Influence of harvest moisture content and milling duration on microwave‐dried rice physicochemical properties

Background and Objectives Harvest moisture content (HMC) and milling duration are important factors that influence milled rice quality. The goal of this study is to determine the effect of HMC and milling duration on the physicochemical properties of long grain and medium grain microwave‐dried rice. A long‐grain hybrid rice cultivar (XL753) and a medium‐grain rice cultivar (Titan) with initial HMCs of 16%, 18%, and 20% (wet basis) were sourced from rice farms in Arkansas, USA. The rice samples were dried with the 915 MHz industrial microwave at a specific energy of 525 kJ/[kg‐grain]. The control samples were dried with natural air in an equilibrium moisture content chamber set at 25°C and 56% relative humidity. Following drying, the samples were milled at milling durations of 30, 45, and 60 s, and physicochemical properties were determined. Findings HMC had significant (p