EFFECT OF DRYING METHODS ON THE MILLING QUALITIES OF FUNAABOR- 1 AND FUNAABOR- 2 RICE PADDY

The effect of drying methods on milling quality of parboiled rice paddy was investigated. Hot soaking of the rice paddy was carried out in a thermo- statistically controlled hot water bath between the temperatures of 40 –60oC at soaking time of 30 – 240 min. Tempering was carried out by leaving the soaked samples for 24 hours. The samples were steamed in an auto-clave for 15 mins. The steamed samples were dried in an Open Shed and Cabinet dryer. The experimental data obtained from the drying methods were fitted to four thin layer drying models: Henderson and Pabis, Logarithmic, Two terms exponential, and Wang and Singh. Goodness of fit was based on highest R 2 and least SSE values. Dried samples of the paddies were milled in a rice miller and the physical qualities of the milled rice were obtained. Open Shed drying method has the highest R 2 and least SSE at 60oC for FUNAABOR- 1 and FUNAABOR -2 as predicted by Logarithmic and Two terms experimental models, while Cabinet drying method has the highest R 2 and least SSE at 50oC for FUNAABOR- 1and at 40oC for FUNAABOR- 2 as predicted by Logarithmic, and Wang and Singh models respectively. High quantities of broken grains were obtained at soaking temperature of 40 oC for FUNAABOR- 1and FUNAABOR- 2 in both drying methods. High head rice yield of 71.8 % and 78.50 % were obtained at soaking temperature of 60 oC for FUNAABOR- 1and FUNAABOR- 2 respectively in Open Shed drying method. High head rice yield of about 60.6% and 64.3% were obtained at soaking temperature of 60 oC for FUNAABOR- 1 and FUNAABOR -2 respectively in Cabinet drying method. Drying of wet parboiled rice paddy in an Open Shed gave an excellent milling quality. Key words: FUNAABOR, Parboiled, Paddy, Soaking, Milling, Steaming, Temperin