Changes in physical, cooking, textural properties and crystallinity upon iron fortification of red rice (Jyothi)

The present study is an investigation, into one of
the varieties of paddy (Jyothi) its fortification with sodium
iron EDTA salt, its physical properties, cooking characteristics,
color, texture and characterization studies. Fortification
was done at two concentrations 1.88 g/kg (T1 corresponding
Iron content 0.25 g/Kg) and 3.39 g/kg (T2 corresponding Iron
content 0.45 g/Kg). It was found that the iron content increased
2.5 folds after fortification, as compared to control
sample. The results revealed that, there was significant difference
between the physical properties of rice in the control,
fortified brown and milled rice. The cooking parameters for
control and fortified brown rice viz. cooking time, volume
expansion water uptake were quite close to the control sample.
The cooking time for fortified rice was 1–2 min high as compared
to control, other parameters remained same. In case of
milled rice, the cooking time and volume expansion for control
milled rice and fortified was almost same; however the
water uptake was higher for fortified milled rice as compared
to control milled rice. The texture of fortified brown rice was
hard as compared to fortified milled rice, although the taste
was found satisfactory. The colour was significantly different
in brown and milled rice. X-ray diffraction results revealed the
polycrystalline nature of the fortified sample, was somewhat
less crystalline as compared to control sample.