Globally, India leads in rice cultivation area and ranks second in production after China, contributing 21.5% to global production. Nationally, rice covers 25% of cultivated land and makes up 40-43% of total foodgrain production (FAO). However, common white rice lacks essential vitamins and minerals, leading to health issues. Fortification involves adding nutrients like iron, folic acid, and vitamin A directly to rice, addressing deficiencies. This process creates fortified rice by dusting with a nutrient mix or mixing coated fortified kernels with non-fortified rice in ratios of 0.5%-2%, improving its nutritional value.

Rice fortification is a scientific method of enhancing essential micronutrients in rice, aiming to boost its nutritional value without posing significant health risks. This process occurs after harvesting, addressing nutrient losses that typically happen during milling and polishing. In India, where rice is a staple for 65% of the population, fortification is especially crucial. It seamlessly integrates into government safety net programs, ensuring that vulnerable and economically disadvantaged populations receive the nutritional benefits. State food and civil supplies departments collaborate with rice millers to consistently supply fortified rice to the Food Corporation of India, supporting social safety net schemes.

Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK) are rice grains shaped and enriched with vital vitamins and minerals to boost their nutritional value. This fortification process includes extruding a blend of milled rice and a premix containing essential nutrients or coating whole rice kernels with these vital elements. The resultant FRK can be effortlessly mixed with conventional rice, providing a convenient and efficient means to enhance the nutritional profile of this dietary staple. Distributed for routine consumption, fortified rice seeks to combat micronutrient deficiencies and promote the overall health of the public.

Premix is a combination of micronutrients, specifically vitamins and minerals, blended in precise proportions, designed for use as fortificants during the manufacturing of Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK). The premix comprises essential components such as Micronized Ferric Pyrophosphate or Sodium Iron (III) Ethylenediaminetetraacetate trihydrate (Sodium Feredetate - NaFeEDTA), Folic Acid, Cyanocobalamin, or Hydroxocobalamin. Additionally, the premix may include other chemical compounds like Zinc Oxide (ZnO), Retinyl Palmitate, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, or Riboflavin 5’-phosphate Sodium, Nicotinamide, or Nicotinic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, among others. This is then blended with polished rice at about a ratio of 1:100. This comprehensive premix serves as a valuable nutritional enhancement for FRK production.

Elevated levels of micronutrients are introduced to a portion of the rice, followed by the application of water-resistant edible coatings to the rice kernels. These coated kernels are subsequently blended with unfortified rice, with ratios typically ranging from 1:50 to 1:200. Challenges associated with coating technologies predominantly revolve around issues such as color alteration, taste modification, and micronutrient loss during both washing and cooking processes. Notably, there is considerable variability among coating technologies, with instances where consumers can easily discern the fortified kernels, potentially leading to their removal during rice cleaning procedures.

The refined rice grains are mixed with the powdered vitamin/mineral premix. The electrostatic forces cause the vitamin/mineral mixture to adhere to the surface of the grains. Since nutrients may be lost during washing, it is important to emphasize on the packaging that washing before cooking is not recommended.

In India, rice is fortified using this extrusion technology. Here's how it works: First, regular rice is ground into fine particles, and then it's mixed with a premix containing vitamins and minerals. This blend is processed using an extruder machine to form Fortified Rice Kernels. These FRKs are added to traditional rice in specific ratios, usually ranging from 1:50 to 1:200. The result is fortified rice that closely resembles regular rice in terms of aroma, taste, and texture. This fortified rice is then distributed for regular consumption. Extrusion can proceed via two types; Hot and cold extrusion. Dough comprising rice flour, a vitamin/mineral mix, and water undergoes processing through a single- or twin-screw extruder. This extrusion method cuts the dough into granular structures resembling rice grains. In hot extrusion, elevated temperatures (70–110 °C) are achieved through preconditioning and/or steam-heated barrel jackets. This yields fully or partially precooked simulated rice-like grains with a comparable appearance to unfortified rice kernels. In contrast, cold extrusion relies solely on the thermal energy generated during the process, maintaining low temperatures (below 70°C). This results in uncooked, opaque grains that are easily distinguishable from unfortified rice kernels. The rice premix, thus produced, is then blended with natural polished rice in a ratio of approximately 1:200 to create fortified rice

The Innovation Hub for Rice Fortification(IHRF) is an innovative partnership that brings together renowned collaborators like FICSI, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, NIFTEM-K, and CFTRI Mysore.