Chemical composition of banana meal and rice bran from Australia or South-East Asia

OBJECTIVE: A study was conducted to determine the chemical composition of banana meal and rice bran from Australia or South-East Asia and test the hypothesis that there are no differences in rice bran produced in different countries, but there are differences between full-fat and defatted rice bran. METHODS: Two sources of banana meal and 22 sources of rice bran (full-fat or defatted) from Australia or South-East Asia were used. All samples were analyzed for dry matter, gross energy, nitrogen, amino acids (AA), acid hydrolyzed ether extract (AEE), ash, minerals, total starch, insoluble dietary fiber, and soluble dietary fiber. Banana meal was also analyzed for sugars including glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, stachyose, and raffinose. RESULTS: Chemical analysis demonstrated that banana meal from the Philippines is primarily composed of starch. Full-fat rice bran from Australia had greater (p<0.05) concentrations of AEE, lysine, and glycine than samples from the Philippines and Vietnam. Full-fat rice bran from Australia and Thailand had greater (p<0.05) concentrations of gross energy and most AA than rice bran from Vietnam. Full-fat rice bran from Australia had greater (p<0.05) concentrations of tryptophan and manganese than all other sources, but full-fat rice bran from the Philippines contained less (p<0.05) zinc than all other sources of rice bran. Gross energy, AEE, and copper were greater (p<0.05) in full-fat rice bran compared with defatted rice bran, but defatted rice bran contained more (p<0.05) crude protein, ash, insoluble dietary fiber, total dietary fiber, AA, and some minerals than full-fat rice bran. CONCLUSION: Banana meal is a high-energy source that can be used as an alternative ingredient in livestock diets. Full-fat rice bran from Australia and Thailand contained more concentrations of AEE and AA than samples from the Philippines or Vietnam. Full-fat rice bran had more gross energy and AEE than defatted rice bran, whereas defatted rice bran contained more crude protein, ash, and total dietary fiber.