Process for the preparation of precooked rice

Claim 1

THE PROCES OF CREATING A PRECOOKED RICE PRODUCT THAT CAN BE VERY RADIDLY REHYDRIATED FOR SERVING AND THAT UPON REHYDRATION SUBSTANTIALLY POSSESSES THE ATTRIBUTES OF NATURAL FLAVOR AND TEXTURE OF A GOOD GRADE OF REGLUAR COOKED RICE, THE PROCESS BEING CHARACTERIZED BY A THERMAL CYCLING PRETREATMENT TO RENDER THE RICE GRAINS HIGHLY PERMEABLE AND ABSORPTIVE, AND ATTAINED BY A PROCESS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF EXPOSING THE RICE GRAINS ALTERNATELY TO ELEVATED AND LOW TEMPERATURES, THE GRAINS BEING FIRST EXPOSED TO AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 120* TO 225*F., THEN TO A LOW TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 60* TO 100*F., AND THEN FOR A SECOND TIME TO AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 120* TO 230*F., WHEREBY THE RICE GRAINS ARE RENDERED HIGHLY PERMEABLE AND ADBSORPTIVE; COOKING THE GRAINS BY SUBJECTION TO HEAT AND MOISTURE UNTIL THE GRAINS REACH A MOISTURE CONTENT OF FROM ABOUT 65 TO 75% AND ARE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY GELATINIZED; AND RAPIDLY DRYING THE COOKED GRAINS BY SPREADING THE GRAINS IN THE FORM OF A BED AND RAISING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE BED TO A TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 210* TO 350*F. BY PASSING A HEATED INERT GASTHROUGH THE BED, WHEREBY THE COOKED GRAINS ARE RAPIDLY DRIED TO A STABLE MOISTURE CONTENT.