Modeling and optimization of microwave puffing of rice using artificial neural network and genetic algorithm

A genetic algorithm based on artificial neural network (ANN) modeling was developed for the microwave puffing of preconditioned rice. The microwave puffing method was analyzed in order to find out the effect of microwave power, puffing time, butter level, and sodium bicarbonate level on the expansion ratio and puffing percentage of puffed rice. ANN modeling was applied between the independent and dependent variables and 4‐7‐2 architecture was selected as the best ANN architecture with mean squared error value ranging between 1.138 and 1.839. The optimized conditions obtained from the hybrid ANN‐GA approach were 850 W of microwave power, 35 s of puffing time, 5.26% of butter, and 1.46% of sodium bicarbonate. The optimum combination of independent variables resulted in maximum expansion ratio and percentage puffing of 8.4 and 94.37%, respectively. The relative deviations between the experimental and ANN‐GA model predicted values for expansion ratio and percentage puffing were 1.42 and 1.04%, respectively. The micrograph analysis showed that the parboiled rice had closely packed swollen starch granules with a fused endosperm, while large porous structured vacuoles were found in puffed rice. This study would provide a simple and efficient way to obtain crispy puffed rice by using a domestic microwave oven. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Microwave puffing produces low fat ready to eat healthy products than the deep fat fried product. The microwave generates rapid heat and mass transfer in the food product resulting in the puffed product of desirable porous structure. Evaluation of optimal microwave puffing conditions will produce puffed rice with high sensory value and nutritional value. On this basis, the present study emphasized the effects of processing parameters and the potential of two additives, that is, butter and sodium bicarbonate, for microwave puffing of rice. The impact of various processing and operating conditions of microwave puffing of rice was analyzed. This research would make a way to make puffed rice at the domestic level in a quicker and easier process. This process would develop a suitable package containing preconditioned rice kernel with butter and sodium bicarbonate to obtain ready to eat puffed rice by using a domestic microwave oven.