Rice bran is a low-cost oil-containing agricultural by product. It serves as an attractive alternative feedstock for biodiesel production. Its utilization has been hindered due to the high free fatty acid, gums and moisture content. This study has explored alternative ways to simultaneously produce biodiesel and extract γ-oryzanol to lower down production cost. Dry bran containing high FFA (20 to 80%) was used in producing fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) using a two-step acid-base catalyzed in-situ (trans)esterification obtaining a high yield in FAME 96.4±2.8% based on the extractable lipid or 17.44% based on bran dry weight was achieved. At the same time coextracting 0.23g γ-oryzanol per gram of dry bran processed. An alternative approach using moist rice bran (~10% moisture content) to produce FAME and extract γ-oryzanol was sucessfully carried out under subcritical solvent condition of the mixture methanol and acetic acid. A high yield of 85.64±1.5% based on the extractable lipid or 15.05 % based on bran dry weight was achieved (equivalent to 100% conversion based on the theoretical FAME yield of hexane extractable lipids). An increase of over 40% in the yield of γ-oryzanol was also observed using the new method. Tocols (3.16 mg/g) and squalene (0.91 mg/g) were also found in the recovered products.

In-situ <i>(trans)</i>esterification of rice bran oil and co-extraction of bioactive compounds

249th National Meeting (2015)

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In-situ (trans)esterification of rice bran oil and co-extraction of bioactive compounds