Puffed rice: re-emerging promising health benefit breakfast food item

Abstract

ABSTRACT Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the major cereal crop cultivated in almost all geographical regions of Asian countries. Puffed rice is one of the important whole rice processed product mainly consumed as snacks and especially in breakfast food. It is a rich source of carbohydrates, and fulfils the requirement of 60 to 70 % total the energy needs. It is an ingredient of sweets, and several other popular food items. Moreover, in India it is used in temples and Gurdwaras as prasad. Absence of gluten, it provides additional benefit for the celiac patient. Puffed rice is obtained from pre-gelatinized milled parboiled rice, generally prepared by preconditioning of grains by hydrothermal treatment (75±5°C, 3-3.5 hrs. and under steam pressure of 1.5 kg/cm2) followed by drying and milling. Then optimum moisture content of milled grains is maintained by tempering, which is then subjected to puffing by sand roasting method. Optimum puffing was obtained by roasting of milled parboiled rice at a temperature 260±20°C and its moisture content of 15±1% for almost 12±2 sec. Further, on the process of puffing the rice starch gets damaged, gelatinized and subsequently a portion of it is retrograded, which is converted to the formation of resistant starch. The resistant starch act as a dietary fiber, which may thus escapes unaffected during digestion and absorption in the small intestine. It goes to large intestine in unaffected form may serve as nutrient for the gut microflora. Thus, as prebiotic food, the resistant starch promotes the formation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), especially butyrate, in the large intestines, which is used as fuel for the gut microbes and thus prevents colorectal diseases including colon cancer.

Full text

NCFPT-2016
- 99 -
allergic, antioxidants, antibacterial, antifungal, antispasmodic, chemopreventive, hepato-protective,
hypolipidemic, neuroprotective, hypotensive, anti-aging, immuno-modulator and carminative. Anti-
oxidants found in fruits and vegetables counteract the damaging effects of oxidation in our body. These
include vitamin A, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), vitamin E, polyphenols and certain minerals (like selenium) that
boost our immune function by quenching the free radicals. They combat oxidative stress in the body by
maintaining a balance between oxidants and antioxidants. Antioxidants are widely being used as dietary
supplements and have been investigated for the prevention of diseases such as cancer, coronary heart
disease and even altitude sickness.
Keywords: Nutraceuticals; fruits; vegetables; immuno-modulator
(PP-8)
Puffed rice: re-emerging promising health benefit breakfast food item
Shiv Kumar* and Kamlesh Prasad
Department of Food Engineering and Technology
Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering & Technology, (SLIET) Sangrur, Punjab–148106, India.
*Email: shivk1999@gmail.com; profkprasad@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the major cereal crop cultivated in almost all geographical regions of Asian
countries. Puffed rice is one of the important whole rice processed product mainly consumed as snacks and
especially in breakfast food. It is a rich source of carbohydrates, and fulfils the requirement of 60 to 70 %
total the energy needs. It is an ingredient of sweets, and several other popular food items. Moreover, in
India it is used in temples and Gurdwaras as prasad. Absence of gluten, it provides additional benefit for the
celiac patient. Puffed rice is obtained from pre-gelatinized milled parboiled rice, generally prepared by
preconditioning of grains by hydrothermal treatment (75±5°C, 3-3.5 hrs. and under steam pressure of 1.5
kg/cm2) followed by drying and milling. Then optimum moisture content of milled grains is maintained by
tempering, which is then subjected to puffing by sand roasting method. Optimum puffing was obtained by
roasting of milled parboiled rice at a temperature 260±20°C and its moisture content of 15±1% for almost
12±2 sec. Further, on the process of puffing the rice starch gets damaged, gelatinized and subsequently a
portion of it is retrograded, which is converted to the formation of resistant starch. The resistant starch act
as a dietary fiber, which may thus escapes unaffected during digestion and absorption in the small
intestine. It goes to large intestine in unaffected form may serve as nutrient for the gut microflora. Thus, as
prebiotic food, the resistant starch promotes the formation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), especially
butyrate, in the large intestines, which is used as fuel for the gut microbes and thus prevents colorectal
diseases including colon cancer.
Key words: Parboiled rice, Puffed rice, Resistant starch, Prebiotic, breakfast snack