It yields the same accuracy and better precision than the more time-consuming
manual method. Beside the colour of individual rice kernels also the colour of a thick
layer of rice could be measured. This so-called bulk colour provides an objective
assessment of the rice colour using the CIE L*a*b* colour space. Determination of the
bulk colour was tested on milled raw rice and processed rice (puffed and popped) and
compared to the analysis using a chromatic reflectometer. FBS-IA can monitor colour
changes with the same accuracy and better precision than a chromatic reflectometer.
Analysis by FBS-IA takes about 3 min per sample compared to about 30 min for manual
analysis (broken rice kernels, length and width).