DESC:FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to food technology;
Particularly, the present invention relates to formulation and method of production of Rice analogue using millet grains through extrusion technology.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Swift transition in life style, family structures, value system and food habits owing to rapid urbanization made huge impact on the level of physical activity. A large shift from the consumption of coarse grains such as sorghum, barley, rye, maize and small millets to more refined cereals, like polished rice and wheat, seen especially among the urban population and higher income groups. These changes have result in a significant decrease in the overall fiber content of the diet and other essential micronutrients and associated with rising affluence induced by developmental transition contributed to increasing prevalence of overweight/obesity which are invariably linked to Diabetes.
This Nutritional Bulletin includes nutritional profile of Sorghum, Pearl millet, Finger millet, Foxtail millet, Common millet, Little millet, Barnyard millet and Kodo millet. Almost all the millets are used for human consumption in most of the developing countries. Sorghum and millets are gluten free, hence, are useful dietary cereals. In general millets are rich source of fibre, minerals and B-complex vitamins. High fibre content and presence of some anti-nutritional factors like phytates and tannins in millets affect bioavailability of minerals. Few studies in humans have suggested that absorption ofiron tends to be lower from millets than from rice or even wheat.
Millets are also rich in health promoting phytochemicals like polyphenols, lignans, phytosterols, phyto-oestrogens, phytocyanins. These function as antioxidants, immune modulators, detoxifying agents etc. and hence protect against age-related degenerative diseases like cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diabetes, cancer etc. Some of the known nutrients, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids also have benefits in terms of prevention of degenerative diseases besides their known functions of preventing nutritional deficiency diseases. Being non-glutinous, millets are safe for people suffering from gluten allergy and celiac disease. They are non-acid forming, easy to digest and non-allergenic. Millets have potential for protection against age-onset degenerative diseases. Consumption of millets reduces risk of heart disease, protects from diabetes, improves digestive system, lowers the risk of cancer, detoxifies the body, increases immunity in respiratory health, increases energy levels and improves muscular and neural systems and are protective against several degenerative diseases such as metabolic syndrome and Parkinson’s disease. The important nutrients present in millets include resistant starch, oligosaccharides, lipids, antioxidants such as phenolic acids, avenanthramides, flavonoids, lignans and phytosterols which are believed to be responsible for many health benefits.
There is a need to devise a viable strategy for improving health through appropriate modification of the food supply to give products that deliver substantiated health benefits while retaining consumer appeal.
The prior art reveals that there have been attempts to develop a reconstituted rice. Following patent and non-patent literature describes the existing state of the art.
US20070237879A1 discloses a reconstituted grain product and manufacture method thereof. The reconstituted grain product includes a ground material having a plurality of raw whole grain. The method for manufacturing a reconstituted grain product includes providing a plurality of raw materials having whole grains, grinding the raw materials to afford a ground material with between 80˜200 meshes, and subjecting the ground material to mixing, extrusion with water addition, forming and drying to yield a reconstituted grain product.
The non patent literature article titled “Formulation and characterization of Millet flour blend incorporated composite flour”, by Poongodi Vijaykumar T et.al, published in “International Journal of Agriculture Sciences, ISSN: 0975-3710, Volume 1, Issue 2, 2009, pp-46-54”, describes a composite flour containing kodo (Paspalum Scrobiculatum) and barnyard Millet (Echinochloa colona) flour, whole wheat flour and defatted soy flour of four different combinations. The incorporation of Millet flour blend improved the quality of composite flour in terms of increasing nutrient density, thinner the gruel by lowered viscosity and increase in the level of syneres is which may improve the resistant starch content on storage.
The exhaustive literature search conducted to identify prior art indicated that little efforts have been made in the past to produce reconstituted millet grains which are ready to cook.
Therefore, in light of foregoing discussion, there exists a need to overcome the drawbacks associated with existing millet grain formulations.
The present invention describes a rice analogue made from millet grains and method of its production.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a highly nutritional rice analogue having low glycemic index;
Further object of the present invention is to formulate gluten free ready to cook rice analogue using millet grains;
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process of production of ready to cook rice analogue using millet grains.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present disclosure present technological improvements as solution to one or more of the above-mentioned technical problems recognized by the inventors in conventional practices and existing state of the art.
The present disclosure seeks to provide a rice analogue made from millet grains and method of its production.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the rice analogue is nutrient rich and has low Glycemic Index (GI).
According to an aspect of the present invention, an extrusion process is used to produce a rice analogue formulation using millet grain without requiring any preprocessing or pre-cooking and variable constitution/characteristics based on the unique gelatinization temperature and shear pressure under which extrudates are generated.
The objects and the advantages of the invention are achieved by the process elaborated in the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following specification describes the invention. Although some modes of carrying out the present disclosure have been disclosed, those skilled in the art would recognize that other embodiments for carrying out or practicing the present disclosure are also possible.
The present invention aims to provide for a rice analogue made from millet grains and method of its production.
The typical prior art discloses reconstituted rice granules and method of preparation thereof.
The millet grain contains about 65% carbohydrate, a high proportion of which is in the form of non-starchy polysaccharides and dietary fibre which help in the prevention of constipation, lowering of blood cholesterol and slow release of glucose to the blood stream during digestion. Lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases, duodenal ulcer and hyperglycemia (diabetes) are reported among regular millet consumers. Millet grains are also rich in important vitamins viz., Thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid and niacin. Millets are comparable to rice and wheat or rich in some of the minerals as well as fatty acids. Millets vary largely in composition of carbohydrates as proportion of amylose and amylopectin content vary from 16-28% and 72-84%, respectively.
Millets are not only comparable to major cereals with respect to their nutritional features but are very good sources of carbohydrates, micronutrients and phytochemicals with nutraceutical properties. The millets contain 7-12% protein, 2-5% fat, 65-75% carbohydrates and 15-20% dietary fibre. Among them, pearl millet contains considerably high proportion of proteins (12-16%) as well as lipids (4-6%) whereas; finger millet contains lower levels of protein (6-8%) and fat (1.5-2%). The essential amino acid profiles of the millet protein are better than maize. The niacin content in pearl millet is higher than all other cereals whereas, finger millet proteins are unique because of the sulphur rich amino acid contents. Similar to cereal proteins, the millet proteins are poor sources of lysine, but they complement well with lysine-rich vegetable (leguminous) and animal proteins form nutritionally balanced composites of high biological value. Small millets are more nutritious compared to fine cereals. Finger millet is the richest source of calcium (300-350 mg/100 g) and other small millets are good source of phosphorous and iron.
The present invention provides a low glycemic rice analogue made from millet grains formulated with Kodo millet (Paspalum Scrobiculatum), Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa colona), Sorgum Millet (Sorghum bicolor), Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica), Little Millet (Panicum sumatrense), Proso Millet (Pennisetum glaucum), and Sona Masoori Rice (BPT 5204 and RNR 15048) based composite flour as raw materials, without any external micro or macro nutrient additives.
The present invention uses an extrusion process which provides rice analogue formulation using millet grain without requiring any preprocessing or pre-cooking and variable constitution/characteristics based on the unique gelatinization temperature and shear pressure under which extrudates are generated.
The rice analogue is formulated using millet grains produced in accordance to this invention has faster cooking time, higher nutrients and similar sensory qualities of natural rice so that it can even be substituted for natural rice. The said rice analogue formulated with millet grains has faster cooking time (2 Mins) and has a low Glycemic Index (GI) of 49.01±1.37. The low GI (before and after cooking) & Gluten Free formulation ensure control on release of sugars. The high fiber and alpha amylase inhibition properties of Finger Millet and high amounts of slow digestible starch in Sorghum and other millets, offer low Glycemic Index and Gluten free rice analogue.
The said extrusion method follows process parameters such as extruder screw speed, feeder speed, cutter speed, temperature and moisture content, that enable maintaining the desired shape, size and cooking properties which have been optimized according to the expected outcome.
According to preferred aspects of the present invention, the rice analogue made with millet grains has 76.6% more fiber than regular rice; 21.62% more protein g/100mg than regular Rice; 89.15% more Iron than regular rice; 40.77 time more calcium than regular rice and 99.75 times more phosphorus than regular rice.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the composite flour of millet grains is adopted to prepare the rice analogue which meets the required water absorption capacity, bulk density and swelling power similar to rice. Porosity of the composite flour is pre-made, to reduce the auto-oxidative deterioration.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a hot extrusion technique is adopted with three heat zone temperature in the hot extruder to get the right gelatinization. The process parameters viz., extruder screw speed, feeder speed, cutter speed, temperature and moisture content are attained for the desired color, shape, size and cooking properties of the rice analogue.
The coarseness of the millet had direct impact on the moisture absorption capacity of the composite flour that directly impacted the process of gelatinization and final product. Therefore, the composite flour for production of rice analogue formulated using millet grains has been reduced to the size approximately of 149 microns (µ) which increases the water adsorption. The need to reduce the porosity has been observed in order to keep the formulation fresh while preventing the rancid flavors and auto oxidative deterioration. The sedimentation value of 54ml has been found to be suitable formulation for rice extrusion. The falling numbers of >200sec was a requirement and a good quality starch (degraded starches which is converted to sugars in the seed level are not suitable) meant selection of seeds that were not too old (>9months).
The thermal, pasting and retrogradation properties of the composite millet flour formulation along with the functional properties are studied. The gelatinization temperature for the composite millet flour is set between 900C - 950 C.
According to preferred aspects of the present invention, the composite millet grains’ flour has 3-5% Kodo millet; 3-5% of Barnyard Millet; 3-5% Sorgum Millet; 3-5% Foxtail Millet; 3-5% Little Millet, 3-5% Proso Millet; and 70-78% of Rice (BPT 5204 and RNR 15048)
According to preferred aspects of the present invention, the composite millet grains’ flour is blended with water (18%), oil (0.5 – 1%) and Glycerol Monostearate (0.5%) and preconditioned to achieve the homogeneity.
The rice analogue is prepared using composite flour which equilibrated to the moisture content in the range of 25 (dry basis) and the mix is then feed into the extruder and passed through three distinct zones of the extruder. The composite flour in zone 3 at around 600C to 800C attains the right gelatinization and due to its high amount of moisture and temperature derives a product that has instantaneous cooking properties. For longer shelf life and near-zero microbial contamination, the reconstituted millet grains in the form of rice analogue are dried at 550C to 750C for 2 hrs in a 5 layered multi-layered parallel air-flow system and the moisture content is reduced to 8 to 10%.
The controlled extrusion method comprises of twin screw, co-rotating screws intermeshing each other, receiving feed from co-rotating variable speed feeder, with a selective barrel length 2000-2200 mm to diameter 270-330mm and the screw L/D ratio 20-22:1-3. The feeder speed, extruder speed and cutter speed are maintained in the range of 3-9 rpm, 6-22 rpm and 16-34 rpm respectively. The L/D ratios are an important and unique aspect in the current invention as this influences the pressure, plasticizing and operational issues. The maintenance of temperature in all three zones is very important. The first two zones are used for blending the mixture. The composite millet flour is passed through three distinct zones of the extruder wherein zone 1 is maintained at a temperature range of 450C to 800C, zone 2 is maintained at a temperature in the range of 900C to 1250C, zone 3 at 600C to 800C. The temperature in zone1 & 2 are equally critical, because it gradually increases the temperature, avoid charring, and pass through to zone 3 to attain the desired gelatinization before passing it through the rice die.
In the case of rice analogues, gelatinization of starch plays a significant role as it helps in achieving a quick-cooking, non-expanded product. It is important to optimize the processing conditions in the barrel for monitoring gelatinization. The critical parameters that directly in?uence the gelatinization and ?nal product quality are actual moisture involved in the process, mechanical energy input, thermal energy input and residence time (retention time) of the material in the extruder barrel. Higher feed water content and higher barrel temperature are two important parameters that account for physicochemical properties of extrudates and increase starch gelatinization.
Drying of the rice analogues to optimum moisture content is necessary to increase the shelf life. The rice analogue produced in accordance with the present invention is dried to the moisture content of 8–10% in a five layered parallel air-flow system.
The appearance of the rice analogue should be like that of natural rice kernel. For this purpose, the importance of a suitable cutter-die is inevitable. Two approaches can be used to cut the extrudates: length-wise or width-wise.
The extrusion method of the present invention yields special purpose long grain rice type grain with a grain length of >10.5mm, grain breath of < 2.0mm comprises, an approximate L/B Ratio of 4.9-5.2 so that it matches the look and feel of a premium rice variety. The L/B ratio influences the time taken to cook.
The rice analogue produced in accordance with the present invention has a protein content about 9.65±0.13; starch content about 71.99±0.42, fat content about 1.53±0.16, amylose content about 20.70±0.56 and dietary fibre about 3.89±0.05.
The rice analogue produced in accordance with the present invention has potential benefits to diabetic patients as it is easy to digest, has slow digestibility, and it slowly releases the sugars.
,CLAIMS:CLAIMS:
We Claim:
1. A rice analogue made from millet grains, where the said rice analogue comprises a composite millet grains’ flour consisting of Kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum), Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa colona), Sorgum Millet (Sorghum bicolor), Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica), Little Millet (Panicum sumatrense), Proso Millet (Pennisetum glaucum), and Rice (BPT 5204 and RNR 15048);
wherein the said rice analogue has a cooking time of 2 minutes and has a Glycemic Index (GI) of 49.01±1.37.
2. The rice analogue as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the composite millet grains’ flour has 3-5% Kodo millet; 3-5% of Barnyard Millet; 3-5% Sorgum Millet; 3-5% Foxtail Millet; 3-5% Little Millet, 3-5% Proso Millet; and 70-78% of Rice (BPT 5204 and RNR 15048).
3. The rice analogue as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the rice analogue has a length / breadth (L/B) ration of 4.9 - 5.2.
4. The rice analogue as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the rice analogue has 76.6% more fiber than regular rice; 21.62% more protein g/100mg than regular Rice; 89.15% more Iron than regular rice; 40.77 time more calcium than regular rice and 99.75 times more phosphorus than regular rice.
5. A method of production of a rice analogue, where the said method comprises:
- reducing the size of millet grains to 149 microns (µ);
- blending the composite millet grains’ flour with water (18%), oil (0.5 – 1%) and Glycerol Monostearate (0.5%) and preconditioning to achieve the homogeneity;
- feeding the composite millet grains’ flour into the extruder;
- passing the composite millet grains’ flour through three distinct zones of the extruder barrel wherein the temperatures of Zone 1, 2, and 3 are maintained between 450C - 800C, 900C - 1250C and 600C - 800C respectively;
- cutting the dough to facilitate movement to a die plate;
- forming the rice analogue grains using the die plate;
- drying the rice analogue at 550C to 750C for 2 hours in a five layered parallel air-flow system and reducing the moisture content to 8 - 10%;
characterized by equilibrating the moisture of content of composite millet grains’ flour at 25 (dry basis).
6. The method of production of the rice analogue as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the extruder barrel has length of 2000-2200 mm and diameter of 270-330mm.
7. The method of production of the rice analogue as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the feeder speed, extruder speed and cutter speed are maintained in the range of 3-9 rpm, 6-22 rpm and 16-34 rpm respectively.