The ninth chapter of the book Rice Technology focuses on Brown Rice Value Addition Techniques. The most nutritious part of paddy is the rice bran, which contains essential nutrients such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, iron, zinc, dietary fiber, and oryzanol. These components make brown rice one of the most nutritionally valuable food grains.
Rice polishing is often considered a “necessary evil” that demands serious attention today. Polished rice, though preferred for its taste and appearance, is primarily a source of carbohydrates. The removal of rice bran during polishing significantly reduces its nutritional value, making it less healthy by modern dietary standards. While polishing improves palatability, limited efforts have been made to enhance the acceptability and taste of brown rice to match that of polished rice.
One practical approach could be the inclusion of rice bran in polished rice packaging. Although this idea appears simple, it is technically challenging to implement. However, when polished rice is cooked with rice bran, the flavor remains comparable to polished rice, while the nutritional value becomes equivalent to that of brown rice.
Cleaning rice bran, stabilizing its oil content, and packaging it into small pouches represent a promising value addition strategy. Even a spoonful of purified, stabilized rice bran consumed daily can serve as a powerful nutritional supplement. Such innovations can pave the way for healthier rice consumption and sustainable value-added rice products.