Ways to improve the quality of local rice in Africa: comparison between physicochemical and sensory properties of rice consumed in Senegal
Abstract
Purpose
Rice is the main cereal in Senegal. Despite efforts to improve the sector, consumers still prefer imported rice. Only one previous study conducted by the authors analyzed these preferences using a sensory analysis approach (Mané et al., 2021). This initial study showed that local rice can compete with imported rice if processing is improved. Based on these results, this study aims to identify the physicochemical parameters responsible for the sensory quality identified in Senegalese consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
In this context, the physicochemical and cooking properties of 12 rice samples were analyzed and the correlations between these physicochemical and sensory properties were studied.
Findings
The results showed that imported rice had a higher 1000-kernel weight, grain length and transparency values, whereas local rice had higher water uptake, swelling ratios, gelatinization temperature and iron and magnesium contents. Correlations have shown that positive descriptors such as “beautiful,” “white color,” “good taste,” “fragrant,” “fine grains,” “typical rice odor,” well-cooked” and “scattered” were correlated with varietal and technological criteria such as high 1000-grain weight, grain length, whiteness, transparency and absence of impurities in rice. In contrast, negative sensory descriptors such as “pasty” and “sticky texture” were associated with water uptake ratio, gelatinization temperature, rice breakage and cooking time.
Originality/value
These results show how to improve the quality of new rice varieties in the country based on the physicochemical parameters associated with the positive sensory properties cited above by consumers.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) through the Rice Agri-Food System CRP Rice project.
Citation
Mane, I., Bassama, J., Diedhiou, P.M. and Mestres, C. (2024), "Ways to improve the quality of local rice in Africa: comparison between physicochemical and sensory properties of rice consumed in Senegal", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-01-2024-0021
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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