BIORICE: BIOtechnology for the recovery of valuable peptides from industrial RICE by-products and production of added value ingredients for nutraceuticals, functional foods and cosmetics” (www.biorice.eu).

The nutraceutical, functional food and cosmetic EU and worldwide markets are rapidly evolving sectors always in need to develop new classes of products. One of the most important market trends is the use of new bio-based ingredients obtained by environment-friendly extraction processes and testing methods. Of particular importance is the re-cycling and valorization of agro-food industry by-products as feedstocks for the isolation of bioactive molecules. The BIORICE project (www.biorice.eu) aims to fill the gap of knowledge of the involved Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on rice protein by-product pre-treatment, peptide isolation and relative bioactivity and safety testing. In particular, BIORICE research activities will produce added value bioactive ingredients (semi-purified digestates and small molecular weight peptides) starting from protein by-products contained in the processing water of the rice starch production stream. The protein by-products will be pre-treated via biotechnological approaches (enzymatic proteolysis, microbial treatments) and different small molecular weight (5-15 kDa) peptides will be isolated by means of innovative eco-sustainable and not degrading techniques. A new method for in vitro evaluation of the skin sensitization potency will be developed so that the products will be tested without using laboratory animals. The BIORICE project brings together 6 partners distributed in 3 EU Member States and 1 Associated Country. In BIORICE 3 RTD Performers will make their multidisciplinary and complementary expertise in the areas of plant biotechnology, downstream processing and human tissue engineering available to 3 SMEs operating in the nutraceutical, food and cosmetic markets. The aim of the present project is to obtain and to characterize peptides from rice protein by-products and evaluate their bioactive properties. The project results are also expected to have a significant impact on the competitiveness of SME Participants that will be able to expand their business by adding to their product range new bioactive ingredients and protocols enabling new product formulations applicable in food, cosmetic and nutraceuticals sectors.