Effect of cold atmospheric plasma pre-treatment and ultrasound-assisted extraction on bioactive compounds and chemical quality of rice bran oil

Rice bran, a valuable by-product of the rice milling industry, holds significant potential for oil extraction. This study aims to investigate the extraction process and enhance the quality of rice bran oil (RBO) by evaluating the effects of cold atmospheric plasma (CP) (0, 10, 20 min) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (US) (0, 40, and 60 % intensity) for 0, 10, and 20 min at 40 ºC. An increasing in CP treatment time and US intensity enhanced the extraction yield (21.66 %) and the levels of bioactive compounds. Antioxidant activity increased (94.04 %) when combined CP and US treatments applied. The highest US intensity or extended CP treatment times led to a decline (89.74 %) in antioxidant activity and an increase in oil oxidation levels. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis revealed that CP and US better preserved the molecular structure of unsaturated fatty acids and triglycerides compared to solvent extraction. These findings suggest that the combination of 20 min of CP and 40 % US intensity was identified as the most effective condition within the scope of this study, resulting in high-quality, bioactive-rich oils with minimal oxidative degradation and better retention of the oil's bioactive-compounds. • Cold plasma (CP) and ultrasound increase rice bran oil extraction yield compared to solvents. • CP and ultrasound help reduce peroxide value and free fatty acids in rice bran oil. • CP and ultrasound preserve tocopherols, tocotrienols, and enhance antioxidant quality.