Value-added product from black rice and its characterization.

The present study was undertaken to develop a value-added functional product from black rice in the form of rice wraps and to evaluate their nutritional and bioactive characteristics. The wraps were formulated using black rice and germinated black rice in combination with meishi rice and tapioca starch to obtain suitable film-forming properties and structural integrity. The developed wraps were analyzed for major bioactive compounds, including total anthocyanin content (TAC) and total phenolic content (TPC), along with selected physicochemical parameters. The results indicated that black rice possessed a high TAC of 408.87 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) equivalents, whereas germinated black rice exhibited 285.22 mg C3G equivalents, demonstrating the presence of significant anthocyanin pigments in the raw materials. The TAC of the developed wrap formulations ranged from 129.58 to 208.89 mg C3G equivalents, indicating retention of anthocyanin pigments in the final product after processing. Similarly, the total phenolic content (TPC) of the wraps ranged from 0.040 to 0.837 mg GAE/g, reflecting the presence of appreciable phenolic compounds that contribute to antioxidant activity. UPLC analysis further confirmed the presence of major anthocyanin compounds such as cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and peonidin-3-O-glucoside, which are responsible for the characteristic pigmentation and antioxidant properties of black rice. Storage stability studies conducted under low temperature (LT), room temperature dark (RTD), and room temperature light (RTL) conditions showed variations in TAC and TPC during the storage period, with relatively better retention observed under low temperature conditions, while greater reductions were noted under room temperature and light exposure. Overall, the findings demonstrate that black rice can be effectively utilized as a functional ingredient for the development of value-added cereal-based wraps with enhanced bioactive properties and potential health benefits.