This study was carried out in the grain quality laboratory of the Africa Rice Center in Benin to determine
the physicochemical and cooking characteristics of some rice varieties consumed in Benin where is
widely cultivated and consumed as a staple. The physicochemical properties of fifteen rice varieties, five
imported, five previously cultivated in Benin and five upland varieties, newly developed by the Africa
Rice Center were compared. Protein content ranged from 6.4 to 7.7% among the imported and previously
cultivated varieties and from 10.6 to 10.8% among the newly developed varieties by the Africa Rice
Center. The gel consistencies of the previously cultivated ranged from 6.0 to 71.3 mm with the exception
of ADNY 11 which had a gel consistency of 100 mm while the imported and newly developed varieties
had gel consistencies ranging from 95 to 100 mm. The cooking times differed among varieties. Two
previously cultivated varieties e ADNY 11 and TOX LONG e had cooking times of less than 20 min while
a newly developed variety, NERICA 1 had the longest cooking time of 26 min. It is suggested that greater
attention be subsequently paid to grain quality characteristics in African rice breeding programs in order
to meet consumer preferences on the continent.