Bioactive food components and health properties of rice bran.

Vet Med Today: Timely Topics in Nutrition 593 R (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important cereal crops in the world. It is a dietary staple that provides the bulk of daily calories for many companion animals and humans. The bran fraction of rice is a nutrient-rich by-product that has been primarily used as a low-cost feed for livestock and a fiber source in pet food. This review highlights areas of research related to evaluating the health and dietary value for the inclusion of rice bran in food, in feeds, and as nutritional products for livestock, companion animals, and humans. Diverse rice varieties, as characterized by genetics, landraces, and morphology, are cultivated around the world. Although rice varieties have been extensively studied for distinct agronomic traits such as yield, many have not yet been thoroughly examined for differences in nutrient composition and bioavailability. Thus, our understanding of the differences in phytochemical contents of the bran among diverse rice varieties is limited. The purpose of the information reported here is to describe the bioactive components and health properties of rice bran that may differ among varieties and to indicate opportunities for development of rice bran as a valueadded food ingredient and functional food for disease prevention and enhancement of animal health.