Alpharized Rice Production via Pressurized Steam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing alpharized rice require a soaking process that uses large quantities of water, leading to increased costs and the degradation of rice grains due to cracking and loss of tasty components during drying.
Innovation Solution
A method involving pressurized steam-boiling, cooking, high temperature drying, and low temperature drying steps forms an alpharized layer on rice grains, eliminating the need for soaking and preventing cracking, with the pressurized steam-boiling step applying pressures between 0.05 MPa to 0.3 MPa for 60 seconds to 180 seconds and drying at 110°C to 250°C to achieve a moisture content of 20% to 25%.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If white rice is soaked in water to make the white rice absorb water, then the white rice becomes sufficiently hydrated for cooking, but large quantity of soaking water is required and effluent treatment facilities are needed, increasing running cost and initial cost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the cooking process by using pressurized steam instead of water soaking. The pressurized steam-boiling step applies pressure higher than atmospheric pressure by 0.05 MPa to 0.3 MPa for 60 seconds to 180 seconds, enabling rapid water absorption and alpharization without requiring large quantities of soaking water or effluent treatment facilities.
2Quantity of substance
If white rice is soaked in water to make the white rice absorb water, then the white rice becomes sufficiently hydrated, but cracks occur on the surface of the white rice and tasty components and starch elute from the cracks
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state and parameters of water delivery by using pressurized steam instead of liquid water soaking. The pressurized steam-boiling process delivers water in vapor form under controlled pressure (0.05-0.3 MPa above atmospheric pressure) for 60-180 seconds, enabling uniform and controlled water absorption that prevents surface cracking and loss of tasty components and starch.
3Quantity of substance
If white rice is soaked in water and then dried, then the rice can be stored, but rice grains split in the drying process due to cracks and outer appearance and grainy texture are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary alpharization treatment before the final drying process. The pressurized steam-boiling step creates an alpharized layer on the surface of the rice grains and pre-cooks the interior, which strengthens the grain structure before drying. This preliminary action prevents cracking and grain splitting during subsequent drying, preserving outer appearance and grainy texture.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses high temperature drying (110°C to 250°C) to rapidly reduce moisture content to 20% to 25%, followed by low temperature drying to achieve the final moisture content. This two-stage drying process, combined with the preliminary alpharization treatment, prevents grain splitting while achieving the desired moisture content for storage.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional soaking process is used to prepare rice for cooking, then the rice can be cooked properly, but the process requires large quantity of water and increases production time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the cooking preparation method from water soaking to pressurized steam-boiling. By applying pressure higher than atmospheric pressure by 0.05 MPa to 0.3 MPa for 60 seconds to 180 seconds, the rice grains are rapidly alpharized and pre-cooked, eliminating the need for prolonged soaking and significantly reducing preparation time while ensuring proper cooking readiness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method reduces water usage and costs, enhances rice grain texture and appearance, and allows for quicker water absorption without cracking, resulting in a more efficient and cost-effective production of alpharized rice with improved quality.
Implementation Method 1
a pressurized steam-boiling step in which raw material rice grains are steam-boiled with pressurized steam so as to alpharize a surface of the rice grains
Implementation Method 2
the pressurized steam-boiling step is performed in a pressurized state in which pressure higher than atmospheric pressure by 0.05 MPa to 0.3 MPa is applied for 60 seconds to 180 seconds
Implementation Method 3
in the high temperature drying step, the rice grains are dried by hot air of 110 degrees Celsius to 250 degrees Celsius so that a moisture content becomes in a range of 20% to 25%
Implementation Method 4
a low temperature drying step in which the drying is performed at temperature lower than the high temperature drying step
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a method for producing alpharized rice in which a soaking process does not need to be provided and a shape of rice grains is maintained.Means of SolutionSuch technical measure is taken that pressurized steam-boiling step in which raw material rice grains are steam-boiled with pressurized steam, a cooking step in which the rice grains after the pressurized steam-boiling step is alpharized, a high temperature drying step in which the rice grains after the alpharizing step are dried at high temperature, and a low temperature drying step in which the drying is performed at temperature lower than the high temperature drying step are sequentially provided without providing a soaking step, and an alpharized layer is formed on a surface of the rice grains by pressurized steam-boiling before the cooking step.