EL DORADO HILLS, Calif., Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NutraCea (BULLETIN BOARD: NTRZ) announced today that this week at the Expo East trade show they will educate attendees, which include industry insiders in the natural foods and products industry, about the antioxidant properties of rice bran. These antioxidant properties were established in a 2004 comprehensive study documenting the comparative values of lipophilic (fat soluble) and hydrophilic (water soluble) antioxidants found in a cross section of 28 foods commonly consumed in the United States in comparison to rice bran, which ranked the highest in the study.
"Over 120 antioxidants and cofactors have been identified in rice bran so far. These include gamma oryzanol and its 20 components, the tocopherols and the tocotrienols, which exist in 10 different forms, polyphenols, 21 different phytosterols, carotenoids, phospholipids, polysaccharides, amino acids, B vitamins and enzymes like glutathione peroxidase and metal chelators," said Dr. Rani Patel, Chief Science Officer of NutraCea.
"Rice Bran is thus a repository of potent antioxidants that nature has provided to ensure the health of the germ in the rice grain. The incredible properties of stabilized rice bran become more apparent with every study published and set the bar even higher for the functional food industry; stabilized rice bran has created a new realm of neutraceutical and physiological benefits that no other food can even approach. With a unique blend of carbohydrates, along with all the essential amino acids for protein metabolism, rice bran as a food or in the form of a dietary supplement offers the perfect solution in the ongoing battle against chronic disease and the many health issues that face our nation today," said Margie Adelman, Senior Vice President of NutraCea.
A study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis.17 (2004) 407-22 reported that rice bran was used as a comparison to other foods and "extremely high lipophilic to hydrophilic ORAC value." It also has the highest lipophilic ORAC value 155 micromoles TE/gram or 27 times that of its closest competitor, which at that time was blueberries, which have 5.5 micromoles/gram. ORAC values refer to Oxygen Radical Absorbancy Capacity of food. "The astounding result of this study coupled with the soluble and insoluble fiber content completely validates an earlier study by Qureshi et al that rice bran either as a food or as a supplement leads to a reduction in cholesterol and thus lowers cardiovascular disease risk and may help in the management of controlling blood glucose levels," Patel added.
"The results of this study put rice bran at the top of the antioxidant charts," said Margie Adelman, Senior Vice President of NutraCea. "To be able to turn rice bran, which up to now has been discarded after processing rice, into a highly nutritious human nutrition supplement using our stabilization technology is not only a major achievement, but has tremendous possibilities for human health on a global level."
This study documented the lipophilic and hydrophilic ORAC value of 28 fruits, vegetable and nuts that are commonly consumed in the US for their antioxidant constituents and properties. The astonishing results of the study reported that rice bran contained the highest percent of lipophylic to total antioxidant capacity as compared to avocado (63.7% vs. 28.6%). This same study reported that the hydrophilic (water soluble) ORAC values for stabilized rice bran were second only to pecans.
Margie Adelman further Stated, "The antioxidant properties of rice bran have important biological significance, as fat-soluble antioxidants can stay longer in the human body than water-soluble antioxidants that get excreted from our body. Move over blueberries, raspberries strawberries, and plums; there's a new champion in town."
About NutraCea
NutraCea is a world leader in production and utilization of stabilized rice bran. They hold many patents for stabilized rice bran production technology and proprietary neutraceutical formulas ranging from arthritis, chronic bowel conditions, and effective diabetes control to cardiovascular disease treatment protocols. NutraCea's proprietary technology enables the creation of food and nutrition products to be unlocked from rice bran, normally a waste by-product of standard rice processing. Committed to helping the underfed, they're heavily involved in providing product and technology for developing countries through NutraCea's RiceAde feeding program.
Forward Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ from those projected due to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to the ability of the increased production capacity to result in an increase in product production in the amounts anticipated, the ability of the Company to obtain increased sales sufficient to utilize such increased production capacity, and other matters specified in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements are made based upon current expectations that are subject to risk and uncertainty. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements in this news release to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such forward-looking information. Assumptions and other information that could cause results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking information can be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company's most recent periodic report.
Company Contact:
Margie Adelman
Senior V.P. NutraCea
916-933-7000 Ext. 646
916-220-3500 cell
