How Rice is Milled: Exploring the Rice Milling Process from Harvesting to Packaging (Flowchart)

Summary

This video offers a detailed explanation of the rice milling process, covering both traditional and modern methods. The speaker introduces rice as a staple food and the importance of milling in producing edible rice. The video elaborates on different types of milling, from hand pounding to advanced commercial processes. Key stages such as husking, whitening, polishing, and grading are explained, with an emphasis on maximizing yield and quality. Parboiling, a step before milling, is also discussed for its nutritional benefits. The video aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of rice milling, crucial for both consumers and professionals in food science.

Takeaways

• 😀 Rice is one of the most produced grains in the world, especially in India, and is crucial for feeding billions of people daily.
• 😀 Rice is scientifically known as *Oryza sativa*, a member of the grass family, and there are 23 species, with two commonly consumed varieties: *Oryza sativa* (Asian rice) and *Oryza glaberrima* (African rice).
• 😀 Milling is the process of removing husk and bran from cereal grains to convert them into an edible form, such as turning brown rice into white rice.
• 😀 There are two main types of rice milling methods: traditional (hand pounding) and mechanical (modern commercial mills).
• 😀 Traditional rice milling involves using hand tools like a mortar and pestle (Chakki) to remove husk and bran, while modern methods use commercial machines for efficiency and higher yields.
• 😀 The goal of rice milling is to remove husk and bran, increase consumer acceptability, and minimize the number of broken rice kernels.
• 😀 Rice milling methods include the one-step process (where husk and bran are removed in one pass), the two-step process (where brown rice is an intermediate product), and the multi-stage process (with several operations).
• 😀 Commercial rice milling involves several stages, including pre-cleaning, husking, whitening, polishing, and grading to ensure high-quality white rice with minimal breakage.
• 😀 Parboiling rice before milling can improve its nutritional value, reduce breakage, and enhance the texture of the cooked rice.
• 😀 The rice milling process includes steps like pre-cleaning, de-husking, whitening, polishing, and final grading, ensuring a high-quality product ready for packaging and sale.

Q & A

What is the main objective of rice milling?

The main objective of rice milling is to remove the husk and bran layers from the paddy grain to produce polished white rice. The process aims to increase consumer acceptability and reduce the number of broken grains.

What are the two main types of rice milling methods?

The two main types of rice milling methods are traditional methods and mechanical (or commercial) methods. Traditional methods include hand pounding, while mechanical methods involve large commercial mills that combine several operations.

What is the difference between 'whitening' and 'polishing' in rice milling?

Whitening is the removal of the bran layer from the brown rice to produce white rice, while polishing refers to the process where any remaining bran particles are removed, giving the rice a smooth and shiny appearance.

What is the significance of parboiling in rice milling?

Parboiling is an optional process before milling that involves boiling the rice paddy. It improves the nutritional quality, reduces breakage during milling, and alters the texture of the cooked rice.

What are the steps involved in the commercial rice milling process?

The commercial rice milling process involves several steps: pre-cleaning, de-husking (removal of husk), whitening and polishing (removal of bran), grading (separation of head rice and broken rice), blending, final polishing, and packaging.

What types of pre-cleaners are used in the rice milling process?

Different pre-cleaners are used to remove impurities from paddy before milling, including oscillating sieve pre-cleaners, aspirator-oscillator pre-cleaners, rotary cleaners, and de-stoners, each designed to remove different types of impurities based on size, shape, and density.

What is the purpose of de-husking or de-hulling in rice milling?

De-husking or de-hulling removes the outer husk layer from the paddy grain. This is done through friction, and it is essential for producing brown rice, which can be further processed to produce white rice.

How does the Paddy separator work in the rice milling process?

The Paddy separator works based on specific gravity and buoyancy. It separates the paddy rice from brown rice by exploiting the differences in their physical characteristics, such as size and density.

Why is whitening done before polishing in rice milling?

Whitening is done before polishing because it removes the bran layer from the rice. Polishing follows whitening to remove any remaining bran particles, improve the luster of the rice, and make it smoother.

What are the types of rice mills used in commercial rice milling?

There are three main types of conventional rice mills used in commercial rice milling: hullers, shellers, and cone-polish mills. These mills use various mechanical operations to remove husks, polish the rice, and ensure a higher yield of white rice.