Work

Storage sensitivity of ratoon rice: changes in starch structure and physicochemical properties

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Ratoon rice (RR), a second-season crop regenerated from the axillary buds of rice stems after main crop (MC) harvest, is a vital source of high-quality rice and enhances paddy field yield. However, its starch structural and physicochemical stability during storage remain unclear. This study examined the effects of 12-month storage on composition, starch structure, and physicochemical characteristics of RR and MC. Results showed that storage increased the A-chain proportion of amylopectin, while reducing amylose and protein contents, starch granule size, B1-, B2-, and B3-chain proportions of amylopectin, degree of crystallinity, and short-range ordered structures. These structural changes increased the gelatinization temperature range, peak and cool paste viscosities, but decreased gelatinization temperature and enthalpy. Moreover, RR exhibits greater sensitivity to storage than MC. Compared to MC, 12-months storage leaded to a greater change in the amylose, protein, and fat contents, A-, B1-, and B3-chain proportions of amylopectin, volume, surface, and number of weighted average diameter of starch granules, degree of crystallinity, ratio of 1047/1022 cm−1 of RR. Consequently, RR exhibited greater change in thermal (To, Tp, Tc, ΔT) and pasting (peak, hold, breakdown, cool, and consistency) properties. This highlights RR’s lower storage stability and the need for targeted preservation strategies.

Source: LWT

DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2025.118458