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Title: INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS FOR RICE: TODAY AND TOMORROW

Author
item BERGMAN, CHRISTINE

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/6/2002
Publication Date: 8/1/2002
Citation: BERGMAN, C.J. INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS FOR RICE: TODAY AND TOMORROW. PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIRST CONGRESS OF THE RICE PRODUCTION CHAIN - BRAZIL. 2002. 7 pp.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Rice yields and production have been increasing across the world while prices have declined. Consequently, the rice industry is looking for avenues to add value to their crop. Some of the value-added areas being studied are the development of rice cultivars with specialty characteristics and new uses for rice bran. Examples of specialty rices already available or in development include cultivars that remain soft after cold storage of cooked rice, high-lysine cultivars, a conventional long grain cultivar that has increased cooked rice volume and an aromatic rice cultivar that is able to withstand thermal processes such as steam-table holding. Rice bran contains several potentially valuable phytochemical fractions which have free radical scavenging potential. Phytochemicals with such activity may be protective against several diseases, as well as prevent oxidative deterioration of food lipids. For example, rice bran fractions reportedly improve the shelf life of foods such as whole milk powder, restructured beef and snack foods. Rice bran is also being used for industrial applications such as skin abrasive cleaners and moisturizers. Our research and cultivar enhancement program is evaluating the potential to increase the value of rice bran by modifying its phytochemical levels using natural genetic diversity, along with cross pollination techniques. Efforts to develop rice with novel grain traits requires the use of unadapted material, thus lengthening the breeding process. We are developing new selection tools known as genetic markers that are being incorporated into breeding programs to hasten the development of rice with specific industrial applications.