Changes in Quality and Safety Indexes During Rice Harvest and Discussion on Drying Technology

This study investigated the effects of natural and mechanical drying on the quality and safety indices of newly harvested rice. The quality indices (moisture content, dry-basis 1000-grain weight, yellowing rate, gelatinization characteristics, and antioxidant enzyme activity) and safety indices (zearalenone, vomitoxin, and aflatoxin B1) were evaluated post-drying. The results demonstrated that natural drying significantly outperformed mechanical drying in terms of quality retention and antioxidant enzyme activity, particularly in preserving product integrity. In contrast, mechanical drying excelled in drying cost, speed, and process controllability. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), the quality and safety indices of rice dried by both methods were comprehensively assessed. The scoring results indicated that rice dried by natural methods had superior quality compared to that dried mechanically.