RiceBran Technologies has numerous products which are used by food manufacturers to create gluten-free, hypo-allergenic, minimally processed and non-GMO (i.e., non-genetically modified organism) nutrition rich products used in pasta, baked goods, pizza dough, cereals, ground meats, healthy beverages and numerous other applications. The company also makes similar protein rich ingredients used to make animal feed for pets and horses.
All of their products are derived from rice bran, in other words, the hard outer layer of the rice grain. After rice is harvested, the farms mill the rice by crushing rice grains together, which breaks off the husk, and then the next few outer layers of the rice grain, the bran and the germ, are also broken off as one converts brown rice to white rice. The bran is separated and further processed via a combination of heat, water, and pressure are used to deactivate the enzymes that cause rancidity in the rice bran. From this various products are manufactured that have assorted levels of plant protein, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber.
Much of the nutritional value of rice lies in the germ and bran, which is typically discarded during the milling process. About 60 million metric tons of rice bran is thrown away or used as low-level animal feed annually. RiceBran Technologies knows the value of this non-GMO food product rich in nutrients and anti-oxidants. As rice is a staple food for 70% of the population with 600 million tons consumed annually, RiceBran Technologies has explosive potential for growth.
The U.S. nutraceutical and functional food market is expected to grow at a 5% compounded annualized growth rate from 2013 to 2018, reaching $75 billion by 2018. RiceBran Technologies products are also sold into the functional food segment, and are used in protein beverages, energy bars, meal replacement products and a host of other healthy and natural products. The sheer size of the market RiceBran Technologies addresses combined with its range of products suggests this company has a very optimistic future.
Let us hear your thoughts below:
