Reconstituted Rice and its Scope and Opportunities

Suresh Itapu, Ph.D.

Reconstituted rice (RCR) is a hot extruded product using advanced twin-screw extrusion technology.
RCR can be manufactured using rice milling by-products
such as broken rice. As during this process the broken rice
is converted in to fine powder, any quality of broken rice
can be used in this process. This is an effective way of
adding value to low value rice milling by products. Broken
rice is the rice kernel that does not survive the milling
process. They have length dimensions smaller than ¾ of
the whole grains. Rice kernels can develop cracks in the
field during rice cultivation is the principal activity and
source of drying (below moisture content levels of 12%)
or dehydrating oven dried kernels are the major causes
for the breakage of kernels during milling. Broken rice is
used as feed for live stock or for making pet foods. Indian consumer’s interest in highly polished rice is
leading to higher production of broken rice, which has low value. Typically, polishing of rice leads to
about 7-8% production of broken rice. Even if an efficient rice
milling process would result in about 4% yield of broken rice. This
low valued by-product of rice milling industry can effectively be
used for better economic returns and are, for instance, alternate
uses of the rice broken kernels. Also, this technology can be used
manufacture rice using other economic starch materials such as
tapioca, sago, corn etc. In addition to adding value to low value
rice milling by products, RCR technology provides a number of
other benefits. They are micronutrient fortification, development
of low glycemic rice, Protein fortification and reduction of insect
infestation during storage.

Micronutrient fortification
As discussed above micronutrient deficiency is very predominant in rice eating populations and it is not
so easy to fortify rice with micronutrients. Rice fortification has been an underutilized opportunity
because technologies used cost-effectively for nearly a century in wheat and maize milling cannot be
adapted to rice milling. Fortification of wheat and maize flours involve adding and mixing a fine
fortificant powder to equally fine flours. But micronutrient powders simply added to polished rice grains
falls off. Adding chemical compounds to adhere fortificant powders to the surface of the rice grain may
work to some extent, but most of the added micronutrients will be removed by washing or be lost in the
discarded cooking water. One of the most promising and highly accepted benefits of this technology is
to fortify rice with micro nutrients. During this hot extrusion technology, rice flour, a fortificants, and
water will be passed through a twin screw extruder and cuts it into grain-like structures that resemble
rice kernels. This process involves relatively high temperatures (70-110oC) obtained by preconditioning
and/or heat transfer through steam heated barrel jackets. It results in fully or partially pre-cooked
simulated rice kernels that have similar appearance (sheen and transparency) as regular rice kernels. So
far commercially available rice fortification projects have been using RCR with very high amount of
micronutrients and adding this grain at 1% to regular rice. This practice is being used in China. There are
certain logistic issues with adaptation of this concept in India. Conversion of broken rice with moderate
level of micronutrients to consume it like regular rice would solve some of the logistic issues and
eliminate the issues associated with excessive consumption of highly fortified rice.

Low glycemic rice

Another promising application of RCR is development of a Low Glycemi Rice (LGR). During the hot
extrusion process, the starch will be modified and becomes resistant. Formation of resistant starch takes
more time to digest and thus reduces the glycemic index.

Protein fortification
Another opportunity with extruded RCR is fortification with protein. In general rice is low in protein both
in quality as well as quantity. Protein quality, measured as Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid
Score (PDCAAS) of rice is about 0.4 compared to 1.0 of milk, egg and soy protein. Protein fortification is
not only improves the protein quantity and quality of RCR but also reduces the glycemic load.

Soy protein: Soy protein and has an excellent profile of amino acids, particularly lysine, which is
deficient in cereal. Earlier it was perceived
that soy protein is deficient in sulphur Cost (Rs) of Common Food Proteins
containing amino acids but with the new Food Price/kg Protein % Price/Kg
method of evaluation (PDCAAS), it has been protein
proved that soy protein has all the essential Wheat 15 12 125
amino acids. Based on this new FAO/WHO Legumes 60 20 300
method soy protein quality is at par with milk Rice 20 8 250
and egg. Soy protein is one of the cheapest Soybean 22 40 55
sources of protein available for the mankind. Milk 20 4 500
Cost of soy protein is less than half of wheat Chicken 120 20 600
protein and almost six times cheaper than egg Meat 100 18 556
(See the table). Also, recent food processing Egg (per Egg) 2 5.5 364
technologies help in processing soybean in to
a number of value added food products without compromising the taste.

Soy protein has a number of health benefits such as, cancer prevention, cholesterol reduction,
combating osteoporosis and menopause regulation. Soy foods are rich in anticarcinogens, particularly
isoflavones. Human epidemiological studies suggest that as little as one serving of soy foods each day
may be protective against many types of cancer, including cancers of the lung, colon, rectum, stomach,
prostate and breast. For the past 30 years, investigators have shown that consumption of soy protein
selectively decreases total and LDL (bad) cholesterol and maintains HDL (good) cholesterol in individuals
with elevated normal blood cholesterol levels. In supportive of the various research findings, United
States Food and Drug Administration has issued a health claim for soy protein in October of 1999. The
health claim states “consumption of 25gms of soy protein per day with a diet containing low in
saturated fat may lower the risk of heart diseases”. One year later American Heart Association endorsed
the same health claim. Another important aspect of soy protein is combating osteoporosis and relieving
menopause symptoms. One factor in bone health is limiting the amount of calcium lost from the body.
Although protein especially animal protein contributes to calcium loss, soy protein exhibits less calcium
leaching effects. The isoflavones found in soybeans may also directly stop bone deterioration. Recent
research has shown that soy foods can relieve most menopausal symptoms, thus reduce risks of
cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Soybean is considered as a natural alternate for hormone
replacement therapy for treating women who are in menopause. Soy foods are a rich source of
phytoestrogens, which may help compensate for the lack of natural estrogen production.

Beneficial for diabetics: Although Type 2 diabetes (noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, NIDDM) is
regarded as a multifactorial disease with a strong genetic basis, available evidence suggests that
carbohydrate containing foods with a low glycemic index (GI) protect against the development of Type 2
diabetes mellitus, the effect being independent of body mass index. As mentioned above during
extrusion cooking to manufacture RCR, the starch will be modified and resistant starch will be
developed. This will considerably reduce GI of the finished product which can help diabetics in
managing their blood sugar levels. Also, soy protein and soy fibre have beneficial role in controlling and
managing blood sugar levels in diabetic patients. Diabetic patients are at higher risk of getting heart
diseases compared to normal people. Number of studies suggests that soy protein has beneficial effects
on reducing the risk of heart diseases. Further, studies show that soy protein is softer on the kidneys,
which is one of the highly effected organ for diabetics.

Marketing opportunities
a. Supply of protein enriched and micronutrient fortified reconstituted rice feeding programs and
school lunch programs – Reconstituted rice manufactured from broken rice can be fortified with soy
protein, vitamin A and iron and can be supplied in these programs without increasing the price.
Also, with slight increase in cost this RCR can be fortified with soy protein to increase both quantity
as well as quality of protein.
b. Supply under Public Distribution System – Similarly, micronutrient fortified and protein fortified
reconstituted rice can be marketed in public distribution system to combat micronutrient as well as
protein fortified rice to at risk population.
c. Retail marketing to health conscious population – Low calorie, high protein rice for health conscious
population.
d. Retailing to diabetic population – Low calorie, low glycemic rice for diabetic population. It is
estimated that opportunity for diabetic rice for this population is about 300 thousand MT per yea