Effects of different fermentation processes on cooking and eating quality of brown rice noodles

While brown rice noodles are nutritionally dense, their subpar cooking and eating attributes render them unpalatable to consumers. Fermentation serves as a viable method to enhance food quality and taste. In our previous study, the quality of brown rice noodles was notably enhanced through solid-state fermentation of rice flour (SFRF) with Limosilactobacillus fermentum. In this study, we investigated the impact of SFRF, solid-state fermentation of rice grains (SFRG), and liquid-state fermentation of rice grains (LFRG) on the cooking attributes, sensory qualities, and processing characteristics of brown rice noodles (BRN). The findings indicated that the quality of brown rice noodles (BRN) could be notably enhanced through the application of these three fermentation techniques. In comparison to the BRN produced via SFRF and LFRG, the rice noodles processed using SFRG exhibited superior visual appeal, reduced cooking losses (4.87%), minimal breakage rates (4.00%), and enhanced taste profile. Following fermentation, the gelatinization temperature (Tp) and peak viscosity of rice flour decreased, with SFRG demonstrating the lowest gelatinization temperature. Pasting and rheological assessments revealed that solid-state fermentation of rice grains led to a reduction in the pasting viscosity of rice flour by hindering starch granule swelling and disintegration. In summary, noodles processed through SFRG exhibited enhanced cooking and sensory characteristics, luminosity (L*), and superior gel structure.