ABSTRACT
294Rice is a staple food in several countries and serves as a good source of carbohydrates, B vitamins, and some minerals including the important trace elements like Selenium in vegetarian diets of majority of the population. But unfortunately, due to poor postharvest storage and pest and storage fungi attack estimated from up to 9% in developed countries to 20% or more in developing countries. Insect pest and storage fungi infestation have been reported to deteriorate the quality of cereals in terms of proteins, amino acids, starch, vitamins, etc. and is also responsible for creating unhygienic conditions due to mixing of insect fragments making it unfit for consumption. There is much interest in alternatives to conventional insecticides for controlling stored-product insects and fungi because of insecticide loss due to regulatory action and insect resistance and because of increasing consumer demand for product that is free of insects and insecticide residues. Some of the most promising molecular management tools for farm-stored grain are resistant varieties, transgenic cultivars, and ecofriendly approaches. Food safety is an area of concern as it has a direct impact on human health. In this background, the chapter demonstrates the critical analysis done by various researchers on quality parameters of infested rice along with a pragmatic solution to the serious problem related to food quality and safety.
