Physicochemical Properties, Antioxidant Stability and Micronutrients Preservation Analyses of Rice Bran Oil by Joint Acid and Multi-enzymes Degumming

Degumming, a critical process in the edible oil industry, is essential for removing phospholipids. Traditional methods such as water-degumming and acid-degumming have limitations in this regard. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of different degumming techniques, including acid, single and multi-enzyme methods, on rice bran oil (RBO). The investigation also focused on the impact of these techniques on the physicochemical characteristics and preservation of micronutrients in RBO during the degumming process. The primary phospholipids identified were phosphatidylethanolamine (29.51%), phosphatidylcholine (37.00%), and phosphatidylinositol (24.49%). Acid degumming removed 84.23% of phospholipids, while a significantly higher removal rate of 98.7% was achieved with the combination of phospholipase A1 & phospholipase C. The degumming process effectively inhibited oxidation in RBO, leading to a substantial increase in the oxidation induction time from 5.7 to 10.0   hours. Furthermore, multi-enzyme degumming showed slightly greater radical-scavenging activity compared to single enzyme degumming in RBO. However, the levels of micronutrients such as phenols, sterols, tocopherols, squalene, and oryzanol were reduced by 6.27% to 22.17%. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the effects of different degumming processes on the physicochemical properties, fatty acid profiles, antioxidant capacities, and preservation of micronutrients in RBO.