Patent ID: 8597711

Claim:
A method of making enriched rice, comprising the steps of: providing an amount of grains of refined rice, said grains of refined rice being reduced in germ so as to have a starch content of about 90% in weight, said grains of refined rice each having an outer wall; providing an amount of germs of rice in the range 1% to 10% in weight of the grains of refined rice together with the germs of rice; and causing said germs of rice to adhere to the outer wall of said grains of refined rice so as to form an integral body, through a mixing step of said grains of refined rice and said germs of rice, said mixing step being performed in an upright mixer comprising a container having internal smooth walls, so as to reduce abrasive action on said grains of refined rice and said germs of rice, internally equipped with a rotating mixing member comprising an endless helical screw and a distributing member, said container and said mixing member being so arranged that they cooperate in order to give to the mixture a downward movement along the axis of the mixing member and an upward movement along the container walls, said mixing step being performed for a time of 7 to 14 minutes with an increase in the temperature of the mixture up to about 30 to 40° C., and said mixing step being followed without interruption by a packing step, thereby avoiding the risk of separation of the germs of rice from the grains of refined rice because of abrasion or shaking of the enriched rice.