Page 100 - FoodFocusThailand No.239 March 2026

ORGANIC RICEBERRY

MILK POWDER:

A FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENT INNOVATION

FOR THE BAKERY INDUSTRY

Riceberry rice is a distinctive Thai rice variety characterized by its deep purple color and its significance as an
important economic crop reflecting the potential of Thai agriculture. In the context of the modern food industry,
Riceberry has gained attention as a local raw material with broad opportunities for innovative development
beyond primary agricultural production, extending across the value chain from upstream to downstream.
The development of Riceberry milk powder represents both ingredient-based and process-based innovation,
concretely linking agriculture with food technology. This approach supports the transformation of Thai rice
into a functional ingredient for the bakery and food industries, offering sustainable commercial potential.

Riceberry Rice: More Than a Pigmented Grain significant value-addition strategy and a pathway to unlocking
Riceberry rice possesses a higher nutritional value than its technological potential. This approach enables broader
conventional white rice, as it is rich in dietary fiber, protein, application as a functional ingredient in the bakery industry,
B-complex vitamins, and essential minerals such as iron enhancing nutritional value, processing performance, and
and zinc. It also contains bioactive compounds, including sustainable market differentiation.
anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, and tocopherols,
which exhibit strong antioxidant properties. Food science Process Design for Nutrient Stability and
research has demonstrated that these compounds enhance Industrial Production
the nutritional quality and functional potential of processed Riceberry milk powder elevates Thai rice from a primary
food products. Moreover, these bioactive compounds can agricultural commodity to a functional ingredient for the bakery
retain some stability under appropriately controlled thermal industry. In powder form, it offers improved transportability,
conditions in baked food systems. In addition, the dietary storage stability, and compatibility with industrial dry-mix
fiber and plant-based proteins present in Riceberry influence systems. Produced from organically cultivated Riceberry
both water-binding capacity and dough structure, which processed into rice milk and dried using foam-mat technology,
are critical factors in the development of bakery products, this approach enhances drying efficiency while preserving
such as bread, cakes, and cookies. However, the commercial heat-sensitive bioactive compounds. The porous structure
utilization of Riceberry has historically been limited primarily enables good dissolution and dispersion in dough and batter,
to cooked rice or rice flour applications. The development while its water-binding properties influence viscosity, moisture
of “organic Riceberry milk powder” therefore represents a retention, and overall product quality. Thus, Riceberry milk

100 FOOD FOCUS THAILAND MAR 2026

22/2/2569 BE 19:33
98-101_��������� 4.indd 100
98-101_��������� 4.indd 100 22/2/2569 BE 19:33