Effect of pretreatment methods on the physicochemical properties of brown rice powder

To overcome the coarse texture and low processability of brown rice, this study investigated the effects of roasting (R), steam roasting (SR), puffing (P), and steam puffing (SP) on the characteristics brown rice powder. Notably, P and SP treatment exhibited superior micronization capabilities, achieving significantly lower Dv50 values of 32.47 μm and 17.70 μm, after three grinding cycles, compared to other treatments. Dispersion stability analysis revealed that P treatment achieved the highest stability in aqueous media, as evidenced by the lowest turbiscan stability index (TSI) value of 0.5. Structural analysis by SEM and CLSM confirmed high porosity and structural disruption in P and SP samples. Furthermore, HS-SPME-GC-MS and electronic nose analysis showed enhanced nutty and complex volatile profiles in these samples. These findings suggest that P and SP pretreatments effectively improve the physical and sensory qualities of brown rice powder, facilitating its commercialization in the grain-based food industry.