The 7th International Conference on Rice Bran Oil (ICRBO) concludes on a successful note

The 7th International Conference on Rice Bran Oil (ICRBO)-2023 in Hyderabad concluded on a successful note. Over 600 delegates representing the rice bran oil industry including special invitees from all the Rice Bran Oil producing countries like India, China, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, and Bangladesh attended the conference for a closer interaction for promoting Rice Bran Oil and its value-added products. The conference had 10 sessions with 77 speakers providing a unique opportunity for the delegates to discuss the latest research on Rice Bran Oil and the value-added products and country-specific challenges,  and best practices in promoting Rice Bran Oil. The 38 exhibitors at the conference showcased their products and disseminated information about the latest technologies and their brands.

The key takeaways from ICRBO 2023 which was a confluence of Industry from the rice bran oil-producing countries, Research Scholars, Academicians, and Students were to make Rice Bran Oil a popular oil by reaching out and explaining its benefits to the consumer. The conference emphasized enzymatic degumming for the processing of RBO instead of chemically aided processing in order to retain the micronutrients of this oil. It was emphasized that all stakeholders should put in cohesive efforts to promote Rice Bran Oil respecting regulators and understanding the regulatory changes. The industry agreed to involve Nutritionists in spreading awareness about the oil and using all possible mediums of communication to promote RBO as a ‘Health Oil’. The industry was advised to adopt sustainable practices with proper waste management, waste utilization, and converting waste to health by collaborating with academic and research institutions to encourage more research & innovation in this domain and unlocking the untapped market for value-added products of RBO.

To involve and encourage more research on Rice Bran Oil, ICRBO-2023, instituted the JR Agro Innovation Awards. They were presented to scholars and students from universities and research institutions. Amongst the Scientists for outstanding research on Rice Brean Oil. The 1st prize was presented to Dr. Ajay P Raval, Kamdhenu University, 2nd prize to Dr. Amit Ranjan, TNJFU – Institute of Fisheries, and 3rd prize to Dr. Avish Dwarakadas Maru, Principal, Dr. JD Pawar College of Pharmacy for their research on new uses for rice bran oil. In the student category, the winners were 1st prize to Olivia Dhara from CSIR – Institute of Chemical Technology, 2nd prize to Kakoli Pegu, Institute of Chemical Technology, and 3rd prize to Vikano Ksh from Indian Agricultural Research Institute.

The conference also recognized the Industry pioneers with Lifetime achievement awards, which were presented to industry veterans for their contribution to the identification, research, and promotion of RBO Mr. O. P. Goenka Pioneer in Rice Bran Oil In India. Dr. V. Prakash- Scientific contribution for promoting RBOas edible oil, Dr. RBN PrasadRevolutionary development of Enzymatic degumming process. Dr. A R Sharma Visionary Leadership in Promoting branded RBO, Dr. Xuebing Xu- Scientific contribution in value addition ofRBO (China), and Dr. Riantong Singanusong- Founder of IARBO & ICRBO and Product development of Rice Bran (Thailand).

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ajay Jhunjhuwala, President, of The Solvent Extractors Association of India said, “The 7th International Conference on Rice Bran Oil (ICRBO) was a huge success and we are thrilled to receive such an amazing response. This is the 2nd time that India is hosting the conference. At ICRBO 2023, we had the leading experts and researchers in the field explore the latest developments and advancements in this important area through Technical, and Nutritional sessions. The conference provided a unique opportunity to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and collaborate on new initiatives for the research on rice bran oil and its value-added products and improve the usage of this ‘Wonder oil’.  The sessions helped the delegates understand the latest information on the nutritional research on rice bran oil, wastage minimization, R&D, Marketing, and dynamiting future advancements. We hope the JR Agro innovation awards given at the conference, would encourage more research and innovation in the field of Rice Bran Oil.”

Adding to this Mr. Ashok Sethia, President, of IARBO said, “India is the largest producer of Rice, and Rice Bran oil is the best use of the by-product of rice. This conference has highlighted Farmer and consumer-friendly Government policies, uninterrupted power, and water supply, logistics, green belt, buffer zones, effluent collection systems, creating logistically competent export infrastructure, etc. Some challenges the industry needs to address are developing new technology to reduce loss during storage and processing and minimizing the loss of micronutrients. The conference had a valuable discussion on these subjects and we hope the industry and research institutions will find cost-effective solutions for the same.”

Adding to this, Dr. B.V. Mehta, Secretary General, IARBO & Executive Director, SEA India said “India is the 2nd largest producer of rice in the world and rice contributes almost 40% of total agriculture production in the country. India is also the world’s largest producer of Rice bran oil, producing 1.05 Mn Tonnes of rice bran oil against a potential of 1.9 Mn Tonnes. We are confident with the deliberations at this conference the Industry will adopt an innovative approach to educate consumers about the health benefits of RBO and leverage the research to minimize wastage, identify innovative uses for RBO, and help expand the usage of Rice Bran Oil and unlock the untapped potential.”

In conclusion, Dr. Prabodh Halde, Convenor ICRBO 2023 said, “The 7th ICRBO was a grand success with interesting thought-provoking discussions and insights to increase the acceptance of Rice Bran Oil among consumers, and encouraging research on Rice Bran Oil among scholars and students to identify innovative uses for RBO. This conference was very inclusive with the logo being designed through a student competition and veterans, researchers, and students being recognized for their contribution to Rice Bran Oil Industry. This conference used a mobile app for updates, quizzes, and questions being passed on to the panelists, and delegates to make it more interactive. Looking forward to the progress in the field of Rice Bran Oil research and value-added products till the next conference in  Bangladesh.”

Earlier, the guest of honor Mr. Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary to Govt, Ministry of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications Department, Govt. of Telangana spoke about the ‘Yellow Revolution’ in Telangana and invited the industry to be a part of the same through investments in the Special Food Processing Zones.  The chief guest Mr. G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, IAS, CEO, FSSAI & Secretary, Government of India spoke about the role of edible oils in Indian culture as a source of nutrients. He urged the industry to identify ways to enhance the nutritional value of edible oils. He also suggested that FSSAI should set standards to ensure the implementation, production, and standardization of fortified edible oils.