Efeitos das etapas de preparo do arroz nas características de cocção do arroz polido, integral e parboilizado

Abstract

Rice is the main cereal consumed in Brazil and one of the main sources of carbohydrates, minerals, proteins, lipids and vitamins. Its mode of preparation is influenced by cultural patterns and its use in food. However, there are variations of preparation, according to regional habits and popular beliefs, such as the habit of washing the grains before preparation, the dispensing of the braising or even, the use of cold water in the cooking which can interfere in the expression of the quality of cooking. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the cooking stages on the technological characteristics of the cooked rice of the polished, integral and parboiled subgroups. For this purpose, the effects of the usual stages of grain preparation (grain washing, braising, use of boiling water) were studied by statistical design and evaluating the technological characteristics such as gravimetric yield, volumetric yield, and solubility. The results indicated that the cooking stages as well as the interaction between them directly affect (p <0.05) the characteristics of cooked rice, however, the effect is dependent on the subgroup evaluated, and in polished rice the best results are obtained when they involve the braising procedure, without the previous washing of the grains and the addition of cold water in the cooking, without changes in the cooking time. For brown rice, the best results are achieved when the preparation method involves the steps of washing, broiling and the use of boiling water. In the cooking of the parboiled rice the best results were obtained when the preparation involves the braising step, and the procedure may or may not involve the use of washing or boiling water. Each subgroup has its ideal time for the best cooking of the grains and needs a different amount of water. Regardless of the subgroups tested, prior washing negatively affects the solubility.