| Abstract: | Brown rice flour was mixed with a Chinese medical plant (Euryale ferox Salisb.) and processed to make ready‐to‐eat breakfast cereals using twin‐screw extrusion. Levels of 15 and 20% feed moisture in flour, and 200 and 250 rpm screw speed were set, and the physicochemical properties and content of α‐, β‐, γ‐, and δ‐tocopherols were determined. The data showed that 15% feed moisture gave a low bulk density and water absorption index but a high expansion ratio and water solubility index. High screw speed (250 rpm) produced a result similar to that of 15% feed moisture. A sample with 85% brown rice flour with 15% E. ferox Salisb. retained the highest content of α‐, β‐, γ‐, and δ‐tocopherols (125, 6, 78, and 9 μg/g), respectively. The optimum extrusion conditions determined were 15% E. ferox Salisb. mixed with brown rice at 15% feed moisture and at 250 rpm screw speed. |
