Rice noodle, a widely consumed rice product in Southeast Asia, is potentially carrier for fortification with vitamin A, folic acid and iron. However, processing method is one of the main factors that may affect the quality of fortified rice noodle and retention of fortified micronutrients or fortificants in the noodle. The aims of this study were to examine chemical properties, quality, microstructure and sensory characteristics of fortified rice noodle which was prepared by two different processing methods, boiling and steaming. The retention of vitamin A, folic acid and iron at each stage of rice noodle processing was also investigated. Steaming enhanced the chemical properties, quality, microstructure and panelists preferences of rice noodle. The patterns of vitamin A, folic acid and iron retentions in rice noodle prepared by the two different processing methods were very similar at each stages of processing. However, vitamin A, folic acid and iron retentions at each stage of processing were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in rice noodle prepared by steaming than those in rice noodle prepared by boiling. Boiling retained 16.12% vitamin A, 35.08% folic acid and 86.46% iron while steaming retained 23.51% vitamin A, 48.75% folic acid and 99.34% iron.
Citation:Malahayati, N., et al. The Effect of Processing Method on Fortified Rice Noodle Quality and Fortificant Retention. (2017) Int J Food Nutr Sci 4(2): 30-37. Malahayati, N., et al.
Sensory evaluation of rice noodleResults of sensory evaluation based on overall acceptability of CRN-A and CRN-B showed that 36 panelists preferred the CRN-B. Based on the minimum value (X) required for significant preference [19] , the value for 50 panelists at an alpha of 5% was 33. The obtained value of 36 was greater than the minimum value required and therefore, the panelists had a significant preference for the CRN-B over the CRN-A.
Microstructures of rice noodles prepared by two different noodle processing methodsMicrostructures of RN, DRN and CRN were affected by the noodle processing method as shown in (Figure 1,2,3), respectively. The cross-section of RN-A exhibited a compact structure with some small empty holes ( Figure 1A). Furthermore, the RN-B exhibited a regular, smooth and close structure ( Figure 1B). This result was consistent with the finding that RN-B had more gelatinized starch than RN-A. Such a structure of RN-B can cause less oxygen diffusion and therefore, may result in less fortificant degradation. Figure 1: Cross-sections of fresh rice noodle (RN) prepared by two different. noodle processing methods. (A) RN-A, (B) RN-B at X1500 magnification. Starch gelatinization in RN influenced the network formation of bonded swollen starch granules present in the porous Int J Food