Nutraceutical Innovations perfects safe, natural process to assist in production of rice bran

Nutraceutical Innovations Inc. has perfected a safe, natural process to release the enormous nutritive potential of rice bran.

Nutraceutical Innovations, launched in 2008 to produce nutritional products, is a portfolio company of VIC Technology Venture Development, a privately held firm based at the Arkansas Research and Technology Park in Fayetteville. The University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation manages the park.

Navam Hettiarachchy, a University Professor of food science at the University of Arkansas, co-founded Nutraceutical Innovations with VIC Technology Venture Development and serves as its vice president and director of research and product development. 

Rice bran is extraordinarily nutrient dense with multi-health benefits, but in its non-processed state, humans cannot easily digest the bran layer. Nutraceutical Innovations' first products, NutraBran Solubles and NutraBran Fiber, are functional and bioactive food ingredients derived from heat-stabilized defatted rice bran. Its patent-pending, all-natural production process allows an exceptionally nutrient rich food additive to be produced at low cost for the food industry. These additives increase the health benefits of baked and meat-based foods.

NutraBran Solubles has a unique combination of high protein (25 percent by weight), and water solubility, which allows it to be readily incorporated into a wide variety of food products. In addition to its high-protein content, NutraBran Solubles are particularly high in protein, potassium, calcium, folic acid, and inositol.

NutraBran Fiber offers high levels of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Both products have the added benefit of being low fat, hypoallergenic and gluten-free.

According to Nutraceutical Innovations, industry sources at multiple large companies have already demonstrated strong interest in the products, indicating that the market needs a more concentrated source of protein, and especially soluble proteins.

Nutraceutical Innovations' vision is to become a major supplier of nutrition-rich food additives to major food companies using our innovative processing techniques to provide higher nutrient content products at lower production cost.

Provided by University of Arkansas