R&D Story 04
Unlocking the Nutritional Potential of Brown Rice
The traditional Japanese meal is viewed as well-balanced and low in calories. To deliver the bountiful nutrients of brown rice to enrich daily meals, Sunstar has been engaging in continuous research and has developed unique products.
R&D Story 04
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Electronic devices are an essential part of modern life. Sunstar Engineering, with focus on craftsmanship and contemporary demands, has always developed top quality materials that assist social development and reduce environmental impact.
Brown rice with vegetables and fish, the basis of a traditional Japanese meal
The Japanese are renowned for their longevity, boasting an average life expectancy of 83.7 years, while the rest of the world averages 71.4 years*. One of the reasons for this long life span is their exceptional diet. In Japan, where Sunstar has its origins, people traditionally ate brown rice – which is full of nutrients necessary for our body such as fiber, magnesium, and vitamin B6 – accompanied by well-balanced vegetable dishes.
*Reference: World Health Statistics 2016: Monitoring health for the SDGs
The brown rice diet to restore people’s health
Over time, the traditional Japanese diet was forgotten, and more people started to get sick. Dining out and consuming fattier and saltier meals made them unhealthy. Foods that used to nourish the Japanese people were now transforming into a health threat.
Hiroo Kaneda, the son of the founder who succeeded Sunstar, was well aware of the deterioration of the population’s physical condition. He experienced the great benefits of brown rice first-hand when trying to improve the well-being of his employees. When he founded Shin-shin Kenko Dojo (Kenko Dojo Holistic Health Care Center), a facility that provides a 3 day food- and exercise-based health improvement program for Sunstar personnel, he chose the traditional Japanese meal as the official base menu from the start. Thanks partly to the well-balanced meals, many staff members experienced improvements in their health conditions after the program.
Having witnessed the impact of traditional brown rice meals on his employees’ health, Kaneda decided to share this knowledge with everyone.
Studies prove the health benefits of meals based on brown rice
There is a scientific basis for the revitalizing experience at Shin-shin Kenko Dojo. A joint team of university researchers and Sunstar’s R&D team revealed the benefits of meals based on brown rice in their investigations.
Plasma glucose (mmol/l)
(min)
*Nutrition Research 34 491-498 (2014)（P.496）
Blood glucose level after ingesting 75 grams of glucose at week 0, 8, and 32. The blood glucose level at week 8 was significantly lower than the other weeks.
We always strive to improve daily lives of people based on their contemporary needs
Rice bran, a superfood packed with 80% of the nutrients of brown rice
The surface of brown rice is covered by bran (the germ and skin), which gives it the brown appearance, and where about 80% of the grain’s bioactive nutrients are packed. The white core, which is what we are used to eating, contains mostly starch. Without this white core, rice bran makes a great ingredient for healthy products that are high in nutrients and fiber, and low in sugar.
Rice bran, a superfood packed with 80% of the nutrients of brown rice
Nutrients in 10 grams of processed bran*
Fiber
5.5 tablespoons of oatmeal
Potassium
2.5 tablespoons of raisins
Calcium
1 teaspoon of yoghurt
Magnesium
38 cashew nuts
Iron
70g of spinach
Vitamin B2
1.5 asparagus
Vitamin B6
6 tablespoons of sesame seeds
Vitamin E
1 almond
*Bran that is heat sanitized and pressed for excess oil extraction
(Top left and right) Research facility at Sunstar’s research institute in the Asahi-machi office in Osaka.
(Bottom right) Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGE) reader that measures cellular glycation levels.
Challenges to develop products that use rice bran effectively
Rice bran has diverse uses aside from food. Today, rice bran is used as animal feed, fertilizer, and as an oil source, but the rest is simply thrown away. Because it is highly nutritious, bran attracts bugs and gets easily oxidized, which makes it difficult to use. In addition, its particular flavor and rough texture tend to be disliked.
Knowing this, Sunstar’s R&D team found it a waste that rice bran was not being used to its full potential. Based on Sunstar’s holistic health concept providing health support to people through the improvement of their diet, the team started to develop products focusing on the benefits of rice bran.
Processing technology that enabled the development of rice bran products
The key to developing a rice bran product is in the processing technology. To create the technology to process rice bran, Sunstar worked in collaboration with industry specialists, as had been done with the university team to reveal the scientific basis of the benefits of rice bran.
STEP 1
Stabilize with heat
Heat kills microorganisms and deactivates the oxidizing enzyme called lipase. The temperature is adjusted carefully to protect heat-sensitive nutrients such as vitamins.
STEP 2
Press excess oil out
Excess oil, which oxidizes easily, is pressed out while preserving beneficial components such as unsaturated fatty acids.
STEP 3
Grind for better texture
Using a rolling machine, the bran is ground to 2 levels of refinement; 50-60um which retains some texture, and 10-15um which is fine like powder.
Fine Rice Bran
STEP 1
Stabilize with heat
Heat kills microorganisms and deactivates the oxidizing enzyme called lipase. The temperature is adjusted carefully to protect heat-sensitive nutrients such as vitamins.
STEP 2
Press excess oil out
Excess oil, which oxidizes easily, is pressed out while preserving beneficial components such as unsaturated fatty acids.
STEP 3
Grind for better texture
Using a rolling machine, the bran is ground to 2 levels of refinement; 50-60um which retains some texture, and 10-15um which is fine like powder.
Fine Rice Bran
Fine Rice Bran
STEP 1
Stabilize with heat
Heat kills microorganisms and deactivates the oxidizing enzyme called lipase. The temperature is adjusted carefully to protect heat-sensitive nutrients such as vitamins.
STEP 2
Press excess oil out
Excess oil, which oxidizes easily, is pressed out while preserving beneficial components such as unsaturated fatty acids.
STEP 3
Grind for better texture
Using a rolling machine, the bran is ground to 2 levels of refinement; 50-60um which retains some texture, and 10-15um which is fine like powder.
Developing convenient products with the nutrients of brown rice
While brown rice is widely recognized as healthy, many people stay away from it for various reasons, such as its flavor and lengthy cooking time. The team at Sunstar was able to develop convenient foods containing all the nutrients of bran with fewer calories.
The product had to be tasty and convenient so that consumers could continue to enjoy its health benefits. After developing various prototypes containing the nutrients of a bowl of brown rice, the Nomu Ichizen* and Kakeru Ichizen* series became Sunstar’s first rice bran products in Japan.
*In Japanese, Ichizen means one bowl of rice (approximately 150g) which is the standard portion of rice per meal. Nomu means “to drink” and Kakeru “to pour”.
Developing convenient products with the nutrients of brown rice
While brown rice is widely recognized as healthy, many people stay away from it for various reasons, such as its flavor and lengthy cooking time. The team at Sunstar was able to develop convenient foods containing all the nutrients of bran with fewer calories.
The product had to be tasty and convenient so that consumers could continue to enjoy its health benefits. After developing various prototypes containing the nutrients of a bowl of brown rice, the Nomu Ichizen* and Kakeru Ichizen* series became Sunstar’s first rice bran products in Japan.
*In Japanese, Ichizen means one bowl of rice (approximately 150g) which is the standard portion of rice per meal. Nomu means “to drink” and Kakeru “to pour”.
Easy-to-consume brown rice benefits through the “Drink” and “Pour” series
Nomu Ichizen
This beverage contains finely-ground semi-defatted rice bran, and easily provides its wholesome nutrients – a true product born from Sunstar innovation. In addition to bran, soy milk is blended for extra nutrients, and emulsified to give it a smooth texture. This pioneering rice bran beverage in the Japanese market is the result of Sunstar’s intensive research and development.
Kakeru Ichizen
This sauce-like product enriches daily meals simply by pouring it over rice or pasta. Using texture-rich semi-defatted bran, this vegan meal provides satiety despite its low calorie content. It contains extra vegetables for an additional supplement of vitamins and minerals.
Making the world healthier with rice bran
Sunstar has brought back the Japanese brown rice-based meals with a contemporary twist. Our rice bran products, the result of extensive R&D, are now available outside of Japan. Adjusting the flavor to local tastes whenever necessary, these rice bran beverages can be integrated into daily lives anywhere around the world. They are now sold in Singapore, and soon will be available in other Asian countries.
We at Sunstar believe that our products will contribute to people’s health around the world
We continue to research and develop rice bran products with new formulations based on customer feedback.
We at Sunstar believe that our products will contribute to people’s health around the world
We continue to research and develop rice bran products with new formulations based on customer feedback.
Find out more
KENKODOJO Brown Rice & Soy Drink
This unique drink combines rice bran, full of essential nutrients and bioactive components, and soy, a high-quality vegetable protein source. Both ingredients are important pillars of the balanced Japanese diet, said to be one of the sources of Japanese longevity and quality of life. To give this combination a mild and harmonious taste, this drink is lightly enriched with a banana and almond touch.
