WO2019241152A1

WO2019241152A1 - Rice bran compositions, fortified rice compositions, and methods of making and using thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2019241152A1
Application number: PCT/US2019/036388
Authority: WO
Inventors: Venkat Subramanian; David JANOW
Original assignee: Axiom Foods, Inc.
Priority date: 2018-06-12
Filing date: 2019-06-10
Publication date: 2019-12-19

Abstract

Certain embodiments disclosed herein pertain to a method of preparing rice bran, compositions comprising rice bran and rice protein, and methods of using those compositions. In some embodiments, products and processes for the development of rice bran and rice protein mixtures through physical and mechanical extraction methods are disclosed. Certain embodiments disclosed herein pertain to a method of preparing grain food products, compositions comprising grain food products and fortifying agents, and methods of using those compositions. Certain embodiments disclosed herein pertain to fortified food products and fortifying agents.

Description

RICE BRAN COMPOSITIONS, FORTIFIED RICE COMPOSITIONS, AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING THEREOF

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/683,896, filed June 12, 2018, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/683,866, filed June 12, 2018, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

SUMMARY

[0002] Some embodiments pertain to a method of preparing rice bran. In some embodiments, the rice bran product prepared using the methods disclosed herein has increased protein content relative to rice bran products prepared using other methods. In some embodiments, the rice bran product prepared using the methods disclosed herein has increased protein content relative to rice flour.

[0003] In some embodiments, a rice bran starting material is acquired. In some embodiments, the rice bran starting material is parboiled to provide a pretreated rice bran starting material. In some embodiments, the pretreated rice bran starting material is pressed to provide a pressed rice bran product. In some embodiments, the pressed rice bran product is ground to provide the rice bran flour. In some embodiments, the pressed rice bran product has an oil content that is at least 60% less than the rice bran starting material.

[0004] In some embodiments, the pretreated rice bran is exposed to steam, gas, or liquefied gas to remove liberate rice bran oil from the pretreated rice bran starting material. In some embodiments, freed oil is removed using an expeller. In some embodiments, the gas is air. In some embodiments, the gas is an inert gas. In some embodiments, the gas is nitrogen or argon. In some embodiments, the gas is a dry gas. In some embodiments, the gas is a liquefied gas.

[0005] In some embodiments, the exposing step is performed during pressing. In some embodiments, the pressing is performed using an expeller. In some embodiments, the rice bran starting material comprises a raw rice bran. In some embodiments, the pressing step is performed at a temperature ranging from -20 °C to 70°C. In some embodiments, the grinding step is performed using a grinding device. In some embodiments, the grinding step is performed using a hammer mill, a roller mill, a pin mill, a nano mill, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the grinding step is performed using a roller mill.

[0006] In some embodiments, the ground rice bran is classified by size. In some embodiments, the classifier is a series of sifters. In some embodiments, a fraction having a particle size ranging from 150 pm to 480 pm is isolated. In some embodiments, a fraction having a particle size ranging from 50 pm to 210 pm is isolated. In some embodiments, a fraction having a particle size ranging from 210 pm to 480 pm is isolated. In some embodiments, a fraction having a particle size ranging from 75 pm to 210 pm is isolated.

[0007] Some embodiments pertain to a rice bran flour having a protein content ranging from about 20% to 50%. Some embodiments pertain to a rice bran flour having a protein content ranging from about 30% to 50%. Some embodiments pertain to a rice bran flour having a protein content less than or equal to about 10%.

[0008] Some embodiments pertain to a method for supplementing the diet of a subject. In some embodiments, the method comprises administering an effective amount of nutritional supplement to a subject. In some embodiments, ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0009] Some embodiments pertain to a method for supplementing the diet of a subject. In some embodiments, a nutritional supplement comprising the rice bran flour made by a method as disclosed herein is administered to the subject. In some embodiments, ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0010] Some embodiments pertain to a fortifying agent for grain food products. In some embodiments, the fortifying agent comprises a rice bran flour made by a method as disclosed elsewhere herein. In some embodiments, the fortifying agent comprises nutrient additives. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives comprise micronutrients. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives comprise vitamins, minerals, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives comprise one or more of: vitamin A, vitamin B12, folic acid, iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives are macronutrients present in the rice bran. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives comprise macronutrients. In some embodiments, the mesh size of the rice bran flour is less than or equal to about: 50 pm, 75 pm, 150 pm, 210 pm, 250 pm, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, the rice bran flour comprises protein content less than or equal to about 10%. In some embodiments, the rice bran flour comprises protein content greater than or equal to about 30%.

[0011] Some embodiments pertain to a fortified kernel food product (e.g., grain or other plant material). In some embodiments, the fortified grain (or other plant) food product comprises a fortifying agent as disclosed elsewhere herein. In some embodiments, the fortified grain (or other plant) food product is provided as a kernel. In some embodiments, the fortified grain (or other plant) food product is provided with plant grain or other plant part. In some embodiments, the plant grain comprises rice.

[0012] Some embodiments pertain to a method for producing a fortified grain food product (e.g., a kernel or pellet). In some embodiments, a mixture of rice bran flour and one or more nutrient additives is prepared. In some embodiments, the mixture is extruded to provide a kernel or pellet (e.g., reconstituted rice). In some embodiments, the pellet is combined with one or more plant grains. In some embodiments, the one or more plant grains comprise milled rice. In some embodiments, the rice flour is made by any method as disclosed elsewhere herein.

[0013] Some embodiments pertain to a method of supplementing a diet of a subject. In some embodiments, a fortified grain food product is administered to the subject. In some embodiments, the food product comprises a plant grain and a fortifying agent. In some embodiments, the fortifying agent comprises a rice bran flour and one or more nutrient additives. In some embodiments, the plant grain comprises milled rice. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives comprise micronutrients. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives comprise vitamins and/or minerals. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives comprise one or more of: vitamin A, vitamin B 12, folic acid, iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium.

[0014] Some embodiments pertain to a method for supplementing the diet of a subject. In some embodiments, an effective amount of fortifying agent in rice as disclosed elsewhere herein is administered to the subject. In some embodiments, ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0015] Some embodiments pertain to a method for supplementing the diet of a subject. In some embodiments, an effective amount of a fortified kernal disclosed elsewhere herein is administered to the subject. In some embodiments, the ingestion of an effective amount of the fortified kernal by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0016] Some embodiments pertain to a method for supplementing the diet of a subject In some embodiments, a fortifying agent made by a method as disclosed elsewhere herein is administered to the subject. In some embodiments, ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0017] Any of the embodiments described above, or described elsewhere herein, can include or exclude one or more of the following features or steps.

[0018] In some embodiments, the method comprises acquiring a rice bran starting material. In some embodiments, the method comprises treating the rice bran to facilitate release of oil/solvents while simultaneously improving the biological stability. In some embodiments, the method comprises passing the treated rice bran through a press to provide a pressed rice bran product. In some embodiments, the method comprises grinding the pressed rice bran product to provide a ground rice bran.

[0019] In some embodiments, the method comprises removing oil and/or solvent from the rice bran starting material to provide a treated rice bran. In some embodiments, the method comprises passing the treated rice bran through a press to provide a pressed rice bran product. In some embodiments, the method comprises grinding the pressed rice bran product to provide a ground rice bran.

[0020] In some embodiments, the rice bran starting material is raw or parboiled rice bran.

[0021] In some embodiments, the method further comprises acquiring raw rice bran and parboiling the raw rice bran to provide the rice bran starting material.

[0022] In some embodiments, the method further comprises stabilizing the rice bran starting material. [0023] In some embodiments, the stabilization step comprises application of steam and/or boiling water to the rice bran starting material.

[0024] In some embodiments, the oil and/or solvent is released or freed using one or more of steam and/or a gas. In some embodiments, the freed oil and/or solvent is removed using an expeller.

[0025] In some embodiments, the gas is air. In some embodiments, the gas is an inert gas. In some embodiments, the inert gas is nitrogen or argon. In some embodiments, the gas is a dry gas. In some embodiments, the gas is a liquefied gas.

[0026] In some embodiments, the oil and/or solvent from the rice bran raw material is removed using an expelling device.

[0027] In some embodiments, the press maintains a temperature within the range of about -20 °C to about 70 °C.

[0028] In some embodiments, the grinding is accomplished using a grinding device.

[0029] In some embodiments, the grinding device comprises one or more of a hammer mill, a pin mill, a nano mill, or a combination thereof.

[0030] In some embodiments, the method further comprises passing the ground rice bran through one more classifiers / sifters / air separators.

[0031] In some embodiments, the particle size of the ground rice bran ranges from about 150 pm to 480 pm. In some embodiments, the particle size of the ground rice bran ranges from about 20 pm to 210 pm. In some embodiments, the particle size of the ground rice bran ranges from about 210 pm to 480 pm. In some embodiments, the particle size of the ground rice bran ranges from about 75 pm to 210 pm.

[0032] Some embodiments pertain to a rice bran flour, comprising a protein content ranging from about 20% to 50%. Some embodiments pertain to a rice bran flour, comprising a protein content ranging from about 30% to 50%. Some embodiments pertain to a rice bran flour, comprising a protein content less than or equal to about 10%.

[0033] Certain aspects of the disclosure are directed to methods of supplementing the diet of a subject. In some embodiments, the method comprises providing a nutritional supplement comprising rice bran to a subject, wherein the subject is a newborn, infant, toddler, child, adolescent, adult, or a geriatric individual, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, decreased muscle loss, improved recovery after exercise training, decreased recovery time associated with exercise training, decreased muscle soreness associated with exercise training, decreased fat mass, and maintaining nitrogen balance. In some embodiments, the nutritional supplement is the rice bran. In some embodiments, the nutritional supplement is added to a grain product (rice, soy, corn, etc.) to fortify that grain product.

[0034] Some embodiments provided herein pertain to a fortifying agent for grain food products, methods of making the same, and methods for using the same. In some embodiments, the fortifying agent comprises rice bran flour.

[0035] Any of the embodiments described above, or described elsewhere herein, can include or exclude one or more of the following ingredients, features, or steps.

[0036] In some embodiments, the fortifying agent comprises nutrient additives. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives are micronutrients. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives comprise vitamins, minerals, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives comprise one or more of: vitamin A, vitamin B12, folic acid, iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives are macronutrients. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives are macronutrients.

[0037] In some embodiments, the mesh size of the rice bran flour is less than or equal to about: 50 pm, 75 pm, 150 pm, 210 pm, 250 pm, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values.

[0038] In some embodiments, the rice bran flour comprises a protein content less than or equal to about 10%.

[0039] Some embodiments pertain to a fortified grain food product. In some embodiments the fortified grain food product is provided as a kernel that is prepared from portions of a grain. In some embodiments the fortified grain food product comprises a fortifying agent as described above or elsewhere herein. In some embodiments, the fortified grain food product comprises a plant grain. In some embodiments, the plant grain is selected from rice, wheat, oats, corn, barley, and/or other cereal grains.

[0040] Some embodiments pertain to a method for producing a fortified grain food product. In some embodiments, the method comprises preparing a mixture of rice bran flour and one or more nutrient additives. In some embodiments, the method comprises extruding the mixture to provide a pellet (e.g., a kernel). In some embodiments, the method comprises combining the pellet with one or more plant grains.

[0041] In some embodiments, the one or more plant grains comprise rice.

[0042] Some embodiments pertain to a method of supplementing a diet of a subject.

In some embodiments, the method comprises administering a fortified grain food product as disclosed elsewhere herein to the subject. In some embodiments, the food product comprises a plant grain and a fortifying agent. In some embodiments, the fortifying agent comprises a rice bran flour and one or more nutrient additives. In some embodiments, the plant grain comprises rice. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives comprise micronutrients. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives comprise vitamins and/or minerals. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives comprise one or more of: vitamin A, vitamin B12, folic acid, iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium.

[0043] In some embodiments, the method of supplementing the diet of a subject comprises administering an effective amount of fortifying agent in rice as disclosed elsewhere herein to the subject. In some embodiments, ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0044] In some embodiments, the method comprises administering an effective amount of a fortified grain (e.g., an amount of grain comprising an amount of fortified kernels) as disclosed elsewhere herein to the subject. In some embodiments, ingestion of an effective amount of the fortified grain by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0045] In some embodiments, the method comprises administering a fortifying agent made by a method as disclosed herein to a subject. In some embodiments, ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] Figure 1 depicts a flow diagram for an embodiment of a method for preparing rice bran flour. [0047] Figure 2 depicts a diagram of a treatment chamber.

[0048] Figure 3 depicts a diagram of an expelling device.

[0049] Figure 4 depicts a diagram of a series of grinding devices.

[0050] Figure 5 depicts a diagram of a classification or sifting device.

[0051] Figure 6 depicts a flow diagram for an embodiment of a method for preparing rice bran flour.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] Certain embodiments, disclosed herein pertain to a method of preparing rice bran, compositions comprising rice bran and rice protein, and methods of using those compositions. In some embodiments, products and processes for the development of rice bran and/or rice bran and rice protein mixtures are disclosed. In some embodiments, the processes provide physical and mechanical extraction methods. In some embodiments, also provided herein are methods of fortifying grain food products. Certain embodiments, disclosed herein pertain to a method of preparing grain food products, compositions comprising grain food products and fortifying agents, and methods of using those compositions. Any feature, component, or step disclosed anywhere in this specification can be replaced with, or combined with any other feature, structure, or step disclosed elsewhere in this specification. Any features, component, or step disclosed herein can be omitted. While the illustrated examples include features, these features need not be present in all embodiments. Further, for purposes of summarizing the disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and features of the inventions have been described herein. However, not all embodiments include or achieve any or all of those aspects, advantages, and features.

[0053] As used herein, the term“weight percent” or“wt %” when referring to a particular component, is the weight of the component divided by the weight of the composition that includes the component, multiplied by 100%. For example the weight percent of component A when 5 grams of component A is added to 95 grams of component B is 5% (e.g., 5 g A / (5 g A + 95 g B) x 100%).

[0054] In some embodiments, disclosed herein are methods of preparing rice bran. In some embodiments, the method comprises one or more steps including: acquiring a rice bran starting material; performing a controlled atmosphere treatment on the starting material using one or more of pressure and vapor (that may also assist or involve in partial freeing oil and/or solvents from the rice bran) thereby providing a treated rice bran; passing the treated rice bran through a press (e.g., to partially or substantially remove or reduce oil and/or solvents) to provide a pressed rice bran product; grinding the pressed rice bran product to provide a ground rice bran; and/or sifting or classifying the rice into fractions with different compositional make-up. In some embodiments, the method lacks one or more of these steps. A flow chart of an embodiment of the process is shown in Figure 1. In some embodiments, the allows the preparation of rice bran flour with varying protein concentrations. In some embodiments, once the rice bran is pressed to remove the oil to less than 7 % residual oil, it can be ground to flour generally less than 210 microns. In some embodiments, after removing a concentrated part of the protein and fibrous components, the product thus obtained is rice bran flour containing usually less than 10% protein and remaining starch.

[0055] As disclosed elsewhere herein, in some embodiments, the method includes acquiring rice bran starting material. In some embodiments, the rice bran starting material is raw rice bran. Raw rice bran is the hard, outer layers of a grain of rice. In some embodiments, raw rice bran is a product obtained by milling raw brown rice and consists of one or more of the seed coat, a fraction of the grain removed in milling, the germ, and broken grains. Raw rice bran consists of dietary fiber, essential fatty acids, starch, protein, vitamins, and dietary minerals. Raw rice bran is removed from the rice grain during the conversion of brown rice to white rice. In some embodiments, the rice bran is removed from rice through fractional milling by emery stones of greater than or equal to about: 24 grit, 30 grit, 36 grit, 60 grit, 80 grit, 120 grit, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, rice bran can be sterilized by exposing it to steam for a period of equal to or less than about: 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, rice bran can be sterilized by exposing it to a temperature of l20°C for a period of equal to or less than about: 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values.

[0056] As shown in Figure 1A, in some embodiments, the rice bran starting material is rice bran that has been pretreated (e.g., it is not raw rice bran). In some embodiments, this pretreated rice bran starting material can include, for example, parboiled rice bran (or rice). The pretreated rice bran starting material can include raw rice bran that has been subject to one or more of steaming, soaking in hot water, soaking in cold water, boiling, parboiling, vapor treatment (which may also involve naturally occurring inert liquids and gases), and/or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the treatment step may be performed over a period of equal to or less than about: 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values.

[0057] In some embodiments, the treatment step shown in Figure 1 A to provide the pretreated rice bran starting material is performed in a treatment chamber as shown in Figure 2. In some embodiments, the treating device 100 may have one or more inlets 102 in communication with a chamber 101 of the device to allow on or more gasses or liquids to enter the device and treat the rice bran starting material (see Figure 2). In some embodiments, the treatment device has one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten inlets, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values. Using a device with more than one inlet can advantageously improve the efficiency of the press. In some embodiments, the chamber may comprise a conveying screw and/or a pressing screw (not shown). In some embodiments, the chamber may be pressurized . By treating the rice bran starting material with a treating device with more than one inlet, higher oil removal efficiencies may be achieved (as disclosed elsewhere herein). In some embodiments, the treatment chamber allows (direct or indirect) exposure of the bran to one or more of steam / vapor / air / inert gas etc. using, for example, the one or more inlets. In some embodiments, the treatment chamber allows pressurization of the rice (and or jacketed treatment) with a conveying element, such as a drive screw (not shown). The treating device may be jacketed with a cooling and/or heating jacket to control the temperature of the bran during pressing/treatment. The jacket may be used to control the temperature of the device and/or the contents of the device to be equal or less than about: -20 °C, -10 °C, 0 °C, 8 °C, 10 °C, 20 °C, 35 °C, 45 °C, 60 °C, 65°C, 70°C, 75°C, 80 °C, 90°C, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values.

[0058] In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the raw rice bran is parboiled rice source to provide the pretreated rice bran starting material. In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the raw rice bran is parboiled to provide the pretreated rice bran starting material. Parboiling can be accomplished by partially cooking the raw rice bran where water and/or steam is added to the food product at room temperature or elevated temperatures (usually 20 °C to 80 °C or, in some embodiments, boiling water). When undertaken at lower temperatures (e.g., less than or equal to about: 20 °C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C, 40°C, 45 °C, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values), the parboiling process is cold parboiling whereas at the higher temperatures (e.g., greater than or equal to about: 45 °C, 55°C, 65°C, 70°C, 75°C, 80 °C, 90°C, boiling, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values), it is hot parboiling. Parboiling may be used to change the physical and structural characteristics of the rice bran. In some embodiments, parboiling can provide several advantages such as ease of processing, reducing material losses during milling, inducing a different taste, texture, color and also creating a rice bran with higher levels of removable oil concentration and improved stability to prevent physical and biological degradation (e.g., microbial contamination, etc.). In some embodiments, the rice is cold parboiled or hot parboiled by adding it to water as disclosed above for a period of equal to or less than: 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 7.5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, this treatment is performed in the device 100 of Figure 2. In some embodiments, rice bran can be steamed after parboiling for a period of equal to or less than about: 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values.

[0059] In some embodiments, treatment of the rice bran results in a more stable rice bran raw material. Stability of the rice bran can be increased through the use of the various thermal and vapor treatment processes as disclosed elsewhere herein. In some embodiments, these treatments ease the release of oil / solvents, and improve biological stability.

[0060] As described elsewhere herein, in some embodiments, the rice bran starting material is treated to free the oil and/or solvents that are in the bran and allow the oil/liquids to be easily released during further processes such as pressing. This treatment may involve the application of one or more of steam, air, argon gas, nitrogen gas, and/or a combination thereof. The rice bran starting material may also be treated with a pressurized or liquefied version of the aforementioned gasses. For example, in some embodiments, a liquified inert gas is used (such as liquid nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, etc.). Advantageously, the process can be performed without the use of solvents (e.g., organic solvents).

[0061] In some embodiments, the oil and/or solvents are removed using mechanical means. For instance, in some embodiments, treating the rice bran starting material (or pretreated rice bran starting material) is carried out with the use of an expeller 200 (e.g., expelling device), as shown in Figure 1B and Figure 3. Expeller pressing (also called oil pressing) is a mechanical method for extracting oil from raw materials. In some embodiments, the oil is mechanically expelled or removed to produce an bran cake with higher concentrations of protein. In some embodiments, the expeller comprises a chamber 201 and one or more apertures through which treated rice bran feed can be fed. In some embodiments, the expeller comprises a one or more apertures through which oil can be collected. In some embodiments, the expeller press is a screw-type machine. In some embodiments, the expeller press comprises a screw that presses oil seeds through a caged barrel-like cavity 203. In some embodiments, the pretreatment of the rice bran makes the oil easier to extract. In some embodiments, the expeller is used to perform pretreatment of the rice bran starting material. In some embodiments, as shown, raw materials (e.g., the rice bran starting material) enter one side of the press and waste products exit the other side. In some embodiments, the expeller uses friction and continuous pressure from the screw drives to move and compress the bran material. In some embodiments, the oil (and/or solvent) seeps through small openings that do not allow seed fiber solids to pass through. In some embodiments, after the pressing, the pressed bran material is formed into a hardened cake, which is removed from the machine.

[0062] In some embodiments, the rice bran starting material may be treated during processing through an expelling device (instead of expelling after treatment). Subjecting the rice bran starting material with the expelling device may be referred to as pressing. In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the treating device (which may just be a conveying screw) and/or the expelling device may have one or more inlets to allow on or more gasses or liquids to enter the device and treat the rice bran starting material (see Figure 2). In some embodiments, the treatment device and/or the expelling device has one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten inlets, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values. Using a device with more than one inlet can advantageously improve the efficiency of the press. By treating the rice bran starting material with a treating or expelling device with more than one inlet, higher efficiencies may be achieved. In some embodiments, use of a treating device or expelling device as described herein (e.g., with more than one inlet) advantageously results in oil and/or solvent removal efficiencies of greater than or at least about: 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values. Conventional processing methods result in about 50% removal efficiency (50 % of the oil is removed). In some embodiments, the efficiency of oil removal relative to conventional means is improved by equal to or at least about: 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 90%, 100%, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values.

[0063] In some embodiments, the expelling process (e.g., treatment of the starting material in the expeller) may be carried out at a temperature less than or equal to about: -20 °C, -10 °C, 0 °C, 8 °C, 10 °C, 20 °C, 35 °C, 45 °C, 60 °C, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, a cryo press is carried out at a temperature range of approximately -20 °C to 8 °C. In some embodiments, a cold press is carried out at a temperature range of approximately 8 °C to 35 °C. In some embodiments, a warm press is carried out at a temperature range of approximately 35 °C to 70 °C. In some embodiments, the press may be carried out at temperatures lower than about -20 °C and higher than about 70 °C. The expeller device may be jacketed with a cooling and/or heating jacket to control the temperature of the bran during pressing/treatment. The expeller temperature and/or the contents of the expeller may be controlled at a temperature of equal or less than about: -20 °C, -10 °C, 0 °C, 8 °C, 10 °C, 20 °C, 35 °C, 45 °C, 60 °C, 65°C, 70°C, 75°C, 80 °C, 90°C, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values.

[0064] In some embodiments, passing treated rice bran through the expelling device (e.g., as shown in Figure 3) produces a pressed rice bran product in the form of a cake. In some embodiments, this cake may be pulverized to produce ground rice bran. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 1C, the cake may be ground using a grinder. In some embodiments, the grinding step includes various grinding methods including one or more of using roller mills, hammer mills, pin mills and nano grinding solutions (as shown in Figure 4). In some embodiments, the process of pulverization (e.g., grinding, crushing, breaking, etc.) reduces the rice bran to particles (e.g., a powder, fine particles, etc.). In some embodiments, a fine flour can be prepared. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 4, pulverization may be carried out with a hammer mill for coarse grinding (usually for particle sizes close to 200 microns). In some embodiments, a pin mill (for particle sizes from 300 to 50 microns) for fine grinding. In some embodiments, a nano mill can be used for very fine grinding, less than 50 microns, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, pulverization takes place at a temperature greater than or equal to about: -40 °C, -20 °C, 0 °C, 20 °C, 35 °C, 50 °C, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, heat control of the grinding process is accomplished by using a grinding mill that is jacketed with a heating and/or cooling jacket. In some embodiments, the roller mill general breaks larger particles. In some embodiments, a hammer Mill can be used as both first and second stage break and can have multiple stages. In some embodiments, a pin mill or a pulverizer is generally used for fine grinding. In some embodiments, a nano mill is generally used to create finer particles generally less than 75 microns. In some embodiments, a hammer mill is not used, but a rolling mill is used.

[0065] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 1D, the ground rice bran is further separated by particle size. In some embodiments, this separation may be performed by passing the ground rice bran through one or more sieves and/or sifters or classifiers including air classifiers. In some embodiments, the process for separating various fractions makes use of a classifier operating on air and/or a sifter with stacked sieves. In some embodiments, if the ground rice bran is passed through more than one classifier / sifter (e.g., as shown in Figure 5), the classifiers or sifters may have different opening sizes, allowing particles smaller than the opening to pass through the sifter and larger particles to remain on top of the classifier / sifter.

[0066] In some embodiments, using the disclosed grinding and classification methods, different particle sizes of rice can be prepared and/or separated. In some embodiments, using the method disclosed herein, particle sizes of the ground rice bran can be separated to fractions having a size less than or equal to about: 50 pm, 150 pm, 210 pm, 280 pm, 360 pm, 480 pm, or ranges including and or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, the particle size of the ground rice bran is greater than or equal to about: 20 pm, 50 pm, 150 pm, 210 pm, 280 pm, 360 pm, 480 pm, or ranges including and or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, the particle size of the ground rice bran is less than or equal to about: 20 pm, 50 pm, 150 pm, 210 pm, 280 pm, 360 pm, 480 pm, or ranges including and or spanning the aforementioned values.

[0067] Whereas certain preparations of ground rice bran typically results in protein concentrations ranging from about 15% to 20%, in some embodiments, ground rice bran prepared by the methods disclosed herein results in protein concentrations greater than or equal to about: 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, or ranges including and or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, ground rice bran prepared by the methods disclosed herein comprises a higher proportion of starch and a protein concentrations less than about 10%. For example, in some embodiments, ground rice bran prepared by the methods disclosed herein with particle sizes ranging from about 210 pm to about 480 pm results in protein concentrations greater than or equal to about: 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, or ranges including and or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, ground rice bran prepared by the methods disclosed herein results in protein concentrations in the rice bran of greater than or equal to about: 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 55%, 60%, or ranges including and or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, ground rice bran prepared by the methods disclosed herein with particle sizes ranging from about 20 pm to about 210 pm comprise a higher proportion of starch and a protein concentrations less than about 10%. In some embodiments, ground rice bran prepared by the methods disclosed herein with particle sizes ranging from about 50 pm to about 210 pm comprise a higher proportion of starch and a protein concentrations less than about 10%. In some embodiments, ground rice bran prepared by the methods disclosed herein with particle sizes ranging from about 150 pm to 480 pm results in protein concentrations ranging from about 20% to 50%. In some embodiments, ground rice bran prepared by the methods disclosed herein with particle sizes ranging from about 20 pm to 150 pm comprise a higher proportion of starch and protein concentrations less than about 10%. In some embodiments, coarse layers are used to remove fibers, generally with a pore size above 450 microns in particle size. In some embodiments, protein rich rice bran flour can be isolated by collecting the fraction between about 150 to 450 microns in particle size. In some embodiments, starchy fine rice bran flour can be isolated by collecting the fraction between below about 150 microns in particle size.

[0068] A second flow chart of an embodiment of a process is provided in Figure 6. As shown, in some embodiments, the process includes a scarification step (which may include parboiling) to treat the rice bran. In some embodiments, as shown, the bran is treated with indirect heat under mild vacuum. In some embodiments, as shown, the oil can be expelled to yield a product with low residual fat. In some embodiments, as shown, a coarse milling can be performed (with rollers or a hammer mill). In some embodiments, as shown, additionally or alternatively a roller mill with varying fluting and/or corrugations can be used to achieve pulverization. In some embodiments, as shown, plan sifters can be employed to separate particles of different sizes. In some embodiments, as shown, fines of approximation 200 microns or less can be isolated and different protein concentrations based on coarse or fine milling can be isolated using air separators (as disclosed elsewhere herein).

[0069] In some embodiments, the method uses various synergies available in rice mills and uses mechanical and dry methods of processing and handling bran to develop a protein concentrate whose properties may be further enhanced as a pure ingredient or as a raw material for further extraction of proteins where there is a working granulation of about 100 to 200 microns. This method is suitable for low and medium range protein concentrates with higher yields as compared to using a single fine grinding unit such as an air classifying mill as a sole grinding unit. Rice bran processing typically yields a rice bran product with protein content in the range from about 15-20%. Using the methods and devices disclosed herein, high and low protein content rice products can be prepared. For instance, both a high protein rice bran product (having a protein wt % that is equal to or greater than about: 30%, 40%, 50%, or ranges including and or spanning the aforementioned values) can be obtained using the methods disclosed herein. Additionally, once the high protein fraction of the rice bran is isolated, a user is left with a low protein fraction of powdered product (e.g., less than or equal to about: 20%, 15%, 10%, or ranges including and or spanning the aforementioned values).

[0070] In some embodiments, disclosed herein are compositions of fortifying agents for grain food products. In some embodiments, the grain food product is rice. In some embodiments, the food product is a plant-based food product. In some embodiments, the plant- based food product comprises one or more of brewer’s spent grain, barley, wheat, rice, flaxseed, coconut, pumpkin, hemp, pea, chia, lentil, fava, potato, sunflower, quinoa, amaranth, oat, sorghum, millet, teff, combinations thereof, or the like. In order to improve the nutritional content of rice (or other food products), it may be fortified with fortifying agents. In some embodiments, fortifying agent comprises rice bran flour and one or more nutrient additives. In some embodiments, the nutrient additives include one or more of a macronutrient and/or a micronutrient as disclosed elsewhere herein.

[0071] As stated above, in some embodiments, the fortifying agent comprises rice bran flour (e.g., as prepared the methods disclosed elsewhere herein). Nutritional fortification of rice has previously been accomplished previously by combining rice flour (e.g., milled rice) with nutrient additives and mixing it with rice. In some embodiments, the methods and compositions described herein use rice bran flour instead and/or in addition to rice flour to fortify food products. In some embodiments, the fortifying compositions lack rice flour and comprise only rice bran flour as the flour source in the fortifying agent. In some embodiments, rice bran flour advantageously increases the protein content of the fortifying agent. In some embodiments, rice bran flour advantageously increases the nutrient profile of the fortifying agent. For instance, rice bran flour is richer in proteins, dietary fibers, and minerals than rice flour.

[0072] In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, raw rice bran is a product obtained by milling rice and consists of one or more of the seed coat, a fraction of the grain removed in milling, the germ, and broken grains.

[0073] In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the raw rice bran is parboiled (as disclosed elsewhere herein) to provide a rice bran starting material. Parboiling, as disclosed elsewhere herein, may be used to change the physical and structural characteristics of the rice bran. In some embodiments, parboiling can provide several advantages such as ease of processing, reducing material losses during milling, inducing a different taste, texture, color and also creating a rice bran with higher levels of removable oil concentration and improved stability to prevent physical and biological degradation (e.g., microbial contamination, etc.).

[0074] In some embodiments, the method of preparing rice bran flour consists of one or more of the following steps, or other steps as disclosed elsewhere herein,: obtaining raw rice bran, parboiling the raw rice bran, treating the raw or parboiled rice bran with steam or hot air, pressing the rice bran to remove the oil and produce a rice bran cake, grinding the rice bran cake to product rice bran flour, and/or separating the ground rice flour by particle size. In some embodiments, the method of preparing rice bran flour consists of pulverizing white or brown rice. In some embodiments, one or more steps in the method can be excluded. For example, in some embodiments, the method does not include a step of parboiling the raw rice bran, treating the raw or parboiled rice bran with steam or hot air, pressing the rice bran to remove the oil and produce a rice bran cake, grinding the rice bran cake to product rice bran flour, and/or separating the ground rice flour by particle size.

[0075] As described elsewhere herein, in some embodiments, the rice bran starting material is treated to free the oil and/or solvents that are in the bran and allow the oil/liquids to be easily released during further processes such as pressing. This treatment may involve the application of one or more of steam, air, argon gas, nitrogen gas, and/or a combination thereof. The rice bran starting material may also be treated with a pressurized or liquefied version of the aforementioned gasses.

[0076] In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the oil and/or solvents are removed using mechanical means. For instance, as disclosed elsewhere herein, in some embodiments, treating the rice bran starting material (or pretreated rice bran starting material) is carried out with the use of an expeller (e.g., expelling device). Expeller pressing (also called oil pressing) is a mechanical method for extracting oil from raw materials. In some embodiments, the expeller press is a screw-type machine that presses oil seeds through a caged barrel-like cavity. In some embodiments, raw materials (e.g., the rice bran starting material) enter one side of the press and waste products exit the other side. In some embodiments, the expeller uses friction and continuous pressure from the screw drives to move and compress the bran material. In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the oil (and/or solvent) seeps through small openings that do not allow seed fiber solids to pass through. In some embodiments, after the pressing, the pressed bran material is formed into a hardened cake, which is removed from the machine.

[0077] In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the rice bran starting material (e.g., raw rice bran or parboiled rice bran) may be treated during processing through an expelling device (instead of expelling after treatment). Subjecting the rice bran starting material with the expelling device may be referred to as pressing. In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the treating device (which may just be a conveying screw) and/or the expelling device may have one or more inlets to allow on or more gasses or liquids to enter the device and treat the rice bran starting material. In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the expelling device has one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, or ten inlets. Using a device with more than one inlet can advantageously improve the efficiency of the press. By treating the rice bran starting material with a treating or expelling device with more than one inlet, higher efficiencies may be achieved. In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, use of a treating device or expelling device as described herein (e.g., with more than one inlet) advantageously results in high oil and/or solvent removal efficiencies. In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the expeller is jacketed and the expelling process is performed at a controlled temperature. [0078] In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, passing treated rice bran through the expelling device produces a pressed rice bran product in the form of a cake. In some embodiments, this cake may be pulverized to produce ground rice bran. In some embodiments, the process of pulverization (e.g., grinding, crushing, breaking, etc.) reduces the rice bran to particles (e.g., a powder, fine particles, etc.). In some embodiments, pulverization may be carried out with a hammer mill for coarse grinding (usually for particle sizes close to 200 microns). In some embodiments, a pin mill (for particle sizes from 300 to 20 microns) for fine grinding. In some embodiments, a nano mill can be used for very fine grinding, less than 50 microns, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, pulverization takes place at a temperature as disclosed elsewhere herein and/or at a temperature greater than or equal to about -40 °C, 0 °C, 20 °C, 35 °C, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values.

[0079] In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the ground rice bran is further separated by particle size. In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, this separation may be performed by passing the ground rice bran through one or more sieves and/or sifters or classifiers including air classifiers. In some embodiments, if the ground rice bran is passed through more than one classifier / sifter, the classifiers or sifters may have different opening sizes, allowing particles smaller than the opening to pass through the sifter and larger particles to remain on top of the classifier / sifter.

[0080] In some embodiments, the particle size of the ground rice bran is as disclosed elsewhere herein. In some embodiments, the particle size of the ground rice bran is greater than or equal to about: 50 pm, 150 pm, 210 pm, 280 pm, 360 pm, 480 pm, or ranges including and or spanning the aforementioned values. Whereas certain preparations of ground rice bran typically results in protein concentrations ranging from about 15% to 20%, in some embodiments, ground rice bran prepared by the methods disclosed herein with particle sizes ranging from about 150 pm to 480 pm results in protein concentrations ranging from about 20% to 50%. In some embodiments, ground rice bran prepared by the methods disclosed herein with particle sizes ranging from about 20 pm to 150 pm comprise a higher proportion of starch and protein concentrations less than about 10%.

[0081] In some embodiments, the ground rice bran with higher protein content may be used to fortify food products with additional protein. In some embodiments, the ground rice bran is mixed with one or more nutritional additives. [0082] In some embodiments, the mesh size of the rice bran flour particles is less than or equal to about: 250 pm, 210 pm, 150 pm, 75 pm, 20 pm, or ranges including and or spanning the aforementioned values.

[0083] In some embodiments, the rice bran flour comprises a protein content greater than or equal to about 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, the rice bran flour comprises a protein content less than or equal to about 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values.

[0084] In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the fortifying agent includes one or more macronutrients (in addition to macronutrients already present in the rice bran flour). In some embodiments, the macronutrient comprises one or more of: carbohydrates, protein, and/or lipids. In some embodiments, the macronutrient comprises one or more of: fructose, glucose, sucrose, ribose, amylose, amylopectin, maltose, lactose, and/or galactose. In some embodiments, the macronutrient comprises one or more of: alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, asparagine, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and/or valine. In some embodiments, the macronutrient comprises one or more of: butyric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, pentadecanoic acid, palmitic acid, margaric acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, lignoceric acid, cerotic acid, heptadecenoic acid, oleic acid, erucic acid, nervonic acid, linoleic acid, a-linolenic acid, stearidonic acid, arachidonic acid, timnodonic acid, clupanodonic acid, and/or cervonic acid. In some embodiments, the macronutrient comprises one or more of: water, fiber, and/or antioxidants. In some embodiments, the only source of macronutrients in the fortifying agent is the rice bran flour.

[0085] In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the fortifying agent includes one or more micronutrients (in addition to micronutrients already present in the rice bran flour). In some embodiments, the micronutrient comprises one or more of vitamins and/or minerals. In some embodiments, the micronutrient comprises one or more of: vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, biotin, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and/or vitamin K. In some embodiments, the micronutrient comprises one or more of: potassium, chlorine, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, iodine, chromium, molybdenum, selenium, and/or cobalt. In some embodiments, the only source of micronutrients in the fortifying agent is the rice bran flour.

[0086] In some embodiments, to provide the fortifying agent (e.g., pellet, etc.), rice bran flour is mixed with the one or more ingredients (e.g., macronutrients, micronutrients, binders, preservatives, etc.) at a wt% of rice bran flour of equal to or at least about: 5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 80%, 90%, 98%, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the fortifying agent includes one or more macronutrients in addition to rice bran flour. In some embodiments, the macronutrients comprise a percentage of the total fortified rice product less than or equal to about: 75%, 60%, 40%, 20%, 10%, 5%, 3%, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, as disclosed elsewhere herein, the fortifying agent includes one or more micronutrients in addition to rice bran flour. In some embodiments, the micronutrients comprise a percentage of the total fortified rice product less than or equal to about: 40%, 20%, 10%, 5%, 3%, 2%, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values. In some embodiments, the mixture of rice bran flour and other ingredients are mixed to provide a premix. In some embodiments, the rice bran flour is about 2% to 20% of the total weight of the dry or wet premix. In some embodiments, the premix is extruded or spray coated to form concentrated pellets which are then blended with regular non- fortified rice to provide fortified rice. In some embodiments, the resulting fortified rice comprises the fortifying agent (rice bran flour and other ingredients) at a weight % of less than or equal to about: 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, 1%, 0.5%, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values. For example, in some embodiments, the resulting fortified rice comprises the fortifying agent (rice bran flour and other ingredients) at a weight % of less than or equal to about 5%.

[0087] In some embodiments, the rice bran nutrient mixture (e.g., a premix comprising rice bran flour and optionally one or more of the macronutrients or micronutrients described elsewhere herein) can be extruded into a particle in the shape of rice grain (e.g., the fortifying agent can be a pellet or kernel shaped as a rice grain) or another grain. In some embodiments, where the pellets are approximately the same weight, size, and/or shape as a grain of rice, these pellets can be added to rice at a ratio of greater than or equal to about: 1 :500, 1 :200, 1 : 100, 1 :50, 1 :25, or 1 : 10 fortifying agentrice to make fortified rice. In some embodiments, these fortifying agent can be added to rice at a weight ratio of greater than or equal to about: 1 :500, 1 :200, 1 : 100, 1 :50, 1 :25, or 1 : 10 fortifying agentrice to make fortified rice. In some embodiments, rice may be fortified with additional nutritional compounds. In some embodiments, where the pellets are approximately the same weight, size, and/or shape as a plant-based food product (e.g., such as a grain of rice, as disclosed elsewhere herein), these pellets can be added to the plant-based food product at a ratio of greater than or equal to about: 1 :500, 1 :200, 1 : 100, 1 :50, 1 :25, or 1 : 10 fortifying agent: plant-based food product to make fortified plant-based food product. In some embodiments, these fortifying agent can be added to the plant-based food product at a weight ratio of greater than or equal to about: 1 : 500, 1 :200, 1 : 100, 1 :50, 1 :25, or 1 : 10 fortifying agent: plant-based food product to make fortified rice. In some embodiments, plant-based food product may be fortified with additional nutritional compounds.

[0088] In some embodiments, the micronutrients, macronutrients, and/or the rice bran flour are combined with one or more of: binding agents, stabilizing agents, and/or preservatives to form the premix prior to extruding as a pellet (e.g., nutrient particle, etc.). In some embodiments, binding agents include one or more of gluten, guar gum, xanthan gum, agar, gelatin, psyllium husk, flax meal, ground chia seed, nut/seed butters, starches, and the like. In some embodiments, for example, an additive mixture (available in the form of a powder) can be blended in a weight percent of 2 % to up to 20 % with rice bran flour. The resulting nutritionally enriched bran flour is then extruded or spray coated to form concentrated pellet which are then blended with regular non-fortified rice in the ratio usually between 0.5% to 5 % by weight to obtain fortified rice. The weight of rice flour in the pellet can range from about: 80 to 98 %, or other values as disclosed elsewhere herein.

[0089] Bran flour offers an alternative that avoids grinding, and the richness of bran flour itself adds additional nutrients in additional to the added micronutrients. This gives a new application for bran to be used as an agent of micronutrient fortification.

[0090] Some embodiments provide methods for supplementing the diet of a subject, comprising providing a fortifying agent as described elsewhere herein to a subject (e.g., a pellet comprising rice bran flour), wherein the subject is a newborn, infant, toddler, child, adolescent, adult, or a geriatric individual, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of rice bran flour product by the subject results in one or more of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, decreased muscle loss, and/or maintaining nitrogen balance. In some embodiments, by supplementing the diet of a subject, improvements in health can be achieved along with improvements in the ability to perform day-to-day activities (e.g. climbing stairs, getting out of a chair, walking).

[0091] In some embodiments, the method comprises providing a rice bran flour containing fortifying agent that comprises rice protein to the subject, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the fortifying agent (and/or a food product including the fortifying agent) by the subject (e.g., while at rest and/or before, during, and/or after exercise training) results in one or more of increased muscle mass, increased strength, increased power, increased endurance, increased V02 max, increased cardiovascular endurance, increased respiratory endurance, increased stamina, increased lean body mass, improved body composition, decreased fat, weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, decreased muscle loss, and/or maintaining nitrogen balance.

[0092] In some embodiments, the ground rice bran with higher protein content may be used to fortify food products with additional protein. In some embodiments, the ground rice bran is mixed with one or more nutritional additives.

[0093] Some embodiments provide the supplementation of a diet of a subject, comprising providing the rice bran flour product (e.g., a fortifying agent and/or a rice bran flour as disclosed elsewhere herein) to a subject, wherein the subject is a newborn, infant, toddler, child, adolescent, adult, or a geriatric individual, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of rice bran flour product by the subject results in one or more of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, decreased muscle loss, and/or maintaining nitrogen balance. In some embodiments, by supplementing the diet of a subject, improvements in health can be achieved along with improvements in the ability to perform day-to-day activities (e.g. climbing stairs, getting out of a chair, walking).

[0094] In some embodiments, the method comprises providing a rice bran flour product comprising a rice protein to the subject, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the rice bran flour product by the subject (e.g., while at rest and/or before, during, and/or after exercise training) results in one or more of increased muscle mass, increased strength, increased power, increased endurance, increased V02 max, increased cardiovascular endurance, increased respiratory endurance, increased stamina, increased lean body mass, improved body composition, decreased fat, weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, decreased muscle loss, and/or maintaining nitrogen balance.

[0095] In some embodiments, the effective amount of the rice bran, rice bran flour or fortifying agent is a serving weighing between about 1 g and about 10 g, about 10 g and about 20 g, about 20 g and about 30 g, about 30 g and about 40 g, about 40 g and about 50 g, about 50 g and about 60g, or over 60 g. The dry powder can be mixed with any suitable liquid (e.g. water, milk, juice) to form a solution or mixture that can be ingested. As disclosed elsewhere herein, dry powder rice protein flour can be extruded with other nutrients and used as a fortifying agent for rice, other grains, or other plant-based food products. The dry powder could further be added to other food sources (e.g. addition to food recipes) or formulated as solid products (e.g. a bar).

[0096] In some embodiments, the disclosed processes involve wet processing. In some embodiments, unlike currently practiced wet processing techniques which involve chemical or enzymatic processes that are very expensive and create waste streams that are harmful environmentally, the processes for preparing high protein rice flour and low protein rice flour fractions as disclosed herein avoid those issues or others. Additionally, the disclosed methods cause less damage to equipment and are lower cost (e.g., from an energy standpoint) while affording higher and lower protein fraction products than conventional dry extraction methods. In some embodiments, solvents are not used in the methods disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the use of mechanically expelled bran oil cake avoids the use of mineral solvents like hexane which is a health and safety hazard. In some embodiments, milder conditions are employed using the processing methods disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the milder conditions allow for higher protein yields. Conventional processing methods use intense heat in the extraction plants that can go above l20°C for longer periods that can degrade and destroy proteins.

[0097] In some embodiments, regarding the fortification methods disclosed herein, for the use of residual starchy material which is obtained after removing the protein concentrate, the properties are similar to rice flour with about 8% protein making it an excellent product to reconstitute as extruded rice kernels with vitamin/mineral premixes, at a substantially lower costs. In some embodiments, grinding of entire grains of rice is avoided. In some embodiments, bran flour obtained is cheaper than brokens in several markets globally.

[0098] In some embodiments, the methods disclosed herein are suitable for the isolation of plant-based flours from sources other than rice, including but not limited to, seeds, brewer’s spent grain, barley, wheat, rice, flaxseed, coconut, pumpkin, hemp, pea, chia, lentil, fava, potato, sunflower, quinoa, amaranth, oat, sorghum, millet, teff, combinations thereof, or the like.

Enumerated Embodiments

[0099] The following provide exemplary illustrative enumerated embodiments:

[0100] 1. A method of preparing rice bran, the method comprising:

[0101] acquiring a rice bran starting material;

[0102] treating the rice bran to facilitate release of oil while simultaneously improving the biological stability;

[0103] passing the treated rice bran through a press to provide a pressed rice bran product; and

[0104] grinding the pressed rice bran product to provide a ground rice bran.

[0105] 2. A method of preparing rice bran, the method comprising:

[0106] parboiling a rice bran starting material to provide a treated rice bran;

[0107] pressing the treated rice bran in a press to remove at least 60% of the oil thereby providing a pressed rice bran product; and

[0108] grinding the pressed rice bran product to provide a ground rice bran.

[0109] 3. A method of preparing rice bran, the method comprising:

[0110] obtaining a rice bran starting material;

[0111] treating the rice bran starting material with steam, gas, or liquid in an expeller that comprises multiple gas and/or liquid inlets;

[0112] pressing the treated rice bran to remove oil; and

[0113] grinding the pressed rice bran product to provide a ground rice bran.

[0114] 4. The method of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the rice bran starting material comprises one or more of a raw rice bran and/or parboiled rice bran.

[0115] 5. The method of any one of the preceding embodiments, further comprising stabilizing the rice bran starting material. [0116] 6. The method of embodiment 5, wherein the stabilization comprises application of steam and/or boiling water to the rice bran starting material.

[0117] 7. The method of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the oil is released or freed using one or more of steam and/or a gas.

[0118] 8. The method of embodiment 7, wherein the freed oil is removed using an expeller.

[0119] 9. The method of embodiment 7, wherein the gas is air.

[0120] 10. The method of embodiment 7, wherein the gas is an inert gas.

[0121] 11. The method of embodiment 10, wherein the inert gas is nitrogen or argon.

[0122] 12. The method of embodiment 7 wherein the gas is a dry gas.

[0123] 13. The method of any one of embodiments 7 to 12, wherein the gas is a liquefied gas.

[0124] 14. The method of any one of embodiments 7 to 13, wherein the oil and/or solvent from the rice bran raw material is removed using an expelling device.

[0125] 15. The method of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the press maintains a temperature within the range of about -20 °C to about 60 °C.

[0126] 16. The method of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the grinding is accomplished using a grinding device.

[0127] 17. The method of embodiment 16, wherein the grinding device comprises a hammer mill, a pin mill, a nano mill, air classifying mills or a combination thereof.

[0128] 18. The method of any one of the preceding embodiments, further comprising passing the ground rice bran through one more classifiers / sifters (also air separators).

[0129] 19. The method of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the particle size of the ground rice bran ranges from about 150 pm to 480 pm.

[0130] 20. The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 18, wherein the particle size of the ground rice bran ranges from about 20 pm to 210 pm.

[0131] 21. The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 18, wherein the particle size of the ground rice bran ranges from about 210 pm to 480 pm. [0132] 22. The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 18, wherein the particle size of the ground rice bran ranges from about 75 pm to 210 pm.

[0133] 23. A rice bran flour, comprising a protein content ranging from about 20% to 60%.

[0134] 24. A rice bran flour, comprising a protein content ranging from about 30% to 60%.

[0135] 25. A rice bran flour, comprising a protein content less than or equal to about 10%.

[0136] 26. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising:

[0137] administering an effective amount of nutritional supplement comprising a rice bran flour made by the rice bran flour of any one of embodiments 23 to 25 to the subject, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0138] 27. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising:

[0139] administering a nutritional supplement comprising a rice bran flour made by the method of any one of embodiments 1 to 22, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0140] 28. A fortifying agent for grain food products, the fortifying agent comprising:

[0141] rice bran flour; and

[0142] nutrient additives.

[0143] 29. The fortifying agent of embodiment 28, wherein the nutrient additives comprise micronutrients.

[0144] 30. The fortifying agent of embodiment 29, wherein the nutrient additives comprise vitamins, minerals, or a combination thereof. [0145] 31. The fortifying agent of embodiment 29, wherein the nutrient additives comprise one or more of: vitamin A, vitamin B12, folic acid, iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium.

[0146] 32. The fortifying agent of embodiment 28, wherein the nutrient additives are macronutrients present in the rice bran.

[0147] 33. The fortifying agent of embodiment 28, wherein the nutrient additives comprise macronutrients.

[0148] 34. The fortifying agent of embodiments 28 to 33, wherein the mesh size of the rice bran flour is less than or equal to about: 20 pm, 75 pm, 150 pm, 210 pm, 250 pm, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values.

[0149] 35. The fortifying agent of any one of embodiments 28 to 33, wherein the rice bran flour comprises protein content less than or equal to about 10%.

[0150] 36. A fortified grain food product, comprising:

[0151] the fortifying agent of any one of embodiments 28 to 34; and

[0152] a plant grain.

[0153] 37. The fortified grain food product of embodiment 35, wherein the plant grain comprises rice.

[0154] 38. A method for producing a fortified grain food product, comprising:

[0155] preparing a mixture of rice bran flour and one or more nutrient additives;

[0156] extruding the mixture to provide a pellet (e.g., an extruded rice kernel); and

[0157] combining the pellet with one or more plant grains.

[0158] 39. The method of embodiment 38, wherein the one or more plant grains comprise milled rice.

[0159] 40. A method of supplementing a diet of a subject, comprising:

[0160] administering a fortified grain food product to the subject;

[0161] wherein the food product comprises a plant grain and a fortifying agent; and

[0162] wherein the fortifying agent comprises a rice bran flour and one or more nutrient additives.

[0163] 41. The method of embodiment 40, wherein the plant grain comprises milled rice. [0164] 42. The method of any one of embodiments 40 or 41. wherein the nutrient additives comprise micronutrients.

[0165] 43. The method of any one of embodiments 40 or 41, wherein the nutrient additives comprise vitamins and/or minerals.

[0166] 44. The method of any one of embodiments 40 or 41, wherein the nutrient additives comprise one or more of: vitamin A, vitamin B12, folic acid, iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium.

[0167] 45. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising:

[0168] administering an effective amount of fortifying agent in rice as recited in one of the preceding embodiments to the subject, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0169] 46. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising:

[0170] administering an effective amount of a fortified grain or a pellet as recited in the preceding embodiments to the subject, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the fortified grain or pellet by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0171] 47. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising:

[0172] administering a fortifying agent made by the method of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0173] 48. A method of preparing rice bran flour, the method comprising:

[0174] acquiring a rice bran starting material;

[0175] parboiling the rice bran starting material to provide a pretreated rice bran starting material;

[0176] pressing the pretreated rice bran starting material to provide a pressed rice bran product; and [0177] grinding the pressed rice bran product to provide the rice bran flour;

[0178] wherein the pressed rice bran product has an oil content that is at least 60% less than the rice bran starting material.

[0179] 49. The method of embodiment 48, further comprising exposing the pretreated rice bran to steam, gas, or liquefied gas to remove liberate rice bran oil from the pretreated rice bran starting material.

[0180] 50. The method of embodiment 49, wherein the freed oil is removed using an expeller.

[0181] 51. The method of embodiment 49, wherein the gas is air.

[0182] 52. The method of embodiment 49, wherein the gas is an inert gas.

[0183] 53. The method of embodiment 49, wherein the gas is nitrogen or argon.

[0184] 54. The method of embodiment 49, wherein the gas is a dry gas.

[0185] 55. The method of embodiment 49, wherein the gas is a liquefied gas.

[0186] 56. The method of embodiment 49, wherein the exposing step is performed during pressing.

[0187] 57. The method of any one of embodiments 48 to 56, wherein the pressing is performed using an expeller.

[0188] 58. The method of any one of embodiments 48 to 57, wherein the rice bran starting material comprises a raw rice bran.

[0189] 59. The method of any one of embodiments 48 to 58, wherein the pressing step is performed at a temperature ranging from -20 °C to 70 °C.

[0190] 60. The method of any one of embodiments 48 to 59, wherein the grinding step is performed using a grinding device.

[0191] 61. The method of any one of embodiments 48 to 60, wherein the grinding step is performed using a hammer mill, a roller mill, a pin mill, a nano mill, or a combination thereof.

[0192] 62. The method of any one of embodiments 48 to 61, wherein the grinding step is performed using a roller mill.

[0193] 63. The method of any one of embodiments 48 to 62, further comprising classifying the ground rice bran. [0194] 64. The method of embodiment 63, wherein the classifier is a series of sifters.

[0195] 65. The method of embodiment 63, further comprising isolating a fraction having a particle size ranging from 150 pm to 480 pm.

[0196] 66. The method of embodiment 63, further comprising isolating a fraction having a particle size ranging from 20 pm to 210 pm.

[0197] 67. The method of embodiment 63, further comprising isolating a fraction having a particle size ranging from 210 pm to 480 pm.

[0198] 68. The method of embodiment 63, further comprising isolating a fraction having a particle size ranging from 75 pm to 210 pm.

[0199] 69. A rice bran flour, comprising a protein content ranging from about 20% to 50% and made by the method of any one of embodiments 48 to 68.

[0200] 70. A rice bran flour, comprising a protein content ranging from about 30% to 50% and made by the method of any one of embodiments 48 to 68.

[0201] 71. A rice bran flour, comprising a protein content less than or equal to about 10% and made by the method of any one of embodiments 48 to 68.

[0202] 72. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising:

[0203] administering an effective amount of nutritional supplement comprising a rice bran flour made by the rice bran flour of any one of embodiments 69 to 71 to the subject, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0204] 73. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising:

[0205] administering a nutritional supplement comprising the rice bran flour made by the method of any one of embodiments 48 to 68, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0206] 74. A fortifying agent for grain food products, the fortifying agent comprising: [0207] the rice bran flour made by the method of any one of embodiments 48 to

68; and

[0208] nutrient additives.

[0209] 75. The fortifying agent of embodiment 74, wherein the nutrient additives comprise micronutrients.

[0210] 76. The fortifying agent of embodiment 74 or 75, wherein the nutrient additives comprise vitamins, minerals, or a combination thereof.

[0211] 77. The fortifying agent of any one of embodiments 74 to 76, wherein the nutrient additives comprise one or more of: vitamin A, vitamin B12, folic acid, iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium.

[0212] 78. The fortifying agent of any one of embodiments 74 to 77, wherein the nutrient additives are macronutrients present in the rice bran.

[0213] 79. The fortifying agent of any one of embodiments 74 to 78, wherein the nutrient additives comprise macronutrients.

[0214] 80. The fortifying agent of any one of embodiments 74 to 79, wherein the mesh size of the rice bran flour is less than or equal to about: 50 pm, 75 pm, 150 pm, 210 pm, 250 pm, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values.

[0215] 81. The fortifying agent of any one of embodiments 74 to 80, wherein the rice bran flour comprises protein content less than or equal to about 10%.

[0216] 82. The fortifying agent of any one of embodiments 74 to 81, wherein the rice bran flour comprises protein content greater than or equal to about 30%.

[0217] 83. A fortified grain food product, comprising:

[0218] the fortifying agent of any one of embodiments 74 to 82; and

[0219] a plant grain.

[0220] 84. The fortified grain food product of embodiment 83, wherein the plant grain comprises rice.

[0221] 85. A method for producing a fortified grain food product, comprising:

[0222] preparing a mixture of rice bran flour and one or more nutrient additives;

[0223] extruding the mixture to provide a pellet; and

[0224] combining the pellet with one or more plant grains. [0225] 86. The method of embodiment 85, wherein the one or more plant grains comprise milled rice.

[0226] 87. The method of embodiment 85 or 86, wherein the rice flour is made by the method of any one of embodiments 1 to 86.

[0227] 88. A method of supplementing a diet of a subject, comprising:

[0228] administering a fortified grain food product to the subject;

[0229] wherein the food product comprises a plant grain and a fortifying agent; and

[0230] wherein the fortifying agent comprises a rice bran flour and one or more nutrient additives.

[0231] 89. The method of embodiment 88, wherein the plant grain comprises milled rice.

[0232] 90. The method of embodiment 88 or 89, wherein the nutrient additives comprise micronutrients.

[0233] 91. The method of any one of embodiments 88 to 90, wherein the nutrient additives comprise vitamins and/or minerals.

[0234] 92. The method of any one of embodiments 88 to 91, wherein the nutrient additives comprise one or more of: vitamin A, vitamin B12, folic acid, iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium.

[0235] 93. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising:

[0236] administering an effective amount of fortifying agent in rice as recited in one of embodiments 74 to 82 to the subject, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0237] 94. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising:

[0238] administering an effective amount of a fortified grain as recited in one of embodiments 83 to 84 to the subject, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the fortified grain by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss. [0239] 95. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising:

[0240] administering a fortifying agent made by the method of any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

[0241] For purposes of summarizing the disclosure, certain aspects, advantages and features of the inventions have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily any or all such advantages are achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the inventions disclosed herein. No aspects of this disclosure are essential or indispensable. In some embodiments, the compositions may be configured differently than illustrated in the description herein. For example, various steps or ingredients provided by herein can be combined, rearranged, added, or deleted. While the above processes and methods are described using rice as an example, other grains are envisioned and can be treated or used in the methods disclosed herein (e.g., wheat, oats, corn, barley, or other cereal grains).

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0242] Organic brown rice is dehusked using milling to provide rice bran. The rice bran is steamed to kill sterilize the rice bran. After sterilization, the rice bran is then parboiled at a temperature of 70 °C. The parboiled product is then added to an expeller press having five inlet valves. The parboiled rice bran was flushed with nitrogen gas at 8 °C and pressing is performed to remove oil from the bran. 90% of the oil is removed using this process. At this time, the rice bran cake is removed and pulverized at 20 °C first using a hammer mill, then a pin mill, and finally with a nanomill to afford particles of less than 50 microns. In some embodiments, prior to or after pulverization the rice bran flour can be dried.

Example 2

[0243] Organic brown rice is dehusked using milling to provide rice bran. The rice bran is steamed to kill sterilize the rice bran. After sterilization, the rice bran is then parboiled at a temperature of 70 °C. The parboiled product was then added to an expeller press having five inlet valves. The parboiled rice bran was flushed with nitrogen gas at 8 °C and pressing was performed to remove oil from the bran. The bran was treated and expelled (oil removed by mechanical method using an oil expeller) such that only 4 - 8 % residual oil remained. The bran was further ground first in a hammer mill and then in an air classifying mill to the level of about 75 microns or less. On further sifting using a combination of plan sifters and air separators, it was further observed that a dry concentrate of up to 55% protein could be achieved. This mechanical process involved high energy and intense grinding and resulted in some heat production.

[0244] A method of hard parboiling specially developed to produce bold yellow parboiled verities in a local cultivar constituted soaking / steeping the paddy in hot water of about 70°C and then steaming them for about 10 - 15 minutes. This treatment advantageously resulted in the migration of oil to the bran layers. The bran was removed through fractional milling by using both conventional emery stones of 24 grit, 30 grit and 36 grit as well as fine emery stones of 120 grit. The removal of bran was made very gradual so that the outer layers of the fiber are scarified with the least amount of the oil removal and maximizing the fiber. The second layer which contained both a higher concentration of protein and oil was removed in the second passage of milling. The third layer was removed separately which contained more of starch and less of fibers and the protein.

Table 1.

[0245] The mill used a fourth passage of polishing and contained water addition which was not suitable for protein extraction as the % of starch was higher than 80%. The product was then heat treated and also dried using indirect heating dryers to bring down the moisture to less than 10% (workable range of about 8% to optimize oil removal) and then stored. The product was already tested for microbial load etc. and it was found that a temperature of 120 degree and 9 minutes made it fit for human consumption requirements.

[0246] The product at this time was already concentrated to about 15% protein and was further taken through an cryo press oil expeller that cold remove on very tight adjustments resulting in a concentrated protein cake with less than 6% oil. This allowed further grinding of the cake. The resulting product contained a protein concentration of about 19 - 20% which is called as bran cake flour. A mild hammer mill ground flour was generated without further increasing the temperature of the and sifted to remove fibers which are greater than 500 microns. Some husks and loose crude fibers were removed to the extent of about 5%, which marginally increased the concentration by about 1% taking the concentration in the range of 20 - 21 %. Coarse particles having diameters 200 microns or more were removed in the sifter and taken out as a non-protein product. A series of 4 - 6 stage roller mills were used to grind the product using both pressing and shear. Shear was preferred against impact and it was found that certain fluted corrugations worked better than smooth rolls. With a series of multiple extraction stages with varying type of corrugated rolls the product could be ground to a fineness close to 150 -180 microns with continuous removal of coarse particles in the sifter.

[0247] The fines of less than 200 microns where further taken through an air separator which could separates particles of 75 microns or less fineness and larger particles generally in the range of 100 to 200 microns to get a fine and coarse protein powder samples. While it was possible to grind the product similarly in a pin mill and or an air classifying mill, it was observed that the extensive use of a combination of roller mills and pin / air classifying mills can improve the results further wherever higher percentage of protein separation is desired with lesser energy consumption. It was also observed that the electricity consumption was less by 50% as compared to exclusive use of air classifying mills with generally higher yields.

[0248] In summary, the process described here may use smaller amounts of energy by avoiding the use of air classifying mills (very fine pulverizes). One or more of the following techniques contribute to one or more of the advantages disclosed herein. Using a hard- parboiled paddy for where the bran layers are denser and more concentrated as opposed to fragile starch in raw or steamed or soft-parboiled (cold or mild soaking/steaming) rice. Mill fractionation where the bran is removed with a highest possible concentration of protein using a method called scarification using finer emery stones in vertical whiteners / polishers. Maximizing removal of oil to yield a drier cake which is broken into smaller pieces in a hammer mill. Sifting and using a uniform granulation to run across 4 - 6 stages of roller grinding operations. Sifting and removing coarse product and fine products of less than 200 microns creating coarse protein concentrate powders. Using fine pulverizes to further grind the coarse over-tails which still contained about 17- 20 % protein. Using a combination of plan sifters and air separators to remove very fines less than 75 microns and the products which result in coarse and fine protein powders with protein contents ranging between 30 - 40 %. By further using air classifying mills, the protein concentrations can be further taken to about 50 - 60% by grinding them to less than 40 microns.

Example 3

[0249] This is a prophetic example. Organic brown rice is dehusked using milling to provide brown rice. The brown rice is steamed for 15 minutes to sterilize the rice bran. After sterilization, the brown rice is then parboiled at a temperature of 70 °C for 10 minutes. The parboiled product is then added to an expeller press. The parboiled rice bran is flushed with nitrogen gas at 8 °C and pressing is performed to remove oil from the bran. Approximately 90% of the oil is removed using this process. At this time, the rice bran cake is removed from the press and pulverized at 20 °C first using a hammer mill, then a pin mill, and finally with a nanomill to afford particles of equal to or less than 50 microns in size. Prior to or after pulverization the rice bran flour can be dried. The rice bran flour is then mixed with micronutrients, and a binder in water. The mixture is extruded into a pellet in the shape of a rice grain. The pellet is added to rice at a 2% weight ratio (e.g., 1 gram of pellets to 50 grams of rice). The fortified rice is then ready for consumption.

Example 4

[0250] This is a prophetic example. A control group of 100 males ages 20 to 25 consumed 20 grams of rice flour per day and were instructed to otherwise consume an unrestricted diet. An experimental group of males ages 20 to 25 consumed 20 grams of the disclosed rice bran flour made using the method described in Example 2 per day and were instructed to otherwise consume an unrestricted diet. Body weights were determined daily. After 30 days, the overall food consumption by males of both groups was totaled. On average, the males in the control group consumed 300 additional calories per day to maintain body weight as compared with the males in the experimental group.

Example 5

[0251] This is a prophetic example. A control group of 50 females ages 30 to 35 consumed 15 grams of rice flour (prepared using the methods according to some embodiments disclosed herein) per day and were instructed to otherwise consume an unrestricted diet. An experimental group of females ages 30 to 35 consumed 15 grams per day of rice bran flour. Over the next 28 days, body composition for women in both groups was recorded. On average, the women in the experimental group lost an average of 5% body fat and gained an average of 2% muscle mass as compared with the women in the control group.

Example 6

[0252] This is a prophetic example. A control group of 50 males ages 30 to 35 consumed 35 grams of rice flour (prepared using the methods according to some embodiments disclosed herein) per day and were instructed to otherwise consume an unrestricted diet. An experimental group of males ages 30 to 35 consumed 35 grams per day of rice bran flour. Over the next 28 days, weight for men in both groups was recorded. On average, the men in the experimental group gained an average of 2% more weight than men in the control group. Example 7

[0253] This is a prophetic example. A 40 year old male body builder consumed 25 grams per day of rice bran flour (prepared using the methods according to some embodiments disclosed herein) over a six week period. The body builder’s weight did not change over the course of the six weeks, but he reported that since consuming the rice bran flour, he has less muscle soreness and more overall energy.

Example 8

[0254] This is a prophetic example. A 50 year old male consumed 25 grams of rice fortified with rice bran flour and nutrient additives every day for six months. The male was instructed to otherwise consume an unrestricted diet. The male’s LDL cholesterol level was 130 mg/dL at the start of the experiment. At the end of the six month period, the male’s LDL cholesterol level was 110 mg/dL.

Example 9

[0255] This is a prophetic example. A control group of 50 women ages 35 to 40 consumed 15 grams of unfortified rice every day for eight weeks. An experimental group of 50 women ages 35 to 40 consumed 15 grams of rice fortified with rice bran flour and nutrient additives every day for eight weeks. The women in both groups were instructed to consume an otherwise unrestricted diet. At the end of the eight week period, 15% of the women in the control group and 45% of the women in the experimental groups reported having increased muscle mass and decreased fat.

Example 10

[0256] This is a prophetic example. A control group of 50 men ages 35 to 40 consumed 25 grams of unfortified rice every day for eight weeks. An experimental group of 50 men ages 35 to 40 consumed 25 grams of rice fortified with rice bran flour and nutrient additives every day for eight weeks. The men in both groups were instructed to consume an otherwise unrestricted diet. At the end of the eight week period, 50% of the men in the control group and 90% of the men in the experimental groups reported having more energy. At the end of the eight week period, 20% of the men in the control group and 50% of the men in the experimental groups reported having gained muscle mass.

Example 11

[0257] This is a prophetic example. A control group of 100 women ages 50 to 60 consumed 15 grams of unfortified rice every day for ten weeks. An experimental group of 100 women ages 50 to 60 consumed 15 grams of rice fortified with rice bran flour and nutrient additives every day for ten weeks. The women in both groups were instructed to consume an otherwise unrestricted diet. At the end of the ten week period, 45% of the women in the control group and 80% of the women in the experimental group reported fewer instances of fatigue than over the ten weeks prior to the start of the experiment.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method of preparing rice bran flour, the method comprising:

acquiring a rice bran starting material;

parboiling the rice bran starting material to provide a pretreated rice bran starting material;

pressing the pretreated rice bran starting material to provide a pressed rice bran product; and

grinding the pressed rice bran product to provide the rice bran flour;

wherein the pressed rice bran product has an oil content that is at least 60% less than the rice bran starting material.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising exposing the pretreated rice bran to steam, gas, or liquefied gas to remove liberate rice bran oil from the pretreated rice bran starting material.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the freed oil is removed using an expeller.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the gas is air.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the gas is an inert gas.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the gas is nitrogen or argon.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the gas is a dry gas.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the gas is a liquefied gas.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the exposing step is performed during pressing.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressing is performed using an expeller.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the rice bran starting material comprises a raw rice bran.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pressing step is performed at a temperature ranging from -20 °C to 70 °C.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the grinding step is performed using a grinding device.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the grinding step is performed using a hammer mill, a roller mill, a pin mill, a nano mill, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the grinding step is performed using a roller mill.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising classifying the ground rice bran.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the classifier is a series of sifters.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising isolating a fraction having a particle size ranging from 150 pm to 480 pm.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising isolating a fraction having a particle size ranging from 20 pm to 210 pm.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising isolating a fraction having a particle size ranging from 210 pm to 480 pm.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising isolating a fraction having a particle size ranging from 75 pm to 210 pm.

22. A rice bran flour, comprising a protein content ranging from about 20% to 60% and made by the method of claim 1.

23. A rice bran flour, comprising a protein content ranging from about 30% to 60% and made by the method of claim 1.

24. A rice bran flour, comprising a protein content less than or equal to about 10% and made by the method of claim 1.

25. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising: administering an effective amount of nutritional supplement comprising a rice bran flour made by the rice bran flour of any one of claims 23 to 25 to the subject, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

26. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising: administering a nutritional supplement comprising the rice bran flour made by the method of any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

27. A fortifying agent for grain food products, the fortifying agent comprising: the rice bran flour made by the method of claim 1 ; and

nutrient additives.

28. The fortifying agent of claim 27, wherein the nutrient additives comprise micronutrients.

29. The fortifying agent of claim 27, wherein the nutrient additives comprise vitamins, minerals, or a combination thereof.

30. The fortifying agent of claim 27, wherein the nutrient additives comprise one or more of: vitamin A, vitamin B 12, folic acid, iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium.

31. The fortifying agent of claim 27, wherein the nutrient additives are macronutrients present in the rice bran.

32. The fortifying agent of claim 27, wherein the nutrient additives comprise macronutrients.

33. The fortifying agent of claim 27, wherein the mesh size of the rice bran flour is less than or equal to about: 50 pm, 75 pm, 150 pm, 210 pm, 250 pm, or ranges including and/or spanning the aforementioned values.

34. The fortifying agent of claim 27, wherein the rice bran flour comprises protein content less than or equal to about 10%.

35. The fortifying agent of claim 27, wherein the rice bran flour comprises protein content greater than or equal to about 30%.

36. A fortified grain food product, comprising:

the fortifying agent of claim 27; and

a plant grain.

37. The fortified grain food product of claim 36, wherein the plant grain comprises rice.

38. A method for producing a fortified grain food product, comprising:

preparing a mixture of rice bran flour and one or more nutrient additives; extruding the mixture to provide a pellet; and

combining the pellet with one or more plant grains.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the one or more plant grains comprise milled rice.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the rice flour is made by the method of claim

1

41. A method of supplementing a diet of a subject, comprising: administering a fortified grain food product to the subject;

wherein the food product comprises a plant grain and a fortifying agent; and wherein the fortifying agent comprises a rice bran flour and one or more nutrient additives.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the plant grain comprises milled rice.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the nutrient additives comprise micronutrients.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the nutrient additives comprise vitamins and/or minerals.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein the nutrient additives comprise one or more of: vitamin A, vitamin B12, folic acid, iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium.

46. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising: administering an effective amount of fortifying agent in rice as recited in one of claims 27 to 35 to the subject, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

47. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising: administering an effective amount of a fortified grain as recited in one of claims

36 or 37 to the subject, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the fortified grain by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.

48. A method for supplementing the diet of a subject, the method comprising: administering a fortifying agent made by the method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein ingestion of an effective amount of the nutritional supplement by the subject results in at least one of weight gain, weight maintenance, growth, muscle growth, muscle maintenance, and/or decreased muscle loss.