Story in: June-2022

Story: Rice bran oil can be increased as an alternative to soybean oil in Bangladesh

Rice bran oil can be increased as an alternative to soybean oil in Bangladesh

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi has announced plans to increase production of rice bran and mustard as an alternative to soybean. He said the country now produces 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes of rice bran. It is possible to carry it to 7 lakh tons. If we can do that, it will be possible to meet 25 percent of the total demand. Besides, rice bran is better than soybean. Soybean oil is harmful to the body.

The minister said 64 percent of the country's wheat imports come from India. Even if the country imposes a ban on wheat exports, it will not be fully applicable to Bangladesh. Apart from that, there is nothing to fear in the stock of wheat in the country at the moment. Regarding oil prices, Tipu Munshi said, "Oil prices are rising in the domestic market due to rising prices in the international market."

The commerce minister said the country could produce 7 lakh tonnes of rice bran oil. So instead of relying on imports, the government is focusing on rice bran oil production. If that happens, it will be possible to meet 25 percent of the oil demand. The Commerce Minister said that rice bran is better than soybean, also beneficial for the body. Soybean oil is harmful to the body.

The instability in the edible oil market started last year. Edible oil prices have risen sharply in the world market since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February this year. However, in late March and early April, prices fell and came closer to pre-war levels. However, this trend did not last long. Indonesia, the world's top producer and exporter of palm oil, imposed a ban on exports in late April. Then the previous record of palm and soybean prices in the world market was broken.

Rice bran oil is the oil extracted from the hard outer brown layer of rice called chaff (rice husk). It is known for its high smoke point of 232 °C (450 °F) and mild flavor, making it suitable for high-temperature cooking methods such as stir frying and deep frying. It is popular as cooking oil in East Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast Asia including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Southern China and Malaysia.

Rice bran oil has a composition similar to that of peanut oil, with 38% monounsaturated, 37% polyunsaturated, and 25% saturated fatty acids. A component of rice bran oil is the γ-oryzanol, at around 2% of crude oil content. Thought to be a single compound when initially isolated, γ-oryzanol is now known to be a mixture of steryl and other triterpenyl esters of ferulic acids. Also present are tocopherols and tocotrienols (two types of vitamin E) and phytosterols.

Rice bran oil is an edible oil which is used in various forms of food preparation. It is also the basis of some vegetable ghee. Rice bran wax, obtained from rice bran oil, is used as a substitute for carnauba wax in cosmetics, confectionery, shoe creams, and polishing compounds.

Isolated γ-oryzanol from rice bran oil is available in China as an over-the-counter drug and in other countries as a dietary supplement. While soybean oil is one of the major sources of high cholesterol in the human body, rice bran oil is beneficial for the body. Rice bran oil consumption has been found to significantly decrease total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C and triglyceride (TG) levels. Paddy is the main crop of Bangladesh. About 75% of the total crop of the country is paddy. So it is easy to produce rice bran oil in Bangladesh and may be more profitable. -Editor

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