I. Introduction of Nutrient Enriched Rice

The ordinary white rice is obtained through a series of fine processes of peeling, degermination, shelling and bran removal. Although it becomes easy to digest, the loss of protein, vitamins and other nutrients is high. Artificial rice (also called enriched rice, fortified rice) is produced by adding certain nutrients to ordinary rice/broken rice ingredients in accordance with the corresponding fortification standards, and then through extrusion process and drying process. The food grade enriched rice is produced to meet human body’s needs for specific nutrients. Super fortified rice will mix with ordinary rice in a certain ratio  to cook, such as 1:300, 1:200, etc.

Twin-screw extrusion process is an important method for processing nutritionally fortified rice. With the fortified rice extruder machine, the raw material can be whole-grain white rice or broken rice-a by-product produced during the rice milling process.

II. Parameters of Nutrient Enriched/Fortified Rice Machinery

III. The General Flow Chart for Nutrient Enriched Rice

• Step 1: Crushing
• Step 2: Mixing (rice flour and desired nutrient flours)
• Step 3: Extrusion & shaping
• Step 4: Drying
• Step 5: Screening (to remove small particles)
• Step 6: Measuring and packing

The brief working process of fortified rice machinery are as follows:

• The rice is crushed into finer particles of a specific size. Particles that are over coarse are not conducive to hydration, and particles that are over fine can cause clumping.
• After the rice grains are evenly mixed with the nutrients that meet the nutritional standards, they are automatically added to the rice extruder at a constant speed.
• Extrusion systems must perform many phenomena in a short period of time under controlled, continuous, and steady-state conditions. First, the mixed raw materials are conditioned and tempered, then cooked and kneaded to form dough of desired characteristics. The design of the process and the setting of equipment parameters must allow the starch to be cooked well without puffing. More importantly, the fortified nutrients are not destroyed but well fixed in the rice starch.
• The rice starch dough is extruded into rice-shaped rice grains through a forming die. The extruded rice granules are as close to rice as possible in smell, taste and texture, and already evenly packed with expected rich nutrients.
• After drying in the dryer, the weighing and packaging process are completed by the automatic packing process.

IV. Components of Nutrient Enriched/Fortified Rice Machinery

Flexibility

• According to the different added nutrients, the fortified rice making machine can produce different nutritionally fortified rice. Such as vitamin fortified rice, mineral nutrient fortified rice, protein nutrient fortified rice, compound nutrient fortified rice, etc.
• The width and length of the extruded rice grains depend on the mold, such as 0.5-3.5mm wide and 4-10mm long, etc. The mold can be customized freely.

Processing potential

• In addition to the enriched/fortified rice, by changing the formula and extrusion parameter settings, the fortified machinery is also possible to process various analog rice like corn analog rice, kudzu root analog rice, sago analog rice, etc.

V. Features

• Finished food quality ensured: Optimal extrusion solution, premium equipment design, and equipment processing ensure high-level and stable production.
• Accurate output: High designed capacity; minimal material loss;
• Less energy: High mechanical coordination, low wear; optimized heating, thermal transfer& insulation details, low heat loss
• Simple and low cost maintenance: Modular structure, easy operation. Lifetime after-sales service
• Material: High-quality food-safe materials for all food contact part
• Failure rate:  Nearly zero failure as long as preventive maintenance 
• Attention to details, constantly strive for perfection