ABSTRACT
Storage of rice is a normal step between harvest and consumption. Storage conditions (temperature, time, and moisture) may differ significantly. In the United States, rice storage is required to change certain physicochemical properties of the rice, such as stickiness, from a sticky to a relatively nonsticky product after cooking. Storage temperatures, moisture content, and storage times vary between 10 and 35°C, 10 and 15% water, and 2 and 24 months, respectively. In this chapter we will report changes in physicochemical and quality factors of rice grains that occur during postharvest storage. These changes influence the chemical, physical, and functional qualities of rice. Storage-induced aging has both desirable and undesirable effects on the end product, depending on storage conditions and rice variety.
