Multi-element rice grains analysis by ICP OES and classification by processing types

As major food staple, rice (Oryza sativa L.) is cultivated in irrigated fields absorbing widely trace elements wich may or may not migrate during processing types. Thus, we aimed to evaluate five national rice brands found in local market, in order to verify concentration of elements As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, V, Tl and Zn, presenting the differences and migration patterns between brown, parboiled and polished rice for each brand. Data were evaluated using ANOVA, post-hoc Tukey and PCA. The two major components presented 94.33% variance, indicating strong differentiation in samples by their processing types from their mineral composition. K is widely distributed over the grain, Mg, Fe and Ba are more distributed in the outer layers being more susceptible to loss, and Ca, Sr and Zn are more sensitive to the parboiling hydrothermal process.