Red-Green-Blue Color Analysis Concerning Rice Husk Incorporation in Rice Bran

We aimed to determine rice husks incorporated in rice bran by using Red-Green-Blue (RGB) color. Rice bran and rice husk samples were analyzed for crude protein and lignin and mixed at a ratio of 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40 and 50:50. The phloroglucinol-HCl was added to the samples into Petri dishes and photographed with a smartphone to get RGB pixel values. The data collected were analyzed for mean value, STDV, CV, F-test, regression equation and R². The results showed that crude protein and lignin content in rice bran were 12.04±1.27 and 8.69±1.19% with a CV of 10.58 and 13.65% and rice husks were 3.07±0.78 and 15.50±2.83% with a CV of 25.40 and 18.52%, respectively. Rice bran and rice husk mixtures did not have significantly different RGB pixel values, while the addition of phloroglucinol HCl resulted in a highly significant (p<0.01) difference. The red value has an R² = 0.8195, which is higher than the green (0.8103) and blue (0.3781). Additionally, testing of rice bran samples in the ruminant feed industry indicated that almost all samples of rice bran have been mixed with rice husks. Changes in the color image (red) due to the reaction of lignin with phloroglucinol-HCl that is read by an application on a smartphone can be quantified to predict rice husk in rice bran. This study presents an innovative RGB color analysis technique for detecting rice husk adulteration in rice bran, offering a quick, precise and cost-effective solution to enhance feed quality and protect animal health in agricultural practices.