Exploring high hydrostatic pressure-mediated germination to enhance functionality and quality attributes of wholegrain brown rice

Abstract This investigation aims to evaluate the effects of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) applied prior to germination on functionality and quality of wholegrain-germinated brown rice (GBR). Wholegrain brown rice (WBR) were firstly stressed by HHP treatments (50–350 MPa/20 min), and then incubated at 37 °C to obtain GBR grains after a 2-day soaking period. Gama-aminobutyric acid contents significantly depended on the pressure applied, showing 25% increment in 50 MPa-stressed grains compared to the control. HHP shock led to significantly improved in vitro starch digestibility, which was related to the transformation of crystalline starch granules into amorphous form as consistently revealed by scanning electron microscope imaging and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. HHP-pretreated samples achieved markedly enhanced storability by influencing kinetic curves of lipid hydrolysis and oxidation. These results suggested that metabolic response to HHP during germination could significantly improve functional and quality characteristics of WBR products.