Background and objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of semi-wet and wet ground rice flours from MR253 rice variety on the cooking, textural, and sensorial qualities of dry rice noodle (laksa noodle). This rice flour is classified as a medium group of amylose content of 20.27% in semiwet and 20.59% in wet, respectively. Findings: Pearson correlation analysis of these flours implies that amylose content, percentage of damaged starch granule, and water absorption of rice flour incorporated in the formulation and production greatly influences both the dry and cooked (wet) rice noodles' textural and cooking qualities. Sensory analysis showed that there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) with regard to taste, aroma, and appearance between commercial and experimental noodles. Conclusions: Experimental laksa rice noodles produced using semi-wet and wet ground flours have better quality since it attained significantly (p < 0.05) higher scores of texture and overall acceptability attributes. Significance and novelty: This research explores the possibility of semi-wet grinding method of laboratory scale which had not been extensively studied and the usage and application of new Malaysian hybrid rice variety of MR253. K E Y W O R D Samylose content, damaged starch, dry noodle, laksa, semi-wet grinding method

Three different grinding techniques (dry, semi-wet, and wet) were employed in rice flour production. Investigation on the effects of the grinding techniques on starch damage percentage, particle size distribution, pasting profiles, morphological and textural properties of rice flours produced were evaluated. Wet grinding resulted in significantly (p< 0.05) has lower percentage of damaged starch (3.24 %) than other grinding methods. Morphological studies (microscopy and particle size analysis) have reflected significant differences among rice flours granule shapes. The granules displaying different shapes of polygonal, round and angular forms, with some as an individual granule while others tend to attached together. Wet grinding technique also yielded flour that exhibit significantly (p< 0.05) with higher gel hardness (16.62 g). Pasting profiles showed that pasting temperature for rice flour produce using these three grinding methods varied between 80.15 -80.42 °C. Results revealed that the three grinding techniques clearly affected the physicochemical properties of rice flour. The results from this study play an important role in the selection criteria of rice flour with desirable pasting and textural properties for manufacturing rice-based product.Keywords: Grinding techniques, particle size, pasting profiles, rice flour, starch damage Abstrak Tiga jenis teknik pengisaran (kering, separa basah, dan basah) telah digunakan dalam penghasilan tepung beras. Kajian ke atas kesan teknik pengisaran pada peratusan kerosakan kanji, taburan saiz partikel, profil pempesan, sifat morfologi dan tekstur tepung beras yang dihasilkan telah dianalisa. Pengisaran basah menyebabkan peratusan kanji rosak (p< 0.05) lebih rendah secara signifikan (3.24 %) berbanding kaedah -kaedah pengisaran lain. Kajian morfologi (mikroskopi dan analisis saiz zarah) telah menunjukkan perbezaan yang signifikan antara tepung beras dari segi saiz dan bentuk granul yang terhasil. Granul memaparkan bentuk berlainan seperti poligon, bulat dan bentuk bersudut, samada wujud sebagai granul sendirian ataupun berkluster. Teknik pengisaran basah juga menghasilkan perbezaan yang signifikan (p< 0.05) berbanding teknik pengisaran lain dari segi kekerasan gel yang lebih tinggi (16.62 g). Profil pempesan menunjukkan suhu pempesan untuk tepung beras yang dihasilkan menggunakan ketiga -tiga kaedah pengisaran berada dalam julat antara 80.15 -80.42 °C. Hasil kajian dengan jelas menunjukkan bahawa tiga teknik pengisaran memberi kesan kepada ciri -ciri fizikokimia tepung beras. Hasil kajian ini sangat penting dalam menentukan kriteria tepung beras berdasarkan sifat dan sifat tekstur yang dikehendaki untuk pembuatan produk berasaskan beras.Kata kunci: Teknik pengisaran, saiz partikel, profil pempesan, tepung beras, kerosakan kanji

Roselle-pineapple leathers added with maltodextrin and hydrocolloids (locust bean gum and xanthan gum) were formulated to develop a new healthy-functional snack. The optimisation was carried out by the response surface methodology using a 5-level central composite rotatable design. The optimised fruit leather (pH= 3.2, TSS= 75°Brix) were dehydrated and subjected to physicochemical and antioxidant analyses as well as sensorial evaluation. The combination of 0.2% xanthan gum-0.2% locust bean gum-1.0% maltodextrin significantly maintained the fruit leather's colour and increased its extensibility. However, it significantly had lower (p < 0.05) total phenolic, total flavonoid, ferric reducing ability of plasma and 2,2-diphenyl-1picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity of the optimised fruit leather as compared to the control sample. Untrained panellists have assessed the sensory acceptability of the formulated snack food. They preferred the optimised roselle-pineapple leather added with maltodextrin and hydrocolloids as compared to the control roselle-pineapple leather.