Integrated Analysis of Metabolome and Volatile Profiles of Germinated Brown Rice from the Japonica and Indica Subspecies

In the present study, germinated brown rice (GBR) from three Japonica and three Indica rice cultivars were subjected to metabolomics analysis and volatile profiling. The statistical assessment and pathway analysis of the metabolomics data demonstrated that in spite of significant metabolic changes in response to the germination treatment, the Japonica rice cultivars consistently expressed higher levels of several health-promoting compounds, such as essential amino acids and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), than the Indica cultivars. No clear discriminations of the volatile profiles were observed in light of the subspecies, and the concentrations of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including alkenes, aldehydes, furans, ketones, and alcohols, all exhibited significant reductions ranging from 26.8% to 64.1% after the germination. The results suggest that the Japonica cultivars might be desirable as the raw materials for generating and selecting GBR food products for health-conscious consumers.

Automated summary

The study found that germinated brown rice (GBR) from Japonica rice cultivars contained higher levels of health-promoting compounds compared to Indica rice cultivars. No clear differences in volatile profiles were observed between the subspecies, but all volatile organic compounds exhibited significant reductions after germination, suggesting that Japonica cultivars might be preferred for health-conscious consumers seeking GBR products.