Project report for Roasted Rice Flakes - Poha

Project report for poha- rice flakes manufacturing is as follows:

Beaten rice is also called  flattered rice. It  is rice which is flattened into flat, light, dry flakes originating from the Indian subcontinent. These flakes of rice swell when added to liquid, whether hot or cold, as they absorb water, milk or any other liquids. The thickness of the flakes varies between almost translucently thin (the more expensive varieties) to nearly four times thinner than a normal rice grain.

Generally the beaten rice is a popular food for all kinds of human living inIndia. Most people used this as a raw food in ancient times which is very easy to produce and prepare at home. Now the people are making different kinds of recipes with this by adding sweetness or spices. This is rich in fiber and carbohydrate and can be consumed even by those suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure etc. Now the medical journals are also encouraging the same. Another point to be remembered is that paddy is available in plenty in India (and kerala) and hence the raw material has no shortage. Beaten ricecan be used as a fast food. It can also be used as a main dish. Its shelf life is also vevy long. This easily digestible form of raw rice is very popular across India, Nepal and Bangladesh, and is normally used to prepare snacks or light and easy fast food in a variety of Indian cuisine styles, some even for long-term consumption of a week or moreIt is growing fast not only because of macro factors, such as acceptance of packaged food and rising household incomes but also because companies have become innovative .The market is estimated to be growing annually up to 20 % , and with modern retail providing new recipes of the contemporary products, Indian and Western, a strong wave of growth is anticipated. The demand of Rice flake in the market is immense and therefore its market position Is splendid. Hence it is an excellent field to venture .

The Process

The paddy is cleaned and stones are removed. It is soaked in water and boiled in a boiler. When it is lowered its temperature is reduced a little and is pounded or pressed mechanically to form flakes. It is sieved and roasted by adding the required flavors. This product is packed and labeled indifferent weights. The step by step processing is:

1. Cleaning of Paddy

2. Soaking

3. Boiling

4.Pounding

Beaten rice is formed after pounding. But the husk and broken particles are to be removed.

5.Sieving

6. Roasting

7. Packaging

 Paddy is the raw material require to manufacture Rice Flakes. Rice Flake is locally known by many names like, aval, avalakki, poha, chewda and beaten rice. Rice flake is the husked rice which is flattened into flat light dry flakes. These flakes of rice swell when added to liquid, whether hot or cold, as they absorb water, milk or any other liquids. The thicknesses of these flakes vary between almost translucently thin (the more expensive varieties) to nearly four times thicker than a normal rice grain. These are also known as POHA. Paha industry comprises an important segment of Industrial activity in food processing industry in the country. It provides nutrition breakfast and food to a large number of households in cities, towns and even villages of India.

It is suggested to install a unit with annual production capacity of 250MT based on 300working days and 1 shift per day.

  Rice flakes are tasty flakes that are created using rice grains. The process for creating rice flakes involves parboiling the rice, then flattening the grains to product a solid flake. There are a number of rice flake recipes used in Asian cuisine. Often in western countries, rice flakes are used to create cereals and different types of snacks.. Once the rice is tender, the cooked grains are rolled, then flattened. The thickness of the flattened rice will depend on the amount of pressure that is applied. After the mixture is the desired thickness, the flattened rice is allowed to dry completely. The dried sheets are then ran through another rolling process to create simple flakes. At this point in the process, the rice flakes may be packaged for use as a dry cereal, or used as an ingredient in recipes for a side dish, or used to create desserts or even snack foods. Rice flakes are prepared from paddy. It is also popularly known as "Poha". It is a fast moving consumer item and generally eaten as breakfast item. With this background, the CFTRI developed a process for improved Rice flaking. The improved process has the advantage of increase in yield and better quality products, besides economic utilization of by-products. The kernel of rice can become cracked in the field, during the drying process, or during the milling process. Cracks are usually caused by moisture migrating too quickly within the kernel Often these cracks cause the kernels to break during milling and so broken rice is generated.  The side effects of junk food are gradually spreading among the consumers and they are looking for a safe alternative. Many types of harmful chemicals are added to most of the fast food/ bakery items as preservative, colour, essence and flavor. If the consumers have an alternative item without much compromising on shelf life and variety of items made of it, many customers will opt natural food items like beaten rice. Many delicious items can be prepared from it by adding jiggery, sugar, decicated coconut, milk, chocolate etc. It is very much tasty and nutritious to consume with tea and coffee. East, west , central and south India has a good market for this product. 20 % growth is expected in this sector. Therefore, marketing is not at all a problem at all.