Professor Federal University of Technology, Owerri Owerri, Imo, Nigeria
Objectives: The objective was to enhance the nutritional benefits of brown rice through controlled paddy germination, a technology designed to be seamlessly integrated into the existing rice milling process.
Methods: Rice paddies of FARO 44, FARO 52, FARO 57, and MAS cultivars were germinated instead of brown rice. The paddies were sterilized with 0.1% NaClO for 30 min and soaked in potable water at 30 ± 2°C for 12–24 h, with steeping water replaced every 6 h. After soaking, the paddies were incubated at 35°C. Samples were collected at 0, 12, 24, and 36 h, steamed at atmospheric pressure for 10 min, dried at 120°C for 10 min, and subsequently at 78°C until reaching 13% moisture. The paddies were hulled using a SATAKE rice husker to produce Germinated Brown Rice (GBR).
Elemental composition was analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES; Thermo Fisher iCAP 6500). The digestion protocol was validated using NIST Standard Reference Material 1573a. Vitamin contents were determined using AOAC (2015) methods, and cookability was tested on a kitchen stove. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA.
Results: Germination significantly increased macro and micro mineral contents of all cultivars. For calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, sodium, and silicon, increases ranged from: 102.77–162.53, 1784.19–2265.92, 791.82–1041.01, 2780.22–3506.75, 968.02–1149.21, 4.13–11.10, and 65.62–97.26 mg/kg, respectively. MAS cultivar had the highest levels of calcium, sulfur, and silicon, while FARO 57 excelled in potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and sodium. Zinc, iron, and manganese levels peaked at 24 h. Prolonged germination (24–36 h) reduced sodium, sulfur, and silicon, likely due to sprout utilization—potentially beneficial for health.
Germination significantly increased B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B9) and vitamin E across all cultivars. GBR also required less cooking time than conventional brown rice.
Conclusions: Controlled germination enhances the mineral and vitamin content of brown rice while reducing cooking time. Integrating this process into rice milling unlocks the full nutritional potential of rice, offering a sustainable dietary remedy for metabolic disorders.
Funding Sources: This research was funded by Nigerian Government: TETFUND /NRF2021/SETI/AFS/00387/ VOL1
