Sustainable Food Technology Outstanding Early Career Researcher Award
Sumanjot Kaur, Jingyi Chen and Ali Ubeyitogullari
Paper: Formation of nanoporous aerogels from defatted rice bran via supercritical carbon dioxide drying
Rice bran is an often overlooked byproduct of rice processing that is produced in large quantities each year. After oil extraction, the value of the obtained defatted rice bran is underestimated.
In this study, defatted rice bran was upcycled to generate food-grade starch and protein-based nanoporous aerogels using a green approach based on supercritical carbon dioxide technology. The generated aerogels were characterized for their morphology, crystallinity, chemical interactions, textural properties, solubility, and thermal stability. The aerogels prepared from rice bran crude starch and protein formed a three-dimensional interconnected open porous structure.
The high surface area and ultra-low density of the aerogels make them a great candidate for delivering bioactive compounds. Overall, this study adds value to defatted rice bran, a byproduct of rice processing, and, therefore, has the potential to enhance the sustainability of rice production.