Commercial puffed rice is produced through steam extrusion, where an extruder pushes rice flour mixed with water through a narrow opening at high temperature and pressure. However, this process may destroy heat-sensitive nutrients.
The new study, which was conducted by the team led by Syed SH Rizvi, aimed at lowering the loss of nutrients, while enriching the rice with protein and other nutrients during the puffing process.
In order to achieve this, the research team used a process that uses carbon dioxide, which has been used for making decaffeinated coffee and in other applications.
The scientists said that the new process has enabled them to produce puffed rice that has three times more protein and eight times more dietary fiber than commercial puffed rice. It contained calcium, iron, zinc and other nutrients, which are not found in commercial puffed rice. In addition, the new puffed rice was crispier than commercial products, giving it a better crunch and taste.
Their study appears in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
The report said that the new rice is suitable for consumption as breakfast cereals, snack food and as part of nutrition bars for school lunch programs.
"The balanced nutritional profile and use of staple crop byproducts such as broken rice makes these expanded crisps unique to the marketplace," the report added.
