본 연구에서는 영양과 건강, 그리고 편의성까지 고려한 즉석식품 형태의 쌀미음을 제조하였다. 제조된 쌀미음 분말의 영양성분 구성비를 일반성분 분석을 통하여 분석 하였고, 과립공정에 따른 재수화능의 향상을 연구하였다. 과립분말은 혼합분말보다 지방함량과 단백질 함량이 각각 0.9, 1.9% 높게 나타난 반면, 탄수화물 함량은 상대적으로 3.2% 낮게 나타났다. 과립분말의 단백질 조성은 71.1-118.5 g으로 1일 권장 단백질 섭취량 45-55 g보다 많았는데, 이는 일반적인 환자식이 지니는 공통적인 특성이다. 분말 입자의 침강 속도를 보여주는 분산성의 경우 과립분말(93.7%)은 혼합분말(77.0%) 보다 높게 나타났고, 재수화에 걸리는 시간도 과립분말(122.3 초)이 혼합분말(305.3 초)보다 빨랐으며 이들 결과는 과립공정이 분말의 재수화능을 향상시켜 주었음을 보여준다. 호화쌀가루를 이용한 쌀미음은 기존의 우유 단백질 위주의 환자식을 곡류로 대체하며 영양강화 쌀 가공제품의 개발에 의미가 있다.
Instantized thin gruels have been popular to supplement patients who want nutritional, ready-to-eat, and easy-to-use products. In this study, rice-based thin gruels were developed by use of gelatinized rice powder which was manufactured by extrudating rice in a twin-screw extruder. Subsequently, the rice paste from the extruder were dried and ground into fine powder. The gelatinized rice powder was mixed with the powders of various grains, soy beans, nuts, oil seeds, and vegetables to formulate the instantized thin rice gruel with well-balanced nutrients (mixed powder). The mixed powder was granulated to improve reconstitution capability in a fluid bed spray granulator (granulated powder). Lipid and protein contents were higher by 0.9 and 1.9%, respectively, in the granulated powder whereas carbohydrate content was higher by 3.2% in the mixed powder. The calculated dispersibility was 93.7 and 77.0% for the granulated and the mixed powders, respectively. The reconstitution time was 122.3 and 305.3 for the granulated and the mixed powders, respectively. In conclusion, the granulation of the mixed powder improved the dispersibility. This study will be helpful to develop a variety of processed rice products and promote rice process industry.