Study on Cooking Qualities and Antioxidant Properties in Selected Traditional Rice Varieties of Tamil Nadu, India

Cooking and physiochemical properties of rice were studied in the nine popular traditional varieties of Tamil Nadu.The objective of the study was to determine the physical characteristics of the traditional rice varieties before and after cooking and also their chemical compositions.To this objective, the physical characteristics viz., kernel length and breadth, bulk density, porosity and endosperm type were recorded.The cooking and functional properties studied included length and breadth after cooking, linear elongation ratio, gelatinization temperature, water absorption ratio, anti-oxidant and phenolic content, and amylose content.Among the varieties under study, Sona Masuri and Poongar were of slender types based on the L/B ratio.The variety Poongar recorded the highest bulk density, while Sona Masuri was the least dense and Kaatuyanam was highly porous.Katuyanam, Arupatham Kuruvai and Kullakar varieties had chalky endosperm.It was found that the length-wise expansion on cooking, the most marketable quality was high in Arupatham Kuruvai, Thuya malli, Sona masoori and KarupuKavuni among all the other traditional varieties under study.In contradiction, Karunguruvai showed the highest breadthwise expansion after cooking.Gelatinization temperature estimated in terms of alkali spread value revealed that Arupatham Kuruvai, Thuya malli, Sona masoori, Kullakar, KarupuKavuni, and Kaatuyanum will have higher cooking time.Sona Masuri had the lowest water absorption ratio of 3.5 g/g, while Karupukavuni had the highest at 4.23 g/g.The varieties Poongar, Kullakar, KarupuKavuni and Kaatuyanum recorded above-average values for total phenol content and antioxidant activity.Amylose content was intermediated in the varieties MilaguSamba, Kullakar, KarupuKavuni and Karunguruvai and these varieties will be firm and fluffy on cooking.