Pulsed electric field (PEF) processing is an emerging non-thermal technology that shows potential to improve food quality and to maintain stability. Glutinous rice is composed mainly of amylopectin and has low amylose content. This study investigated the effect of PEF treatment at 3 kV/cm field strength for 50 to 300 pulses on whole, water-soaked glutinous rice grains. Micro-pores were created at the surface of PEF treated rice grains, increasing grain porosity from 7.3% to 9.8%. Peak viscosity of PEF treated rice flour decreased, and breakdown, final and setback viscosities increased as the number of PEF treating pulses increased, indicating that the swelling degree of rice starch was promoted after PEF treatment. Lower values of gelatinization enthalpy and lower crystalline degree of PEF treated glutinous rice flour were also observed. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies confirmed the secondary structure changes in rice protein and partial gelatinization of rice starch after PEF treatment.
Keywords: gelatinization; glutinous rice grain; microstructure; porosity; pulsed electric field.