title: Salinity alters the protein composition of rice endosperm and the physicochemical properties of rice flour.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Salinity is one of the major threats to production of rice and other agricultural crops worldwide. Although numerous studies have shown that salinity can severely reduce rice yield, little is known about its impact on the chemical composition, processing and sensory characteristics of rice. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of salinity on the pasting and textural properties of rice flour as well as on the protein content and composition of rice endosperm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rice grown under saline conditions had significantly lower yields but substantially higher protein content. The increase in protein content was mainly attributed to increases in the amount of glutelin, with lesser contributions from albumin. Salinity also altered the relative proportions of the individual peptides within the glutelin fraction. Flours obtained from rice grown under saline conditions showed significantly higher pasting temperatures, but lower peak and breakdown viscosities. Rice gels prepared from the flour showed significantly higher hardness and adhesiveness values, compared to the freshwater controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Salinity can significantly affect the pasting and textural characteristics of rice flour. Although some of the effects could be attributed to changes in protein content of the rice flour, especially the increased glutelin level, the impact of salinity on the physicochemical properties of rice is rather complex and may involve the interrelated effects of other rice components such as starch and lipids.
authors.affiliation: EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia.
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baxter
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blanchard
mesh_terms: D055516:2S Albumins, Plant / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000268:Adhesiveness; D057914:Agricultural Irrigation; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary; D056625:Endosperm / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D005511:Food Handling; D005782:Gels; D005983:Glutens / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006244:Hardness; D009517:New South Wales; D012275:Oryza / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D054712:Salinity; D055314:Seed Storage Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D012677:Sensation; D013045:Species Specificity; D044366:Transition Temperature; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D055516:2S Albumins, Plant; D005782:Gels; D010455:Peptides; D055314:Seed Storage Proteins; D005983:Glutens