Rice Quality

What is “Rice Quality”?

Describe the factors that determine the quality of Rice

The user decides what 'good quality' rice is.

Good or poor quality?

The buyer gives the best price for what he or she thinks is the best rice.

So in the end it is the user (buyer) that decides what good quality and poor quality rice is.

Most countries have set quality standards. Often, these quality standards put more focus on  physical characteristics than on the chemical characteristics.

We could say that:

1.What are the physical characteristics of grain? (before cooking)

• whole and broken grains

• shape and size of the grain

• color of grain

• chalkiness

• weight

• damaged and discolored kernels

• foreign material like dirt, stones,…

• moisture content of the grain

White rice

(The following lessons describe this in more detail.)

2.What are the chemical characteristics of grain?

The chemical characteristics are about how the grain looks after cooking and how it feels when it is eaten

• gelatinization temperature

• amylase content  

• gel consistency

• texture (how it feels when eaten)

• aroma (how it smells)

Cooked rice

(The following lessons describe this in more detail.)

Click on the words and drag them to the right box

Exercise: Are the following words a chemical or a physical characteristic of rice?

Next lesson

In the next lesson you will learn about the factors that have an effect on grain quality.