Abstract
This study was performed to investigate airtight storage characteristics of rough rice using airtight flexible pve container. A storage test of rough rice of 4 tonnes was carried out to determine the changes of gas composition of air in the container, grain moisture content, air temperature and relative humidity , the presence of insects ,germination rate, crack ratio , fat acidity , 1000-kernel weight, and brown rice recovery over storage period of 5 months in Suwon. Concentration of oxygen was decreased from 20% to 16% and carbon dioxide was increased of from 0.03% to 1.6%. The grain moisture content was decreased from 14.4%(w.b) to 14.1%(w.b) for 5 months storage period . Insect population levels were low but these increased after 5 months storage. Most of insects were dead, Fat acidity increased from 7.5(mg KOH/100g) to 10.2(mg KOH/100g). Other storage factors such as germination rate, brown rice recovery and 1000-kernel , and 1000-kernel weight slightly decreased and crack ratio was slightly increased. Qualities of rough rice during 5 months storage period under hemetic air conditions were maintained fairly good considering the above changes of quality factors during storage.