# Changes in Cooking and Breadmaking Properties of IR 841 Paddy Rice During Storage in West Africa

## TL;DR

Storing IR 841 paddy rice in dry conditions in West Africa changes its cooking and breadmaking properties over 12 months.

## Contribution

This study links storage conditions and time to changes in rice grain and flour properties affecting culinary performance.

## Key findings

- Rice stored under dry conditions showed increased water absorption capacity and improved cooking performance after 6 months.
- Flour viscosity peaked and particle size increased significantly after 12 months of storage.
- Environmental fluctuations under dry conditions had a stronger impact on rice properties than humid–sub-humid conditions.

## Abstract

Temperature and relative humidity can significantly affect quality of paddy rice during storage. Limited studies established the link between storage time, environmental fluctuations, changes in grain and flour physicochemical properties, and culinary performances. In a West African context, IR 841 paddy rice variety was stored under humid–sub-humid (HSH), and dry (DRY) conditions for 12 months. Over 12 months, rice stored under DRY conditions experienced greater environmental fluctuations than rice stored under HSH conditions. Grain water absorption capacity (WAC) increased during storage under DRY conditions, rising from 3.3 ± 0.3 to 3.8 ± 0.3 g/g DM between 0 and 12 months. Flour amylose content and soluble solids remained relatively stable from month 0 to 6 in all conditions, and further under HSH conditions. The observed changes led to improved grain cooking performance after 6 months of storage under DRY conditions. After 12 months, a decrease in rice flour WAC and a peak in viscosity were observed, while mean particle size increased from 42 ± 1 to 67 ± 3 μm under HSH conditions and from 31 ± 3 to 83 ± 3 μm under DRY conditions. Storage time may reduce the breadmaking capacity of rice flour. Overall, environmental fluctuations under DRY conditions strongly affected rice grain and flour properties.