Phillipine Rice Wine Waste: The Next Anti-Aging Superfood?

A technique to improve the ancient process of manufacturing Philippine rice wine, or "tapuy," resulting in a potential superfood high in anti-aging chemicals and antioxidants has been discovered by Filipino researchers (1).

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Effects of Starter Cultures on Solid Leftovers from Winemaking

Edward Kevin B. Bragais of Ateneo de Manila University and Paul Mark B. Medina of the University of the Philippines investigated the effects of various starter cultures- that is, the specific set of microorganisms used to jumpstart the fermentation process, locally known as "bubod"- on solid leftovers from winemaking. These commonly discarded remains, known as "lees," are mostly composed of rice residues, yeast, and other microbial byproducts.

The researchers discovered that by refining the fermentation process with a well-defined microbial culture, tapuy lees might become a useful source of natural chemicals with potential medicinal and nutritional benefits.

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Health Benefits of Tapuy Prepared from Well-Defined Microbial Cultures

Tapuy lees prepared with an optimal starter culture mix were discovered to contain high quantities of polyphenols, which are known for their capacity to combat oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell damage. More astonishingly, test animals fed tapuy lee extracts produced with the enhanced starting culture had extremely strong antioxidant activity, greatly prolonging their lifespan, motility, and reproductive health. The extract also increased levels of superoxide dismutase, an enzyme that protects cells from age-related degeneration.

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Are Tapuy Lees Anti-Aging?

These findings indicate that tapuy lees could be repurposed as a health food to fight aging and oxidative stress-related disorders. However, the researchers cautioned that these are only preliminary findings based on animal experiments, emphasizing the importance of clinical trials to investigate possible human benefits. If further research confirms these findings, this previously neglected byproduct of rice wine manufacturing could become a major tool in boosting longevity and public health.

References:

1. Effects of starter cultures on the metabolite profile, antioxidant activities, and anti-aging properties of tapuy lees (Bragais, E.K.B., Medina, P.M.B. Effects of starter cultures on the metabolite profile, antioxidant activities, and anti-aging properties of tapuy lees. Discov Food 5, 17 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-025-00285-x)

Source-Medindia