Mitigation of Quality Deterioration and Insect Infestation in Rice Bran During Storage Through Heat Treatment and Vacuum Sealing

Rice bran is a valuable feed ingredient due to its high energy and lipid content; however, its utilization is limited by quality deterioration during storage, including physicochemical changes and insect infestation. This study evaluated the effects of vacuum sealing and heat treatment on the physical properties, chemical composition, fatty acid profile, and insect infestation of rice bran stored under ambient conditions. Fresh rice bran was assigned to three treatments: Non-Vacuum-sealed (NV, control), vacuum-Sealed (VS), and heat-treated followed by vacuum sealing (HVS), and stored for 0, 30, 60, and 90 days. Storage duration significantly affected (p<0.05) physical properties in NV samples, which showed reduced bulk, tapped, and true densities and increased angle of repose at 90 days, indicating decreased flowability. In contrast, VS and HVS treatments maintained stable physical characteristics. Proximate composition remained largely unchanged (p>0.05), although moisture content increased in NV samples (13.08%) compared to VS and HVS (≈11.5-12.0%) at 90 days. Fatty acid composition, including oleic, palmitic, and linoleic acids, was not significantly affected by storage or treatment. Insect infestation was observed only in NV samples at 90 days (≤ 4 dead insects/kg), whereas no infestation occurred in VS and HVS treatments. In conclusion, vacuum sealing effectively preserves the physical and chemical stability of rice bran and prevents insect infestation, while heat treatment provides additional protection, enhancing storage stability under ambient conditions.