The Japanese were the first to extract RBO from rice bran using the hydraulic press technique, which is still used nowadays, but recently, the preferred industrial technique for commercial uses is extraction using non-polar solvents, such as hexane .
How is rice bran oil refined?
After the extraction, the crude rice bran oil is often refined in order to improve its quality and commercial value. The fundamental steps of the refining process include dewaxing, degumming, neutralization of the free fatty acids, bleaching, and steam deodorization.
What is rice bran oil (RBO)?
This lipidic fraction can be extracted to obtain rice bran oil (RBO), a high value-added product with unique health properties as a result of its high concentration in ¦Ã-oryzanol, a powerful antioxidant mixture of bioactive molecules.
What is rice bran used for?
This by-product represents around 9% of all milled rice, and it is full of nutritional and bioactive compounds, but despite these positive proprieties, it is usually wasted or used for animal feeds. Rice bran is particularly rich in oil, which is generally extracted by means of mechanical pressing or organic solvent extraction.