Green Processing Strategies for Retarding Starch Retrogradation in Rice Systems

Rice-based foods are receiving increasing attention as gluten-free hypoallergenic, and sustainable alternatives to wheat-based and other gluten-containing cereal products. However, starch retrogradation remains a major challenge, leading to textural hardening, syneresis, and reduced shelf-life in rice-based systems. While chemical modification can effectively delay retrogradation, its environmental burden and incompatibility with clean-label demands have intensified interest in sustainable, nonchemical processing strategies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of green processing strategies for retarding rice starch retrogradation by regulating structural organization and molecular associations. Particular attention is given to non-thermal, hydrothermal, mechanical, and enzymatic approaches, including high hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric field, heat-moisture treatment, annealing, extrusion, milling, cold plasma, and enzymatic modification. These processes modify starch structure across multiple hierarchical levels, including granule integrity, crystalline organization, and chain arrangement, thereby influencing recrystallization behaviour during storage. By integrating recent findings from structural and physicochemical perspectives, this review highlights shared trends and critical differences among green processing technologies in improving texture stability and quality retention. This synthesis aims to support the rational design of clean-label rice-based foods with enhanced storage stability and functional performance.