Selection of current turkish paddy varieties in terms of puffed rice characteristics

In this study, puffed rice was produced from 22 different paddy rice varieties, and the effects of the processing chain extending from paddy rice to brown rice and finally to puffed rice on product quality were evaluated using a holistic approach. For this purpose, paddy samples were subjected to a parboiling process, dried, dehulled to obtain brown rice, and subsequently converted into puffed rice using a salt-based puffing method. In paddy rice, physical properties reflecting grain structure, size, and geometry were evaluated; in brown rice, these parameters were assessed together with rheological properties representing flow behavior; and in puffed rice, physical parameters related to size and porosity, selected compositional and bioactive parameters, and FTIR-based structural characteristics of starch were examined. The puffing process caused volumetric expansion in grain size, increased porosity, and decreased density; however, the structural response varied depending on the variety. Significant relationships were observed between swelling behavior and porosity. Rheological evaluations indicated that pseudoplastic flow behavior was preserved in both products, whereas viscosity levels were reorganized in puffed rice. FTIR analysis revealed that puffing restructured the crystalline–amorphous balance of starch rather than causing chemical degradation. Variety-specific profiles were identified in terms of total phenolics, flavonoids, γ-oryzanol, and total antioxidant capacity, indicating that antioxidant response cannot be explained by a single parameter. The findings demonstrated that achieving the desired quality in puffed rice requires not only optimization of processing parameters but also careful selection of raw material. Overall, the main mechanism determining product quality was identified as the interaction between matrix structure and processing conditions. Future studies incorporating different puffing technologies and sensory evaluations are expected to further support product development. Furthermore, the results indicated that puffed rice quality cannot be explained by a single parameter; when puffing performance, sensory quality, and functional properties were evaluated together, cultivars Ç5 (Çakmak), Ç4 (Boyabatkalesi) and Ç14 (Ormanlı CL) were identified as the most promising candidates for industrial production. Keywords: Antioxidant capacity, Paddy, Puffed rice, Rheological properties, Expansion behavior