Development of Techniques for Storing Rough Rice in Cold Regions (Part 2)

Super-low-temperature Storage at Country Elevator by Aeration with Fresh Chilly Air in Winter

Abstract

An on-farm experiment in which 378 metric tons of rough rice was stored in a silo from November until August and aerated for 114h with fresh chilly air in winter was conducted at a country elevator in Hokkaido to develop new techniques for storing rice in cold regions. The overall temperature of the rough rice in the silo decreased to below ice point (minimum temperature of -6.6°C), and the temperature of rough rice in the center of the silo remained below ice point until summer. The rewarming process using an unheated forced-air drier after storage prevented the development of fissures in the brown rice. The results of the experiment indicate that aeration with fresh chilly air in winter enables rough rice in a farm-scale silo to be stored at a temperature below ice point, i.e., super-low-temperature storage.