Executive Summary : | Rice, the staple food for over three billion people, is the only cereal crop that is cooked and eaten as whole grain. Studies have been conducted on the impact of paddy pretreatments and drying techniques on rice quality, but no research has been conducted on ultrasound and infrared assisted post-harvest processing of aromatic rice to enhance its quality and shelf life. Traditional parboiling enhances nutritional value, physical qualities, and milling quality, but it is time-consuming. Ultra-sonication is used to reduce par-boiling processing times and improves nutritional value, milling quality, and sensory qualities. Various drying techniques, such as sun, hot air oven, and IR drying, are needed to dry paddy rice. Infrared drying offers benefits such as uniform heating and high heat transfer rate, reducing drying time and improving product quality. This research proposes the development of an ultrasound assisted infrared dryer to minimize soaking times and post-harvest losses of paddy (Mushkbudji) and enhance the quality and shelf life of rice. The use of ultrasonication coupled with infrared drying technique is a novelty in this work. Additionally, the project aims to develop air-fried rice crackers, which are healthier alternatives due to fewer calories, inflammation, and potential risk of chronic diseases. |