Basmati
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Basmati (Hindi: बासमती, IAST: bāsmatī, Urdu: باسمتى) is a variety of long grain rice, famous for its fragrance and delicate flavour. Its name means "the fragrant one" in Hindi, but it can also mean the "soft rice." India is the largest cultivator and exporter of this rice, followed by Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh - primarily grown through paddy field farming.[1][2].
Traditional basmati plants are tall and slender, and their stems are prone to breaking in high winds. They have a relatively low yield, but produce high-quality grains and command high prices in both Indian and international markets. [1].
The grains of basmati rice are longer than non-basmati varieties. Cooked grains of Basmati rice are characteristically free flowing rather than sticky. Basmati rice is available in two varieties - white rice and brown rice.
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[edit] Flavour
Basmati rice has a typical pandan-like (Pandanus amaryllifolius leaf) flavour caused by the aroma compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline[3].
[edit] Varieties and hybrids
A number of varieties of basmati rice exist. Traditional ones include Basmati-370, Basmati-385 and Basmati-Ranbirsinghpura(R.S.Pura), while hybrid basmati varieties include Pusa Basmati 1 (also called 'Todal', because the flower has awns). Fragrant rices that are derived from basmati stock but are not considered true basmati varieties include PB2 (also called sugandh-2), PB3 and RH-10.
The Rice Research Institute at Kala Shah Kaku (Pakistan) has been instrumental in developing various varieites of basmati rice, including the popular variety of Super Basmati. Dr. Majeed is the scientist who developed this variety of basmati rice in 1996.
Scientists at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi took the traditional basmati and genetically modified it to produce a hybrid which had most of the good features of traditional basmati (grain elongation, fragrance, alkali content) and the plant was a semi-dwarf type. This basmati was called Pusa Basmati-1. PB1 crop yield is higher than the traditional varieties (up to twice as much).
[edit] World's longest rice grain
- Indian Basmati 1121: average length before cooking 8 mm, average length after cooking 18 mm[4]
[edit] List of approved varieties
Kasturi(Baran,Rajasthan),Basmati 198, basmati 217, basmati 370, basmati 385, basmati 386, Super basmati, Kernel (basmati Pakistan), Bihar, Dehradun, Haryana, Kasturi, Mahi Suganda, Punjab, Pusa, Ranbir, Taraori.[2] Some non-traditional aromatic crosses with basmati characteristics are marketed under a Sugandh designation.[3][4]
[edit] DNA markers thwart basmati adulteration
Basmati rice is a special type of aromatic rice known the world over for its extra long grains, and pleasant and distinct aroma. Traditional basmati rice is not only in demand in its domestic markets, but is also seen in the menu of connoisseurs world wide creating a billion-dollar export market. Authentic basmati rice cultivation is confined to the Indo-Gangetic plains of the Indian sub-continent. Consumer preference for the traditional basmati label not only brings along high returns but also receives duty exemption in some markets.
Evolved basmati varieties developed by breeders to adopt intensive cultivation fell short of quality traits of traditional basmati and hence fetch a lower price. In addition, the rice market also has relatively inferior non-aromatic long grain rice varieties. Difficulty in differentiating genuine traditional basmati from pretenders and the significant price difference between them has led fraudulent traders to adulterate traditional basmati. To protect the interests of consumers and trade, a PCR-based assay similar to DNA fingerprinting in humans allows for the detection of adulterated and non-basmati strains. Its detection limit for adulteration is from 1% upwards with an error rate of ±1.5%. Exporters of basmati rice use 'purity certificates' based on DNA tests for their basmati rice consignments. See Protocol [5] and [6]. Based on this protocol, which was developed at the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Labindia, an Indian company has released kits to detect basmati adulteration. [7]
[edit] Patent battle
In September 1997, a Texas company called RiceTec won a patent (U.S. Patent No. 5,663,484) on "basmati rice lines and grains." The patent secures lines of basmati and basmati-like rice and ways of analyzing that rice. RiceTec, owned by Prince Hans-Adam of Liechtenstein, faced international outrage over allegations of biopiracy. It had also caused a brief diplomatic crisis between India and United States with India threatening to take the matter to WTO as a violation of TRIP which could have resulted in a major embarrassment for the United States.[5] Both voluntarily and due to review decisions by the United States Patent Office, RiceTec has lost most of the claims of the patent, including, most importantly, the right to call their rice lines "basmati." This was a huge victory for Indian farmers who could have faced enormous economic losses from the patent.
[edit] List of exporters refused by FDA
- Evergreen Exports[8]
[edit] Glycemic index (GI)
According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, basmati rice has a Medium glycemic index (GI) of between 56 and 69, thus making it more suitable for diabetics as compared to certain other grains and products made from white flour.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
Alford, Jeffrey; Naomi Duguid (1998). Seductions of Rice. New York: Artisan. ISBN 1-57965-113-5.
- ^ Basmati Rice Profile
- ^ China: India's new basmati export destination
- ^ S. Wongpornchai, T. Sriseadka, S. Choonvisase (2003). "Identification and quantitation of the rice aroma compound, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, in bread flowers (Vallaris glabra Ktze)". J. Agric. Food. Chem. 51 (2): 457-462. doi:. PMID 12517110.
- ^ Bulk Basmati Sela Rice
- ^ Basmati Case Study
