Humble rice bran becomes hot commodity as India scours for edible oils

Rice bran oil is the nutritional oil extracted from the bran of the rice kernel. It is naturally rich in vitamin E – a mix spectrum of tocopherol and tocotrienol.

MUMBAI:Rice bran has become a sought-after commodity in India as the world's biggest importer of vegetable oils tries to overcome an edible oil shortage caused by global supply disruptions.

A by-product in rice milling, rice bran has been traditionally used for cattle and poultry feed. In recent years, oil mills have started extracting rice oil, which is popular among health-conscious consumers but historically more expensive than rival oils.