Evaluation of morphology, nutrition, and phytochemicals in bamboo rice from Bangladesh

Abstract

Bamboo rice, the grains produced from bamboo seeds, is a unique and underexplored food traditionally consumed by indigenous and economically disadvantaged communities for its nutritional and medicinal value. The present study evaluated the morphological parameters, proximate composition, mineral content, and phytochemical profile of bamboo rice grains collected from the Fulbari Upazila of Dinajpur District. As evident from the investigation, bamboo rice grains are metallic bronze in color, the average grain length was 6.87 ± 0.54 mm and average weight of the grain was 13.54 ± 3.01 mg. Proximate analysis revealed that the bamboo rice has moisture content of 10.15%, dry matter of 89.9%, crude protein of 10.1%, crude fiber of 5.65%, ash content of 4.45%, and metabolizable energy of 2943.51 kcal/kg (animal) and 3295 kcal/kg (human). Nutritional profiling revealed a total protein content of 7.81%, amylose content of 22.10%, essential minerals such as zinc (13.21 ppm), iron (4.36 ppm), calcium (53.12 ppm), and phosphorus (2.44 g/kg). Qualitative phytochemical screening confirmed the availability of several bioactive phytochemicals including carbohydrates, coumarins, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, resins, saponins, tannins, and terpenoids. The findings indicated that bamboo rice has substantial nutritional and medicinal contents, which supports the claim of its utility in food and medicine. It also validates bamboo rice’s potential applications in dietary diversification, food security, and sustainable nutrition in Bangladesh. Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 14(1 & 2): 67-78, 2025 (June & December)