Low-Protein Rice (LPR) Product: Processing Method and Product Safety.
The washed WR is placed in a reaction solution containing dissolved EM and citric acid, and allowed to soak for a certain period of time in a temperature and pH conducive to enzyme activity.
This breaks down the protein in the WR. Subsequently, thorough washing removes any unnecessary matter: rice protein decomposition product, EM, and excess citric acid. These steps yield LPR, which is raw, protein reduced WR. In addition, the hot water injection process makes it possible to change the amount of added water at will. Thus, the moisture content of the product can be adjusted easily to obtain the desired hardness/softness of the cooked rice.
However, simply steaming the rice with saturated steam results in highly viscous starch eluting from the surface of the LPR grains. This causes the LPR grains to stick strongly to each other, making it extremely difficult to separate the grains into uniform size. Variations in the size of LPR clusters can cause uneven drying. Trying to separate unevenly dried LPR clusters generates large quantities of cracked and crushed rice.
LPR enhances the quality of mealtimes for CKD patients by increasing their range of food choices. It is therefore, reasonable to say that PLC Rice products offer high added value, as it not
only facilitates adhesion to LPD but also add satisfaction and contentment to daily meals, helping to enhance the QoL of patients with CKD.
Adv Food Technol Nutr Sci Open J. 2017; 3(1): 33-41. doi: 10.17140/AFTNSOJ-3-142
