Ethanolic Extrusion of Indica Rice Flour for Rice Noodle Production

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Cereal Chemistry
• Product Development

Background:

• Rice noodles lack gluten, necessitating complex processing for desirable texture.
• Developing gluten-free alternatives is crucial for improving rice noodle production efficiency and quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop ethanolic-extruded indica rice flour (EERF) as a novel gluten substitute for simplified rice noodle production.
• To evaluate the impact of EERF on dough properties, noodle processing, and final product quality.

Main Methods:

• Ethanol-extruded indica rice flour (EERF) was developed and characterized for its structural and viscosity properties.
• EERF was blended with native indica rice flour (IRF) at varying percentages (10-20%) to form a premix.
• The EERF-IRF premix was used to create rice dough with water, followed by noodle formation and evaluation of processing and sensory attributes.

Main Results:

• EERF demonstrated a V-type crystalline structure and high cold-paste viscosity, functioning effectively as a binder.
• The EERF-IRF premix (10-20% EERF) facilitated cold gelation, creating a cohesive dough with enhanced viscoelasticity and tensile resistance.
• Optimal formulation (15% EERF, 37% water) resulted in fresh rice noodles with significantly reduced cooking loss (5.57%) and breakage rate (14.44%), alongside improved sensory scores.

Conclusions:

• Ethanol-extruded indica rice flour (EERF) offers a viable, clean-label gluten substitute for rice noodle production.
• This method simplifies processing, enhances dough properties through cold gelation, and improves overall noodle quality.
• The developed EERF technology is industrially scalable, providing a valuable solution for the gluten-free food industry.