, physical characteristics, milling characteristics and physicochemical characteristics and cooking quality of organically grown traditional indigenous Asian Indian rice variety - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Salem</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> samba</i>. The nutrient content of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Salem</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> samba</i> was found to be relatively higher when compared to conventional rice varieties. And based on its proximate composition it was identified to give soft and non waxy cooked rice with medium amylose content which is ideal for cooking. Based on milling characteristics it was identified that parboiled milling is highly suitable. In terms of physiochemical characteristics, the indigenous rice variety <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Salem</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> samba</i> was identified to have a high intermediate gelatinization temperature and also formed a hard gel in terms of its gel consistency. The cooking quality was found to be satisfactory and was identified to have close interrelationship with physicochemical characteristics.