Amylase-Treated Rice Flour Oral Rehydration Solution with Enhanced Energy Density. I. in Vitro Studies of Viscosity, Osmolality, and Stability

Abstract

Recent studies on the dietary management of dehydrated children with oral rehydration solution (ORS) showed that maximizing nutrient intake during treatment can curtail the nutritional deterioration of an episode of acute diarrhoea. The viscosity of a 10% or 15% (w/v) rice flour solution can be reduced to that of a drinkable solution by appropriate incubation and partial hydrolysis of rice starch with a commercial-amylase. Cooking the solution for 5 minutes at 90°C inactivates the enzyme. When 0.32 ml of-amylase enzyme was added, the viscosity of a 10% rice-based oral rehydration solution (RB-ORS) measured at 0.3 revolution per minute declined from 50,539 to 636 centipoise (cp), and when 0.96 ml of enzyme was added to a 15% RB-ORS, the viscosity declined from 170,258 to 1,283 cp. The osmolality of enzyme-treated RB-ORS without electrolytes was 5 mOsm; that of the electrolyte mixture alone was 160 mOsm; that of 10% RB-ORS with electrolytes was 225 mOsm; and that of 15% RB-ORS with electrolytes was 295 mOsm. The 10% and 15% rice flour solutions incubated with-amylase can be converted to easy-to-drink solutions that could potentially be used as ORS with greater nutritional value than current glucosebased solutions. Clinical trials are necessary to test the safety and efficacy of these enzyme-treated RB-ORS.

Amylase-Treated Rice Flour Oral Rehydration Solution with Enhanced Energy Density. Ii. in Vivo Studies of Tolerance, Energy Intake, and Rehydration Efficacy in the Initial Treatment of Dehydrated Diarrhoeic Children

“…The viscosities, measured in centipoise (cp), were lower in the more concentrated states due to the action of amylase, making a more fluid beverage at the two higher levels of rice than in the 5% rice emulsion without the enzyme. This concurred with our earlier observations [5]. Osmolality increased in a stepwise fashion, reaching almost 300 mOsm/L in the 15% RB-ORS with added amylase.…”

“…At the frontier of an innovative idea, we have opted to proceed slowly and cautiously from in vitro observations [5] to the short-term initiation of therapy. Slight numerical differences were observed with one treatment or another, but no distinct trend toward either net positive or negative clinical effects in rehydration was seen.…”

“…The solutions were prepared each day as necessary, using commercial rice flour (Pacific Rice, Inc., Woodland, California, USA; coded variety 7011). The preparation procedure was as described in the companion article [5]. The sodium (Na) and potassium (K) concentrations of the solutions were verified in a selective electrode photometer (Electrolyte Analyzer; AVL, Schaffhausen, Switzerland).…”

“…Ingenuity and creativity in food technology and community resource development must be applied to continue to reduce the mortality from acute dehydrating diarrhoeal disease, which still accounts for millions of deaths annually in developing countries [1][2][3][4]. In a companion paper [5] we discussed the history and potential of rice-based oral rehydration solution (RB-ORS) to prevent and treat dehydrating diarrhoea. Conventional 2% glucose-based ORS (GB-ORS) is hypocaloric relative to the needs of a young child, especially with the superimposed stress of disease.…”

“…During preliminary studies [5], we examined in vitro the viscosity, osmolality, and stability of concentrated rice flour solutions that were treated with amylase to reduce the thickness to that of a flowing liquid that would be easy to drink. As the next step in the sequential development of this concept we tested the solution in human subjects.…”