Valorization of by-product from rice milling industry by enzymatic hydrolysis and potential application

This study introduces a groundbreaking approach to the utilization of broken rice, an abundant and economical by-product of rice milling, to produce liquid glucose. Broken rice, often overlooked in resource utilization, emerges as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative sweetener in the food processing sector, marking a novel and impactful development. This research is focused on a novel synergy between saccharification time and enzyme concentrations, strategically influencing the efficiency, dextrose equivalent (DE), and water activity (a(w)) of liquid glucose derived from broken rice. Remarkably, we have achieved a substantial DE range of 40.39 to 55.83% and efficiencies ranging from 25.41 to 32.82%, all while maintaining a(w) values within the safe range of 0.60 to 0.75. The novelty of this study is the linear relationship between DE and the concentrations of alpha-amylase and glucoamylase during enzymatic hydrolysis. This finding empowers industries to precisely tailor liquid glucose properties to their specific processing needs, offering an economically viable alternative to conventional sucrose-based sweeteners. Advanced partial least-squares regression modelling was used to analyze the interplay of saccharification time, enzyme composition, and enzymatic digestibility parameters (a(w), DE, efficiency). This model, known for its predictive accuracy, enables precise control of liquid glucose properties. Ice cream formulations with broken rice-derived liquid glucose and corn syrup were comparatively assessed. Encouragingly, critical parameters like pH, titrable acidity, meltdown characteristics, and total solids showed striking similarities. Sensory evaluations revealed high overall acceptability at 94.63%. This research taps into broken rice's potential and offers a sustainable approach to liquid glucose production. Future work can explore scalability and diverse applications of this innovative approach, transforming sweetener options in the food industry.