The Most Commonly Practiced Ways For Parboiling Paddy Rice

The main process of paddy parboiling can be categorized into three key forms – traditional methods, improved methods and modern methods. Out of the three, the first two are still practiced in countries like Ghana and India. The traditional way of paddy parboiling involves usage of basic tools such as metal or earthen cooking pots while the nearby dam or stream serves as the water source. The paddy doesn’t get cleaned before soaking keeping the heat supply intensity high.

The volume of water used during soaking and steaming phase is kept the same. However, the modern methods done at Paddy Dryer Plant involve improvised tools such as electric heaters, tanks, steam pipes etc. And sophisticated equipment is used to soak, steam and dry the paddy. The improved methods are a combination. With this method, the paddy is cooled down for transformation of the enzymes and pigments. Toxins get diluted and the microbial pathogens get removed at high moisture level. The saturated grains then expand and fill the hull’s lemma.

• Steaming

With this process, the soaked paddy is steamed in a pot with little water. The high moisture content of the grains usually gelatinizes the starch content during this process. The pot is being covered with polythene sheets and jute sacks so the steam can reach every part of the pot. The covering also prevents the steam to escape and thus create a partial pressure over its convent aiding in inward movement of the molecules in every gelatinous kernel. As the paddy starts to crack open the husks and the steam vapour starts arising all over the pot, it indicates that the steaming is done. The heat evaporates additional moisture in the grains leaving concentrated nutrients inside the kernel. The high temperature can kill or make some microorganisms inactivated while degrading toxins as well as other harmful substances present in the rice. Physiochemical reaction processes like starch retrograding, gelatinization, pigment transformation and enzyme deactivations are also facilitated by this highly pressurized steaming procedure. And this ensures improved aroma, colour change and other cooking traits of the rice.

• Drying

During this process, the steamed paddy gets spread out promptly at an airy open space to dry. Paddy Dryer is also used, if needed. Extreme sunshine is avoided as it may cause uneven drying of the kernel resulting in breakage during milling. Other notable scientific benefits of this processes involves the art of drying that helps evaporating the moisture while concentrating the solutes inside kernel. Drying also prevents microbial pathogens from growing on steamed paddy.

• Milling

Dried paddy is milled with the help of a milling machine or it can be pounded with the help of mortar and pestle to separate kernel from husk. This process has the ability to remove pathogens and other dirt particles sticking to the hulls.

• Winnowing

This process is done either manually or mechanically. If the milling is done manually with the help of mortar and pestle for pounding paddy rice, the rice gets winnowed to separate the husk as well as other foreign particles away. This process helps to remove dead insects, dirt along with other impurities present in the rice.

• Sorting

Commercial parboiling process ends with handpicking of foreign particles and discoloured rice before sorting its grade.