Pigmented Rice: The Colourful Wonder Grain

Abstract

Rice exists in different colours such as white, black, red and brown. The most common rice consumed by people is white rice, followed by brown rice. However, rice genotypes with red, purple, or black bran layer have been cultivated for a long time in Asia and Africa. The process of dehulling and milling discards most micronutrients, fatty acids, antioxidants, and fibre. As a result, diets those are over-reliant on white rice risk deficiencies for several nutritional factors. Improving the nutritional quality of rice grains through the modulation of bioactive compounds and micronutrients represents an efficient means of addressing nutritional security in societies that depend heavily on rice as a staple food. Pigmented rice contains a variety of flavones, tannins, phenolics, sterols, oryzanols, and essential oils, which acts as bioactive compounds involved in a wide range of beneficial health effects. It can also have potential use in food and cosmetic industry.