Chemical and biological evaluation of the effects of fermentation on the nutritive value of foods prepared from rice and grams.

I . Studies were made of the effects of fermentation on the chemical composition and nutritive value of Idli, a product prepared from milled rice and dehusked black gram, and also of Khaman, a product prepared from dehusked and milled bengal gram. 2. Fermentation brought about an increase in thiamine and riboflavine contents and a decrease in phytate content in both materials. 3. Weanling rats fed on fermented Idli and Khaman were found to be superior to those fed on the corresponding unfermented product with regard to weight gain, nitrogen retention, thiamine and riboflavine contents of the liver and the activities of liver xanthine oxidase and succinic dehydrogenase and haemoglobin content of blood.