Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the principal staple food, a fundamental component of food security, a significant source of energy and major nutrients, and a key player in the overall nutritional status in Bangladesh. Parboiling is a common rice-processing treatment in Bangladesh. Recently, polishing has also become a common practice among millers seeking to attract consumers. Polishing may influence the nutrient composition of rice. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of parboiling and polishing on the nutritional content of the five High Yield Varieties (HYVs) of rice (BR11, BRRI dhan28, BRRI dhan29, BRRI dhan49, and BRRI dhan84) and their percent contributions to the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) of vitamins and minerals. All of the rice samples were analyzed for proximate parameters, vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, and folate), and minerals (Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Na, K, P). Moisture, ash, fat, and total dietary fiber (TDF) were determined gravimetrically, according to the AOAC Official Methods; protein was measured by the Kjeldahl method; B-group vitamins were measured using Ultra Pressure Liquid Chromatography; and mineral content was determined by ICP-OES. The energy, protein, fat, and total dietary fiber (TDF) content of the samples ranged between 342–357 kcal/100 g, 6.79–10.74 g/100 g, 0.31–1.69 g/100 g, and 2.59–3.92 g/100 g respectively. Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxin, and folate content ranged from 0.11–0.25 mg/100 g, 0.01–0.05 mg/100 g, 2.82–6.42 mg/100 g, 0.12–0.30 g/100 g, and 5.40–23.95 g/100 g respectively. In a comparison of parboiling and polishing, macronutrients and vitamin retention were higher in parboiled unpolished rice than in polished unparboiled rice. The minerals (mg/100 g) Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Na, K, and P were in the ranges 32.82–44.72, 30.69–58.34, 0.51–0.70,1.83–2.79, 5.00–5.36, 106.49–112.73, and 162.23–298.03. Minerals of BRRI dhan84 were unaffected by polishing and parboiling. BRRI dhan84 contributed a higher percentage of RDA of all B vitamins and minerals. Therefore, to reduce nutrient loss in rice, industries and consumers should be encouraged to avoid polishing or limit polishing to 10% DOM and to consume unpolished rice, either parboiled or unparboiled.

BACKGROUND: Zinc‐biofortified rice has the potential to provide a sustainable solution for zinc deficiency, particularly in Asian countries where rice is the primary staple food. However, cooking of raw rice is associated with some loss of micronutrients, including zinc. The literature suggests that the amount of water used during cooking can influence the extent of micronutrient loss in both fortified and conventional rice varieties. This study aimed to estimate the cooking loss of zinc, iron, and phytate, as an important inhibitor of zinc, in zinc‐biofortified and conventional rice varieties and to assess the effects of the amount of water used for cooking on the loss of these micronutrients. The secondary objective was to assess the impact on iron. RESULTS: Significant differences in zinc content were observed between the biofortified and conventional raw rice varieties. The median zinc content (interquartile range) was 19.7 (19.3, 20.2) mg kg⁻¹ in the biofortified variety and 18.7 (18.3, 18.7) mg kg⁻¹ in the conventional variety ( P = 0.012). Cooking resulted in a significant reduction in zinc, iron, and phytate content with higher losses observed when cooking with ‘excess’ water (39% for zinc and 29% for iron) than when cooking with ‘adequate’ quantities of water (19% for zinc and 22% for iron). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to estimate the cooking loss of zinc in zinc‐biofortified rice in the Bangladeshi context and to estimate the effect of the amount of water used on this loss. Cooking resulted in a significant decrease in zinc and iron content, and there was a dose–response relationship between the amount of water used and the reduction in zinc and iron content. © 2026 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

There is mounting evidence linking certain lifestyle factors such as food, weight, and physical activity to an increased risk of breast cancer. Flavonoids are commonly used in traditional medicine. Plenty of studies have investigated the relationship between flavonoid consumption and breast cancer in humans. This review aimed to examine the association between flavonoids, each flavonoid subclass and the risk of breast cancer besides therapeutic use of flavonoids to break the multidrug resistance in breast cancer. Prospective cohort, case-control, and laboratory-based studies published between around 1990’s to date and referred to the impact of flavonoids on breast cancer prevention, treatment, or other roles were included. Odd Ratio (OR)/ Risk Ratio (RR) and Hazard ratio (HR) along 95% confidence interval (CI) were carefully reviewed to reveal the association between different subgroups of flavonoids and breast cancer risk. Other adjustments (e.g. age, menopausal status, food habits, race, BMI, etc.) were also considered. The antioxidant properties of flavonoids, as well as their ability to inhibit apoptosis, suppress estrogen activity, and limit the proliferation of breast cancer cells, all contribute to a significant reduction in the risk of developing breast cancer. There are linings enough that some polyphenolic compounds are effective as drugs for treating breast cancer.