Rice Bran By-Product: From Valorization Strategies to Nutritional Perspectives.

The aim of this study is to review the innovative techniques based on bioprocessing, thermal or physical treatments which have been proposed during the last few decades to convert rice bran into a valuable food ingredient. Rice bran (Oryza sativa) is the main by-product of rice grain processing. It is produced in large quantities worldwide and it contains a high amount of valuable nutrients and bioactive compounds with significant health-related properties. Despite that, its application in food industry is still scarce because of its sensitivity to oxidation processes, instability and poor technological suitability. Furthermore, the health-related effects of pretreated rice bran are also presented in this review, considering the up-to-date literature focused on both in vivo and in vitro studies. Moreover, in relation to this aspect, a brief description of rice bran arabinoxylans is provided. Finally, the application of rice bran in the food industry and the main technology aspects are concisely summarized.

Spent coffee (Coffea arabica L.) grounds promote satiety and attenuate energy intake: A pilot study.

We evaluated the effects of acute intake of biscuits (B) containing either spent coffee grounds (SCG), (added with fructooligosaccharides; SC-FOS) or SCG antioxidant dietary fiber (SCF), on satiety, energy intake as well as gastrointestinal tolerance of healthy overweight volunteers. The addition of SCG and SCF to the biscuits (SC-FOS-B and SCF-B) increased their protein (11.4% and 12.2%), and total dietary fiber (8.4% and 11.8%) contents. The SCF-B significantly increased satiety perception, impacting ad libitum energy intake compared to the traditional biscuits recipe (TB; no added fiber). Moreover, SC-FOS-B and SCF-B decreased (no-observed-adverse effect) the most frequently reported symptoms by the participants, demonstrating that doses up to 5 g of SCF (per biscuit portion; 45 g) are well tolerated. The use of SCF and SCG as functional ingredients represents a sustainable strategy for the coffee industry and also potentiates the reduction of overweight, one of the leading health problems among the population. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The addition of SCF or SCG as food ingredients increases protein and the dietary fiber content of traditional biscuits. SCF can slow gastric emptying, modulate appetite and thus body weight. SCF attenuates carbohydrate digestion blunting post-prandial blood glucose spikes reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. SCF can be used as a functional ingredient to formulate foods with health benefits.