Stabilization of immature rice grain using infrared radiation

•Immature rice grains are susceptible to rancidity.•Free fatty acid content of immature rice grains increased to 35% in 3 months.•Infrared stabilization effectively prevented hydrolytic rancidity.•Infrared stabilization did not affect fatty acid composition of immature rice grain.•Infrared stabilization did not negatively affect tocopherols and γ-oryzanol. Immature rice grain is one of the underutilized by-products of paddy milling process. Despite its high potential of use as a food ingredient, it is mainly utilized as feed due to the rancidity problem. In the present study, the composition of immature rice grain, the potential of using infrared (IR) radiation for stabilization, and the effects of IR stabilization on color, fatty acid composition, tocopherol and γ-oryzanol contents of the grain were investigated. The free fatty acid (FFA) value of the unprocessed immature rice grain was 5.49% and increased to 35.71% at the end of 3 months of storage at room temperature. However, FFA content of the grains stabilized with IR radiation at specific conditions remained unchanged throughout the storage period. Moreover, IR stabilization did not caused a negative effect on the noted components of the immature rice grain.