Explore the extraction, properties, and applications of rice protein, a low-allergen, amino-acid-rich ingredient for food and health industries.

Keywords： broken rice,starch sugar,bioactive peptide,rice peptide,rice protein,liver
protection

Extraction of Rice Protein

Research in China on rice protein has primarily focused on its extraction due to its balanced amino acid composition and low allergenicity. Physical extraction methods are challenging, and the high cost of rice protein extraction processes makes industrialization difficult. Given that the glutelin in rice protein, which is alkaline-soluble and constitutes more than 70% of the protein content, the industrial extraction of rice protein in China mainly employs an alkaline method. Other methods include enzymatic hydrolysis and a composite method.

The alkaline method, which facilitates the separation of protein from starch by loosening their bond, results in a high extraction rate, low process cost, and simple production process. However, it does not meet the nutritional standards for food-grade protein due to severe protein denaturation at high alkaline concentrations, potential formation of toxic substances from amino acid condensation reactions, and the production of a significant amount of acidic and alkaline wastewater, which is costly to treat and environmentally unfriendly.

Enzymatic extraction methods include amylase and protease methods. Compared to the alkaline method, the protease method yields food-grade protein under mild conditions, though with low extraction rates and high costs. The amylase method removes starch present in broken rice, separating it from protein through centrifugation and dialysis, achieving a protein extraction rate and purity of over 70%.

Physical extraction methods like the micro-jet high-pressure homogenization can break the endosperm cells in broken rice, loosening the tight bond between starch and protein for separation. This method ensures a mild condition favorable for preserving the product’s taste but suffers from low extraction rates.

Physicochemical Properties of Rice Protein

The poor solubility of rice protein limits its application in solid beverages and other formula products, where it can create a gritty texture and settle at the bottom of solutions. Recent research has focused on modifying rice protein using biotechnologies to improve its functional properties. Methods like the design of protein-protein complexes have been found to increase the solubility of glutelin powders to over 90%. High-pressure homogenization has also been shown to improve the poor solubility of rice protein, though it has a negligible effect on improving foaming properties.

Applications of Rice Protein

Rice protein is widely recognized for its excellent properties and has been developed into various products, such as protein nutritional powders, infant foods, and additives. It also finds extensive applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. In the United States, research on developing rice protein foods is mature, leading to the formation of multiple brands. Japan focuses more on the development and utilization of rice peptides, with studies showing that rice peptides can inhibit inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharides and interleukin-1β.

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Original authors: Li Yinghui, Yuan Wenpeng (Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, 250353)

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