Eating Healthy with Bran

Traditional Medicine (Bran)

Bran as a by-product of rice milling karyopsis obtained from the outer layer of rice. Although rice bran is available in abundance in Indonesia, their utilization for human consumption is still limited. To date, of limited use as feed. In fact, the nutritional value of rice bran are very good, rich in vitamin B, vitamin E, essential fatty acids, food fiber, protein, oryzanol, and ferulat acid.

Phytochemical compounds in rice bran (phytos = plants, chemicals = chemicals) become an important research topic because it can provide physiological functions in the prevention of degenerative diseases. Bran phytochemical composition varies greatly, depending on agronomic factors, rice varieties, and the process penggilingannya (degrees sosoh).

Fraction no tersabunkan of rice bran oil contained up to 5 percent by weight oil, with the main content of sterols. Sterols contained in large quantities are b-sitosterol that amount 50 percent of the total sterols.

Another important component is a compound protocol (tokotrienol and tocopherol). Tocopherol is vitamin E which are powerful antioxidants that are so important in maintaining human health. Other Ingredients are also very beneficial health effect is oryzanol and ferulat acid (ferulic acid).

The use of bran as a food is limited because it is easily damaged by oxidative and hydrolytic activity of lipase enzymes that naturally (endogenous) present in rice bran oil or by microbes. To obtain a durable character of food grade rice bran with a high quality, all components of the cause of damage must be removed or inhibited, and at the same time the content of valuable components (nutritional) must be maintained.

Traditional Medicine (Bran)

Of the several methods of stability that has been done, the method and heating treatment at high pressure and moisture content, can still be considered the best way. This method is based on the utilization of the water content of rice bran as an intermediary (heat transfer), denaturation of enzymes, and sterilization. Two methods that belong to this process is a rotating drum and move the hot extrusion. The advantage of this process does not require the flow of moisture from the outside, the equipment is relatively small, and easy installation operations as well. Thus, the unit can be combined with rice milling unit with minor modifications.

Health Benefits

Bran has a relatively high nutrient content and added bioactive components of oryzanol, tocopherol, and ferulat acid, making the rice bran as raw materials that have the potential to be used as functional food.

Effects hipoklesterolemik bran and some fractions (neutral detergent fiber, hemicellulose, rice bran oil, and not material tersabunkan) has been widely observed, both in animals and humans. Rice bran oil significantly lowered blood cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol, and can increase blood levels of HDL cholesterol. The ability of rice bran oil lowers cholesterol levels because of oryzanol and other capabilities of materials that do not tersabunkan. In addition have the effect to lower blood cholesterol levels, recent research shows that ferulat acid also has a role in lowering blood pressure and blood glucose in both animal tests and human trials.

Traditional Medicine (Bran)

During this time rice bran as a by-product of rice milling and waste are used as feed with low economic value. Actually, rice bran can be used as raw material for food industry and pharmaceutical industry.

Functional foods are defined as foods based on knowledge about the relationship between food and health food components are also expected to have certain health benefits (Broek, 1993).

Because it is a food, then the functional food according to Japanese scientists has three basic functions, ie sensory (color and attractive appearance, good flavor) and nutritional (high nutritional value), and physiological (physiological effect beneficial to the body). Several physiological functions expected of a functional food is the occurrence of disease prevention, increase endurance, rhythmic state regulatory body, slows the aging process, and remedial return (recovery).

Thus, although containing compounds useful for the health, functional food rather than a capsule, tablet or powder derived from natural compounds. Therefore functional foods should be consumed as is appropriate daily food, the shape can be food or beverage.

For food, rice bran can be mixed with other ingredients in the manufacture of biscuits, cakes, and others. Use of commercial rice bran new overseas bran for oil extraction.

Utilization of rice bran that has been preserved as cereal breakfast food, with a ratio (in percent) of rice flour: rice bran from 90:10 until 30:70. Substitution of rice bran 15 per cent on wheat flour was reported to give optimal results on the acceptance of cookies and sweet breads. This substitution increased food fiber (hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin) and niacin in the product (Muchtadi et al, 1995).

From the discussion above shows that rice bran has the potential to be developed as functional food. The potential is positively correlated with rice as a major consumer of Indonesian society. Utilization of rice mill waste can be processed into durable rice bran, and then processed further as a functional food.