Identification and determination of naturally occurring folates in grains of rice (Oryza sativa L.) by UPLC-MS/MS analysis

Abstract

The genetic potential and biofortification of India-grown rice with bioavailable folate has not been studied yet. The objectives of this study were to determine the folates concentration in four cultivars of rice through UPLC–MS/MS. Total folate concentration in rice cultivars ranged from 11.0 to 51 μg/100 g with a mean of 26.0 μg/100 g. Among the four rice cultivars, the pigmented grain cultivar Nootripathu possesses two-fold rich sources of total folates than the other three non-pigmented grain cultivars. The average value of 100 g serving of rice grains could provide the amount of recommended daily allowance (% RDA) of dietary folates (6.5%) for adults, which ranged from 2.7–12.7%. Among the 5 individual forms of folates, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate was most abundant in rice cultivars followed by 10-Formylfolic acid and folic acid. The result of this study has been useful for biofortification of folates in rice.

Keywords:

• Rice
• folate profile
• food analysis
• food composition
• UPLC–MS/MS

Acknowledgment

We are grateful to Dr Tom Warkentin and Dr Randal Purves from University of Saskatchewan, Canada, for tremendous supervision in estimation of folate in pulses seed samples and this knowledge is primarily helped for this folate study.