According to estimates of the Solvent Extractor's Association of India (SEA), production of refined rice bran oil jumped from 41,000 tonnes in 1994-95 to 1.24 lakh tonnes in 1998-99 (October '98 to September 99). The association believes that the country has the potential of producing 9-10 lakh tonne of rice bran oil, including both industrial and edible grade, if the product is adequately promoted.

SEA president Sandeep Bajoria is hopeful that production figure could touch the two-lakh tonne mark within a year due to the steps being taken by the industry to promote rice bran oil as a health oil.

According to SEA, rice bran oil has high nutritional properties and contains healthy compounds like tocopherols, tocotrienols, oryzanol, squalene and phytosterols. It adds that clinical studies have indicated that due to the presence of the specified compounds and other fractions of unsaponifiable material, the oil has a number of health benefits. Rice bran oil promotes hypocholesterolemic activity which brings down lipid levels and maintains cholestrol homeostasis in the body. It significantly lowers the level of total cholestrol, the association said.

The oil also has a potent antimutagen which can prevent cancer even if a carcinogen entered the system.

Besides, SEA claims, eatables fry faster in rice bran oil and absorb less oil while it also has an excellent keeping quality and oxidative stability.Bajoria said that if unsaponifiable matter was raised from 3.5 per cent to 4.5 per cent in rice bran oil under PFA Act, it would encourage refining of high FFA rice bran oil which is used directly for human consumption.

Proper promotion of rice bran oil as a health oil, however, remains the most important factor in increasing its acceptability as a cooking oil among the masses. The SEA has, therefore, taken the initiative to organise national seminars on rice bran oil to create awareness of its nutritional and health benefits.

The association says that its last two seminars had resulted in the industry taking a lot of initiative to improve production and marketing techniques.

In its third seminar held in Goa last week, the focus was on health aspects of refined rice bran oil. SEA invited senior officials from the ministries of health and consumer affairs and public distribution, scientists from various institutes working on rice bran oil and also experts from the U S and Japan to share their views and expertise on the product with the delegates.

The future of rice bran oil in India can be very bright if the industry is able to exploit the latent potential to its advantage.