Efficient fortification of folic acid in rice through ultrasonic treatment and absorption

Rhowell N Tiozon Jr; Drexel H Camacho; Aldrin P Bonto; Glenn G Oyong; Nese Sreenivasulu

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127629

Efficient fortification of folic acid in rice through ultrasonic treatment and absorption

Food Chem. 2021 Jan 15:335:127629. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127629. Epub 2020 Jul 25.

Authors

Rhowell N Tiozon Jr¹, Drexel H Camacho², Aldrin P Bonto³, Glenn G Oyong⁴, Nese Sreenivasulu⁵

Affiliations

¹ Chemistry Department, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila 0922, Philippines. Electronic address: rhowell_tiozon@dlsu.edu.ph.
² Chemistry Department, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila 0922, Philippines; Organic Materials and Interfaces Unit, CENSER, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila 0922, Philippines. Electronic address: drexel.camacho@dlsu.edu.ph.
³ Chemistry Department, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila 0922, Philippines. Electronic address: aldrin_p_bonto@dlsu.edu.ph.
⁴ Organic Materials and Interfaces Unit, CENSER, De La Salle University, 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila 0922, Philippines. Electronic address: glenn.oyong@dlsu.edu.ph.
⁵ Grain Quality and Nutrition Center, International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños, Laguna 4031, Philippines. Electronic address: n.sreenivasulu@irri.org.

PMID: 32736156
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127629

Abstract

Folate deficiencies are prevalent in countries with insufficient food diversity. Rice fortification is seen as a viable way to improve the daily intake of folates. This work reports an efficient process of rice fortification involving ultrasonic treatment and absorption of the folic acid fortificant. Increased porosity due to sonication allowed the efficient absorption of folic acid into the brown rice kernel up to 5.195 × 10⁴ μg/100 g, a 1,982-fold increase from its inherent content. The absorbed folic acid in brown rice has 93.53% retention after washing and cooking. Fortification of ultrasound-treated milled rice with folic acid was also efficient affording 6.559 × 10⁴ μg/100 g, a 4,054-fold increase from its basal content. The effect of fortification caused a decrease in the thermal and pasting temperatures. The fortification also caused yellow coloration, decrease in hardness, and increase in the adhesiveness of the rice. The resulting fortified brown rice showed improved textural properties favorable for consumers.

Keywords: Folate; Folic acid; Fortification; Rice.

MeSH terms

Absorption, Physicochemical*
Adhesiveness
Color
Folic Acid / chemistry*
Food, Fortified / analysis*
Hardness
Oryza / chemistry*
Ultrasonic Waves*

Substances

Folic Acid