Vitamins, food ingredients antioxidants

SRB contains high-quality protein, oil, dietary fiber, polysaccharides, fat-soluble phytochemicals (plant derived bioactive compounds) and other bran nutrients. Rice bran and germ are the richest natural sources of B complex vitamins as well as E vitamins, polyphenols, several antioxidants and minerals. It is now available in the commercial food ingredient market as a safe and effective functional food and dietary supplement. 

A marine nutraceutical is defined as a marine-derived substance that can be used as a dietary supplement or a food ingredient that provides a medicinal or health benefit beyond basic nutrition [Barrow, C.. and F. Shahidi (2008). Marine Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods. CRC Press. 494 pp.] Cosmoceuticals are cosmetic products with drug-like benefits conferred by ingredients such as vitamins, phytochemicals, enzymes, antioxidants, and essential oils. 

The demand for healthy foods has led to the development of several entirely new healthy ingredient and additive categories (Heasman and Mellentin 2001 Sloan 2004). An entirely new sector of functional food ingredients has developed, including products such as omega-3 fatty acids and phytosterols for cardiovascular health, prebiotics and probiotics for gut health, antioxidants, polyphenols and phytochemicals, and bioactive peptides. The established vitamins and minerals sector has also benefited from this functional food trend, with more and more products being fortified with beneficial vitamins and minerals. 

The range of food components now considered as bioactives include vitamins, minerals, functional lipids, probiotics, amino acids, peptides and proteins, phytosterols, phytochemicals and antioxidants (Wildman 2001). Their structure and function vary widely and are important considerations when adding them to food. The health aspects of bioactive ingredients and functional foods are not covered here as they are beyond the scope of this chapter. 

Krishnakumar and Gordon (1996) estimated that the Western European market for feed/food antioxidant in 1995/1996 was split into approximately 50% synthetic antioxidants and 50% natural antioxidants, including vitamin C types, vitamin E types, carotenoids and spice extracts. The current legal status of herb extracts and other plant extracts is that of ingredients, but it can be assumed that extracts used as antioxidants are likely to be legislated as additives in the future. 

Nature has provided us with various food-dispersed components some are liquids (water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsions), and some are semisolids or solids (dispersed fats, proteins, and carbohydrates). Some components are dissolved in continuous phases, and others are dispersed in various complex molecular and physical macro- or microstructured networks. This infinite number of structural combinations are organized and arranged in very complex types of assemblies such as dispersions, emulsions, foams, and gels. In addition, foods contain hundreds of small molecules as minor ingredients and various other added compounds termed food additives. Additives act as vitamins, antioxidants, preservatives, acidulants, enzymes, flavors, colorants, amphiphiles, and so on. 

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