Patent ID: 6416802
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: A23L

Abstract:
A method of preparing a quick-cooking rice, consisting essentially of the steps:providing rice grains having substantially all of its bran and germ layers intact; parboiling the rice grains to substantially gelatinize the starch in the rice grains; followed by partially drying the rice grains to a moisture content of about 17 to 35% by weight; followed by a milling process of milling the rice grains at a rice grain moisture content of about 17 to 35% by weight to remove substantially all of the bran and germ from the rice grains, whereby during the milling process the rice grains are mechanically manipulated in order to flex the rice grains, the flexing causing disruption of the individual rice grain's intracellular structure, resulting in a plurality of uniform weblike microfissures on at least a portion of the surface of each grain; and then drying the parboiled rice grains to produce a quick-cooking rice that has a water absorption level greater that 230 grams of cooked rice per 100 grams of dry rice after cooking in excess water for about eight minutes, wherein the individual rice grains are about the same in shape both before and after cooking as conventionally prepared parboiled rice grains appear both before and after cooking.