Grain Quality

		Course Introduction

		What is quality?
		Define the term quality as it is used in this course.

Quality... not easily defined		Quality is not always easy to define. It depends on consumer preferences and the intended end use of the product. Most consumers prefer the best quality they can afford. As with any commodity, consumers view the quality of rice in the same way.
Subjective and objective measures of quality		Consider the thought process one might go through when purchasing fruit. The characteristics of fruit are either subjective or objective. Roll your mouse over each of the terms below to understand more about the characteristics of each:

Give it a try!		Do you now know the difference between subjective and objective characteristics? Test your knowledge by trying the following exercise. Each of the following phrases are examples of either a subjective or objective characteristic. For each, click, hold, and drag the phrase to the appropriate box labeled Subjective or Objective. If you are correct, the phrase will stay where it was placed. If incorrect, the phrase will snap back to its original position.
		<b><font color="d58000">Meet your classmates!</font> </b>Click the discussion button on the left side of the screen. On the new window that displays, click the New User button. Follow the directions and register yourself with the class discussion system. When you are in to the systems, introduce yourself to the rest of the group by clicking the link <b>Course Participants</b>. <br> <br>
Next lesson		Now that you know about subjective and objective measures of quality, let's see how this applies to rice. Click the forward arrow to learn more about rice quality.