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The objective of this research was to determine the influence on drying characteristics and milling quality of storing high moisture content (MC) rough rice under various conditions and durations before drying. Immediately after harvest, drying runs were performed under two drying air conditions, one at 52C (125F) and 25% relative humidity (RH), and at 60C (140F) and 17% RH. Rough rice was stored for one month (27 days) and three months (76 days) in either a walk-in freezer at 9C (15F), a household refrigerator at 3.5C (38.3F) or a walk-in cooler at 4C (38.5F). After one month and three months of storage, all samples were dried under the same two drying air conditions as at harvest.

There were no differences in the milling quality of samples that were stored for one or three months and then dried as those dried immediately after harvest; this finding was consistent across the three storage temperatures for both varieties. This research indicates that it is possible to store rough rice at high MCs for up to three months under storage temperatures varying from 9C to 4C without affecting HRY.