Hillshire Farms Adopts Rice Bran Protein, as Ingredient Finds First Mainstream Application

Since 2008, a shift has started to occur in the application of rice bran protein in food products. KFC (The Philippines) were the first to launch a chicken hybrid product featuring the ingredient and now Hillshire Farms adopting the ingredient in the US.

9 Jul 2012 --- Hillshire Farms has become the first major meat manufacturer to adopt rice bran protein as an ingredient. The US company is using rice bran in its line of Gourmet Creations sausage products, where the ingredient serves as an alternative to soy protein. The formulation suggests the start of a trend towards using rice bran protein in meat products, where the ingredient can function as an environmentally and ecologically sustainable food ingredient available at a low economic impact for costs.

Since 2008, a shift has started to occur in the application of rice bran protein in food products. KFC (The Philippines) were the first to launch a chicken hybrid product featuring the ingredient and now Hillshire Farms adopting the ingredient in the US.

The move comes as Henk Hoogenkamp publishes a new book discussing the potential of this ingredient. Rice Bran Protein is an authoritative overview covering a wide selection of seemingly unrelated topics that influence food security, health, sustainability, affordability, socio-economic demographic marketing of formulated food, meat-hybrids and beverages. NutraCea holds many patents for stabilized rice bran (SRB) production technology and proprietary products derived from SRB. NutraCea's proprietary technology enables the creation of food and nutrition products to be unlocked from rice bran, normally a waste by-product of standard rice processing.

Hoogenkamp calls rice bran protein an innovative all-natural source of premium vegetable protein, synbiotic fiber, and heart-healthy oil. Rice bran protein, which is gluten-free and hypoallergenic, contains not only essential vitamins and minerals, but also a wide variety of antioxidants and co-factors. "Our world urgently needs this multi-functional transitional protein with unique organoleptic properties, delivering high-value ecologically sustainable protein nutrition. Rice bran protein is made using chemical-free technology delivering not only a clean label, but also the benefits from being vegan-friendly, dairy-free, nut-free, and a premium flavor profile. Rice bran protein is trusted, competitive, easy to use, and cost-effective," he adds.
 
Major development work is ongoing. DSM and NutraCea entered into a Joint Research and Development Agreement last summer, where the companies are sharing existing patented and proprietary intellectual property and know-how to investigate extraction and modification of high quality vegetable proteins from rice bran. NutraCea also announced an exclusive, co-branded sales and marketing agreement with BENEO-Remy in late-2011.