Nutrient diversity in 251 Indian rice germplasms and dietary nutrient supply through rice in rice based diets

Abstract

Comprehensive nutrient profiling of 251 modern rice germplasm was carried out as brown rice and milled counterparts by grain types to assess their nutrient supply potentials. Significant variability was observed in most nutrients, which was very large for micronutrients. Except for moisture and energy, all other nutrients evaluated were significantly affected by the degree of milling and grain types. Using nutrient density score (NDS), several germplasm with a much better nutrient profile than the rest were identified. Rice as a staple food is the most crucial nutrient contributor to the recommended dietary allowances in the rice-based Indian diet for most nutrients, but it was low for fat, iron, riboflavin, and calcium. By far, brown rice has the best potential for nutrient supply. The study highlights the importance of intra-varietal nutrient differences within the rice to help select and breed superior germplasm to improve nutrient intakes considerably among populations.