Effect of Cooking Method and the Nutritional Quality of Some Rice (Oryza Sativa) Varieties Consumed in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

Rice is a staple food for over half of the world's population. The nutritional value derived from rice consumption is based on a number of factors including how the rice is prepared. This study assessed the effect of two commonly used cooking methods (with and without parboiling) on the nutritional composition of the nine milled rice samples consumed in Minna, Niger State (three samples each of Nigerian local, Nigerian bagged and foreign rice). The different rice samples were cooked using the two methods and proximate compositions were evaluated according to the method of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) and compared. The results showed significant reduction (p<0.05) in the percentages of ash, fat, fiber and protein contents of all rice samples using both cooking methods compared to the raw samples. The parboiling method however resulted in significantly more reduction in this nutrient contents compared to the samples cooked without parboiling. The percentages carbohydrate contents were significantly higher (p<0.05) in both cooking methods for all rice samples compared to the raw samples. The significantly higher (p<0.05) loss of nutrients by parboiling methods compared to without parboiling observed in this study that rice is nutritionally better cooked without parboiling.