Elizabeth D Wahengbam1, Brian D Green2, Manuj K Hazarika1. 1. Department of Food Engineering and Technology, Tezpur University, Tezpur, India. 2. Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University, Belfast, Belfast, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Rice is a staple diet for many people, however, it is not a good source of micronutrients. The process of parboiling induces several desirable changes in rice: it improves the retention of available micronutrients, and in the case of low-amylose varieties it eases the cooking requirement. During parboiling of brown rice, when soaking is conducted in micronutrient-rich solutions, it affects fortification. This study is aimed at examining the suitability of the method of zinc fortification by a brown rice parboiling process in a low-amylose rice. RESULTS: Application of the method of zinc fortification by a brown rice parboiling process increased the zinc content in unmilled rice. Milling caused a reduction in zinc content per gram of grain, indicating a high concentration of zinc at the outer layer. Both milled and unmilled rice could retain more than 86% of zinc upon cooking. Changes in colour values in uncooked rice, due to zinc fortification, were non-significant at P ≤ 0.05. Rehydration of zinc-fortified rice at 60 °C for 25 min yielded hardness values similar to that of its cooked form. CONCLUSION: The method of zinc fortification by brown rice parboiling is a pragmatic way to produce zinc-fortified parboiled rice to combat zinc deficiency with a reduced cooking requirement from a low-amylose rice variety.
BACKGROUND:Rice is a staple diet for many people, however, it is not a good source of micronutrients. The process of parboiling induces several desirable changes in rice: it improves the retention of available micronutrients, and in the case of low-amylose varieties it eases the cooking requirement. During parboiling of brown rice, when soaking is conducted in micronutrient-rich solutions, it affects fortification. This study is aimed at examining the suitability of the method of zinc fortification by a brown rice parboiling process in a low-amyloserice. RESULTS: Application of the method of zinc fortification by a brown rice parboiling process increased the zinc content in unmilled rice. Milling caused a reduction in zinc content per gram of grain, indicating a high concentration of zinc at the outer layer. Both milled and unmilled rice could retain more than 86% of zinc upon cooking. Changes in colour values in uncooked rice, due to zinc fortification, were non-significant at P ≤ 0.05. Rehydration of zinc-fortified rice at 60 °C for 25 min yielded hardness values similar to that of its cooked form. CONCLUSION: The method of zinc fortification by brown rice parboiling is a pragmatic way to produce zinc-fortified parboiled rice to combat zinc deficiency with a reduced cooking requirement from a low-amyloserice variety.