Design, Fabrication and Testing a Portable Brown Rice Essay Example

nutritious than white rice because it contains high levels of fiber that help reduce contact between cancer-causing substances and colon cells. Additionally, it serves as a reliable source of selenium which significantly lowers the risk of colon cancer. Selenium works together with vitamin E - a powerful antioxidant that aids in preventing heart diseases while reducing symptoms associated with asthma, rheumatoid arthritis pain, and inflammation.

Unfortunately, brown rice often gets overlooked due to its higher cost compared to well-polished white rice. It is ironic that people spend more money on less nutritious and healthy rice. Furthermore, the process of polishing not only diminishes the nutritional value but also consumes more electricity. Choosing brown rice instead of its cheaper alternative is a wise decision considering these factors. Brown rice typically costs PH?50-60 per kilo while ordinary white rice costs PH?25-30 per kiloDespite its higher price due to limited supply, the cost-effective production of brown rice is surprising as it requires 65% less energy for milling and has a higher milling recovery rate of 10%. This study aims to ensure sufficient availability of brown rice in the community. Despite its less appealing appearance, brown rice is increasingly popular as a healthy food choice. Unlike traditional methods involving labor-intensive hand pounding and stone grinding, a portable milling machine is now used to process brown rice. According to literature, payday grain consists of a husk and a grain of brown rice. The edible portion, known as the endosperm, includes the bran layer and germ within the brown rice. Rice milling is necessary to remove the husk and bran before consuming payday grain. Brown rice can be cooked and eaten as-is

or milled into regular-milled white rice. Its light brown color comes from its bran layers and germ, which result in longer cooking time compared to parboiled or regular white rice but with a nut-like flavor. While many prefer white rice for its softness and fluffiness after cooking, cooking brown rice requires more effort and has a shelf life of six months under normal conditions. In addition to being cost-effective, choosing brown rice also provides essential minerals such as magnesium, manganese, and zinc thanks to its high fiber content from intact bran layers.Consuming a cup of brown rice provides 88.0% of the recommended daily value for manganese, which aids in energy production and fatty acid synthesis. Manganese is crucial for the function of an antioxidant enzyme called superposed diastase that protects against free radicals during energy production in our cells' mitochondria.

A study by Willet and Manson emphasizes the importance of choosing whole grains like brown rice over refined grains (e.g., white rice) to maintain a healthy body weight. The research observed over 74,000 female nurses aged 38-63 years for 12 years and found an inverse relationship between weight gain and consumption of high-fiber whole-grain foods. Women who consumed more whole grains had lower weights compared to those consuming less fiber-rich foods. Those who obtained their dietary fiber mainly from whole grains were also 49% less likely to gain weight than those who ate refined grain foods.

In addition, a serving of cooked brown rice supplies 14.0% of the daily value for fiber and 27.3% of the daily value for selenium, an important trace mineral essential for human health.Selenium plays a role in various metabolic pathways, including thyroid

hormone metabolism, antioxidant defense systems, and immune function.Several studies have shown a strong link between selenium intake and the incidence of cancer. Selenium has various mechanisms that contribute to its ability to prevent cancer, including repairing damaged DNA and inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. It can also trigger the body's self-destruct sequence to eliminate abnormal cells.

In 2005, AY conducted a study to assess the effects of rice bran and rice bran oil on cholesterol levels in individuals with moderately elevated cholesterol levels. The results revealed that rice bran oil reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. The researchers suggested that this decrease may be attributed to other components present in the oil, such as unclassifiable compounds. They proposed that these substances found in rice bran oil could potentially be used as functional foods for cardiovascular health.

Cadre, Burley, et al.(2007) conducted a study involving 35,972 participants in the UK Women's Cohort Study to evaluate their fiber intake. A diet rich in fiber from sources like whole grains, such as brown rice, and fruit has been found to significantly protect against breast cancer in pre-menopausal women.

According to Monte (2010), promoting the production of brown rice instead of white rice can help the Philippines eliminate their dependence on rice imports.Brown rice is more nutritious and has a lower glycemic index, resulting in a slower release of energy. Unlike white rice, brown rice is digested slowly and does not cause a significant insulin release from the pancreas or burden its normal function. Studies have shown that substituting white rice with brown rice can greatly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Brown rice maintains normal pancreatic function while white

rice abuses it. Brown rice is unpolished whole grain rice with a characteristic brown color due to its remaining bran layer. Whitening removes the bran layer and results in white or polished rice, but also removes nutrients such as fiber and essential oils found in the bran. Fiber and essential oils play a crucial role in preventing certain gastrointestinal diseases and heart disease. The bran layer of rice contains oils that help reduce cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease (Chic, April 2011). However, brown rice has a shorter shelf life compared to white rice due to the small amount of oil in its bran layer, leading to higher costs for transportation and storage. The presence of mineral oils in the bran layer also makes brown rice less economically viable and more expensive compared to white rice. Furthermore, brown rice has a lower demand, leading to increased rates of spoilage and wastage.
Cooking brown rice has its challenges, but it offers advantages as well. Its unique texture and taste complement various dishes. While white rice is known for its fragrance, brown rice provides a "rougher" taste that pairs well with strongly flavored cuisines like Indian or Western cuisines (Rice Chemistry and Food Science Division - ARCS of Philippic). In addition to this, brown rice is a healthier choice because it contains dietary fiber, lysine, and protein. When white rice is polished, it loses a significant amount of calcium, phosphorous, thiamine, and riboflavin (68 to 90%). The protein content also decreases by 15% when the bran layers are removed. Brown rice can be produced from any type of rice grain since it is considered a

"whole grain." The milling process for brown rice involves removing only 28% of the husk compared to an additional 10% for white rice. Traditional methods used mortar and pestle for making brown rice but modern milling machines are now utilized. However, these machines are primarily designed for producing white rice and adjustments need to be made in order to mill brown rice. Many Rice Mill Operations are hesitant about making these adjustments (Asia Rice Foundation - ARE). Andantes et al.(2008) developed a specialized rice mill specifically for milling brown rice with features such as a deluging unit, aspirator, and play separator.The minimal processing during milling of brown rice only removes the husk, resulting in higher levels of fiber, flacon iron riboflavin potassium phosphorus zinc copper manganese compared to other types of rice. In addition, vitamin E is exclusively found in brown rice. Despite the well-known nutritional superiority of brown over whitened rice, researchers continue studying how consumption of both forms impacts human nutrition.

Scientific research has investigated various aspects of the nutritional value of brown rice compared to white rice, including glycerin index, nutrient content, disease prevention, Vitamin B12 levels, protein digestion, and the impact of rice fiber in the intestine. To gain a deeper understanding of its nutritional value and effects on the body, readers are encouraged to review each area of research and references.

According to ophthalmologist D. Suttee from Texas A&M University, multiple factors affect the performance of rice mills including payday quality, machine maintenance,and operator skills. Improperly mixing different-sized rice varieties can hinder proper machine settings. Suttee also highlights that many mill owners neglect supervision and training for operators which prevents them from

achieving higher yields through correct operation.

According to Mutters (1985), broken grains are generally considered less valuable than whole grains.The text explores the profitability of rice varieties based on the amount of broken grains they have. After husking rice kernels, what remains is known as brown rice. While only some people consume it unprocessed, brown rice is more nutritious than white rice. The bran layer in a brown kernel contributes to around 12% of its weight and contains higher protein levels and more lysine compared to white rice. Brown rice also boasts a comprehensive profile of essential amino acids among vegetable crops. Moreover, the bran layer in brown rice includes easily digestible fiber along with minerals and vitamins that aren't present in milled rice.

Switching from white milled rice to either brown or parboiled rice, which possesses higher thiamin levels, leads to a significant reduction in beriberi cases. Some states require fortification of vitamin E content in white rice after removing the bran due to this reason. Despite its nutritional value, consumption of brown rice remains low due to its long cooking time (around one hour) and many individuals not enjoying its taste and texture.

The passage discusses how removing the husk from rice causes the bran layers to become rancid, resulting in a bitter taste for brown rice consumers. According to United States Standards for Milled Rice (2009), evaluating whole grain yield is the primary measure for assessing the quality of milled rice.The text describes the composition of rice varieties, which includes the hull, bran layers, and starchy endosperm. It also lists the by-products of rice milling as hulls, germs, bran layers, and broken grains. Figure 1

shows various independent variables that can be manipulated in a study involving different types of rice varieties, shutter distances, and numbers of passes. These variables will measure dependent variables such as throughput capacity, milling recovery percentage, husk percentage, and loss percentage for a portable milling machine's performance. Additionally, characteristics like whole grain percentage, broken grain percentage,dosage percentage,and 1000 grain weight will also be assessed when evaluating brown rice. The aim is to design and test a portable brown rice milling machine by determining its capacity using different types of rice varieties in an area called Baby with varying shutter distances and number of passes. The study seeks to evaluate the performance of a brown rice milling machine during the milling process and assess the quality of brown rice while considering the cost implications associated with its fabrication and operation. The objective is to test the null hypothesis that there are no significant differences in capacity and efficiency when using different rice varieties.The study will analyze factors such as percent milling recovery, percent loss, and percent husk. These factors will be analyzed under various conditions including rice varieties in Baby area, shutter distance, and number of passes. Additionally, the research will investigate the null hypothesis regarding brown rice quality passes. This includes analyzing factors such as percent dosage, 1000 grain weight, percent whole grains, and percent broken grains influenced by different conditions mentioned earlier. The main aim of this research is to develop a portable brown rice milling machine while assessing its performance. This study will serve as a valuable reference for future research on designing and creating portable brown rice milling machines for small-scale entrepreneurs

in the rice industry and community. The study will be conducted at the Department of Agricultural Engineering within the College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at Laguna State Polytechnic University during the Second Semester of Academic Year 2012-2013.