Rice bran was fermented using a functional starter culture of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum EM, which exhibited high cholesterol removal and strong antimicrobial activity. Highest viable cell counts (9.78 log CFU/mL) and strong antimicrobial activity were obtained by fermenting 20% rice bran supplemented with 1% glucose and 3% corn steep liquor (pH 6.0) at 30 °C for 48 h. The fermented rice bran slurry was hot air-dried (55 °C, 16 h) and ground (HFRB). HFRB obtained showed effective cholesterol removal (45–68%) and antimicrobial activities (100–400 AU/mL) against foodborne pathogenic bacteria and food spoilage fungi. Phytate levels were significantly reduced during fermentation by 53% due to the phytase activity of L. plantarum EM, indicating HFRB does not present nutrient deficiency issues. In addition, fermentation significantly improved overall organoleptic quality. Our results indicate that HFRB is a promising functional food candidate. Furthermore, HFRB appears to satisfy consumer demands for a health-promoting food and environmental and legal requirements concerning the re-utilization of biological byproducts.

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