Q01030: Development of a method to differentiate Basmati rice from non-Basmati rice based on gas sensor technology
Thursday 28 August 2003
This research project aims to develop a method that can differentiate Basmati rice from other long grain rice varieties.
Study Duration: April 2000 to July 2002
Contractor: Natural Resources Institute (NRI) and University of Greenwich
Background
Basmati is a premium long grain variety of rice highly valued for its aroma and flavour and grown exclusively in the northern part of the Western Punjab, in Pakistan and India. Basmati rice demands a premium price as a consequence of its scarcity and popularity, and the adulteration of Basmati rice with cheaper varieties has become an area for potential exploitation. There is a need to develop a method that enables the differentiation of Basmati varieties from other long grain rice in order to ensure consumer protection and for use in regulation of the rice trade.
Research Approach
This project aimed to investigate the possibility that aromatic differences may be sufficient to differentiate between Basmati rice and other long grain varieties. The use of gas sensor technology as a rapid method for characterising and classifying aromas was proposed and research involved evaluating a low-cost portable gas sensor array developed by the NRI.