Claims:We Claim

1. A process of fortification of rice kernels, the process comprising:
washing the rice kernels;
soaking the rice kernels in any one of 0.1-0.5% curcumin solution for 80- 120 minutes and solution of Curcumin with combination of Piperine duly stabilized by hydrocolloids and emulsions;
washing the excess color from the soaked rice, wherein the soaked rice is washed with water for at least 30 seconds;
steaming the soaked and drained rice in a steamer at least 10 minutes for color fixation; and
dehydrating the color fixed rice for at least 50-70 minutes using air blowers.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein rice kernels soaked in 0.1-0.5% curcumin solution are coated with using 20-25% micronutrient solution and 0.1-0.3% of gum solution.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the micronutrient coated rice and curcumin - piperine coated rice is blended with uncoated rice to make fortified rice at 1:1.5:47.5 ratio respectively.

4. The process as claimed in claimed 1, wherein the rice soaked 0.1-0.5% curcumin solution and dehydrated is coated by spraying 20-25% micronutrient solution on rice, drying the micronutrient coating, spraying gum solution on the micronutrient coated rice and drying the gum coated rice.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the micronutrient solution comprises Vitamin A (Beta-carotene), Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin) B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), Vitamin B9 (Folic acid), Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin), Iron, Zinc, antioxidant sources and the like, to the applicable standard.

6. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rice kernels are of Kolam variety.

, Description:Field of the invention

The present invention relates to fortification of grains, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a process of fortifying grains, such as rice kernel with micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals.

Background of the invention

Deficiency in micronutrient, minerals and vitamins causes diseases. Specifically, deficiency of free radicals may lead to several health issues. Curcumin extracts have made recognizable inroads with impactful commercial results in the developed countries as well as a multi-health benefiting ingredient in various forms. Curcumin i.e. Turmeric, a spice that has long been recognized for its medicinal properties, has received interest from both the medical/scientific world and from culinary enthusiasts, as it is the major source of the polyphenol curcumin. Curcumin aids in the management of oxidative and inflammatory conditions, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, anxiety, and hyperlipidaemia. Curcumin also help in the management of exercise-induced inflammation and muscle soreness, thus enhancing recovery and performance in active people. In addition, a relatively low dose of the Curcumin complex can provide health benefits for people that do not have diagnosed health conditions. Most of these benefits can be attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

However, ingesting curcumin directly does not lead to the associated health benefits due to its poor bioavailability, which appears to be primarily due to poor absorption, rapid metabolism, and rapid elimination. There are several components that can increase bioavailability. For example, Piperine is the major active component of black pepper and, when combined in a complex with curcumin, has been shown to increase bioavailability by 2000%. Curcumin combined with enhancing agents provides multiple health benefits.

Fortification and supplementation of foods with micronutrients has been practiced to address the needs of populations worldwide. Fortifying rice makes it more nutritious by adding vitamins and minerals in the post - harvest phase; many of which are lost during the milling and polishing process. Rice fortification may be considered as having the highest potential to fill the gap in current staple food fortification programs as it is the staple food of 65 percent of the Indian population and reaches the most vulnerable and poorer section - with the highest uptake in the government safety net programs.

Rice kernels, largely consumed as staple food in the developing world, has been identified as one of the major cereal grain that can be fortified. Programs have been driven by the USDA, WHO/FAO and other significant initiatives, and now steps have been taken by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in India for providing fortified grains. Specifically, the FSSAI has identified and specified the norms for fortification of rice grains, a major step, by defining these in the FSSA Regulations and also duly promoting such fortified product through official symbols and logos.

Currently, various technologies are being used for fortification of rice kernels. One such conventional fortification process is an extrusion process. In the extrusion process, the rice kernels are ground, semi cooked extruded and cut in the shape of rice grains. The micronutrients are added before extrusion and become embedded in the extruded reshaped grain. The product is uniform and identification of whether any micronutrients have been added is not perceivable from the appearance of the uncooked or cooked rice.

Another process of fortification of rice kernels is coating. The micronutrients are coated on a portion of the rice kernels and these kernels take up the color of the micronutrient mix, generally yellow color imparted mainly by riboflavin & folic acid. These colored kernels are then blended into plain white rice, usually in proportion of 1:50 to 1:200. While these yellow colored grains can easily be identified in the white kernels, the color gets dispersed when the rice is cooked, which gives an illusion to the consumer, whether the respective micronutrients have been lost or whether not added at all.

Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a process of fortification of rice kernels which overcomes above-mentioned drawbacks.

Objects of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide fortified rice kernels with unique differentiation.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide homogenous blend of yellow colored coated fortified rice kernels in white raw rice that remains yellow in color even upon cooking.

Summary of the invention

The fortification process comprises of production of fortified rice kernels with (a) micronutrients (Vitamin A, Vitamin B group and Iron and Zinc)as per current FSSAI standards and with Curcumin (b) Curcumin & Piperine as per current WHO recommendation and then blending these with uncoated rice kernels to achieve production of fortified rice.

In an embodiment, the present invention provides a process of fortification of rice kernels. The process of fortification with micronutrients (Vitamin A, Vitamin B group and Iron and Zinc) & Curcumin comprises of washing the rice kernels, soaking the rice kernels in 0.1-0.5% curcumin solution for 80-120 minutes, and washing the excess color of curcumin from the soaked rice. Specifically, the soaked rice is washed with water for at least 30 seconds.

The process of fortification of rice kernels further comprises steaming the soaked and drained rice in a steamer at least 10 minutes for color fixation, dehydrating the color fixed rice for at least 50-70 minutes using air blowers, coating the dehydrated rice using 25-30% micronutrient solution and 0.1-0.3% of gum solution.

In another embodiment, rice kernels are coated with Curcumin & Piperine. the process of enriching with Curcumin (0.02%-0.05%) and Piperine (0.001% to 0.002%). Coating solution of curcumin & piperine on rice duly stabilized the coating with emulsifiers & stabilizers by following a process of spraying &drying, steaming &drying and washing & drying.

Thus produce fortified rice kernels with micronutrients & Curcumin & Piperine enriched are blended in to bulk “uncoated rice kernels” to produce “fortified rice”.

Detailed description of the invention

The foregoing objects of the present invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiment.

The present invention provides a process of fortification of grains. In preferred embodiment, the process is directed to fortification of rice kernels with micronutrients.

Selection of appropriate variety of rice for fortification play important role in fortification process. The selection of rice variety is based on scientific study of surface finishes of the grain for the adsorption of coating of micronutrients and retention thereafter.

In order to select the rice variety suitability for fortification, evaluation of rice varieties for texture, surface area and cooking properties of Kolam, Indrayani, Basmati, Masoori, IR-64 were studied.

The surface of the rice varieties were microscopically assessed to view location where fortificant substance may attach or bond by use of colouring dye. From the study, it was found that Kolam have porous surface with vertical lines which facilitate adsorption of fortificant material as compared to all eight varieties.

Size and density of rice variety (using vernier callipers) were evaluated to find surface area of rice available for coating. The study showed that Kolam had more length, thickness, and volume, and therefore it had favourable surface area for coating from eight varieties. Hence, Kolam has been found appropriate rice variety for fortification. The example of the Kolam is given for the purpose of clarity, and it is evident that the process present invention may be used for fortification of any variety of rice grain available.

The process of fortification is carried out in three parts stated as Part A, Part B & Part C described herewith:

Part A:
In one aspect, the present invention provides the process of fortification of rice. At first step, the process comprises washing the rice kernels with water.

At second step, the process comprises of soaking the rice kernels in 0.1-0.5% curcumin solution for 80-120 minutes.

In an embodiment, curcumin solution is prepared by adding predefined quantity of curcumin in hot water having temperature of about 50 Degree Celsius. The rice kernels are soaked in the curcumin solution for 80-120 minutes.

At third step, the process comprises washing the excess color of curcumin from the soaked rice. Specifically, the soaked rice is washed with water for at least 30 seconds.

At fourth step, the process comprises steaming the soaked rice. Before steaming the soaked rice is drained on a SS sieve. Thereafter, steaming of the drained rice is carried out in a steamer at least 10 minutes for color fixation. Color fixation is a process by which color of curcumin gets added to the rice along.

At fifth step, the process comprises dehydrating the color fixed rice for at least 50-70 minutes. In an embodiment, dehydration of steamed rice kernel is carried by using air blowers. However, it may be evident to those skilled in the art to use any other suitable method for dehydration of rice kernels.

At sixth step, the process comprises coating the dehydrated rice using 20-25% micronutrient solution and 0.1-0.3% of gum solution.

In an embodiment, the coating the dehydrated rice is carried out by spraying 20-25% micronutrient solution on rice, drying the micronutrient coating, spraying the gum solution on the micronutrient coated rice and drying the gum coated rice.

In an embodiment, the coating solution is prepared by dissolving predefined quantity of the micronutrient premix in water stirring continuously to form homogenous coating solution. In an embodiment, the micronutrient premix comprises but not limited to solid/liquid forms of Vitamin A(beta-carotene), Vitamin B1(Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin) B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), Vitamin B9 (Folic acid), Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin,), Iron, Zinc, antioxidant sources and the like, to the applicable standard.

Once the micronutrient coating solution is sprayed, the coating is dried by using the air blowers at room temperature. Thereafter, the gum solution is sprayed on the dried micronutrient coating. Then the gum coating is dried by using the air blowers at room temperature.

In an embodiment, the gum solution for coating is prepared by adding predefined quantity of xanthan gum gradually in water and stirring continuously in one direction to dissolve gum uniformly into homogenous solution. The formed homogenous solution is then passed through a muslin cloth.

Part B:

At first step, the process comprises washing the rice kernels with water.

At second step, the washed rice kernels are coated with 0.02% to 0.05% Curcumin to satisfy 25 to 30% of the recommended daily allowance as recommended by world health organisation(WHO) in with combination of Piperine0.001% to 0.002% duly stabilized by use of hydrocolloids stabilizers and use of emulsifying agents at0.05% to 0.07%.

In an embodiment, curcumin solution is prepared by adding predefined quantity of Curcumin, Piperine & hydrocolloids stabilizers in hot water having temperature of about 50-70 degree Celsius. The rice kernels are coated with Curcumin and Piperine and hydrocolloid solution.

At third step, the process comprises steaming of the coated rice. Steaming of the coated rice is carried out by passing steam through a bed of the coated rice spread on SS sieve for at least 20 minutes for color fixation. Color fixation is a process by which color of Curcumin gets added to the rice along.

At fourth step, the process comprises dehydrating the color fixed rice for at least 5-6 hour. In an embodiment, dehydration of steamed curcumin and piperine coated ice kernels is carried by using air blowers. However, it may be evident to those skilled in the art to use any other suitable method for dehydration of rice kernels.

At fifth step, the process comprises washing the excess color of Curcumin from the steamed rice. Specifically, the steamed rice is washed with water for at least 30 seconds.

At sixth step, the process comprises dehydrating the washed rice for at least 3-4 hr. in an embodiment, dehydration of washed rice kernel is carried by using air blowers. However, it may be evident to those skilled in the art to use any other suitable method for dehydration of rice kernels.

Part C:

At first step, the micronutrient coated rice from part A and Curcumin & Piperine coated rice form Part B is blended with uncoated rice to make fortified rice at 1:1.5:47.5ratio respectively.

The fortified rice of the present invention shall enable not only commercial sale positively, but also have impact on consumer psychology and acceptance because of generation of the trust that ensures the micronutrient fortified rice grains are genuine, homogeneously available, easily recognizable and enable creation of a brand conscious of the needs of the consumer.

The fortified rice kernels of the present invention can be blended in specific proportions in normal rice kernels, so as to produce fortified raw rice. The fortified raw rice therefore in appearance is a homogenous blend of yellow colored coated fortified rice kernels in white raw rice. The cooked version of this blend of rice maintains the presence of yellow color identifiable fortified rice kernels that build a sense of trust and appeal to the consumer regarding the value the one is getting from the cook version of the rice.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omission and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but such are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.