The metabolomics variations among rice, brown rice, germinated brown rice, and processed germinated brown rice1

Germination and processing are always accompanied by significant changes in the metabolic compositions of rice. In this study, polished rice (rice), brown rice, wet germinated brown rice (WGBR), high temperature and pressure-treated WGBR (WGBR-HTP), and low temperature-treated WGBR (WGBR-T18) were enrolled. An untargeted metabolomics assay isolated 6122 positive ions and 4224 negative ions (multiple difference ≥1.2 or ≤0.8333, P<0.05, and VIP ≥1) by liquid chromatography-mass spectrum. These identified ions were mainly classified into three categories, including the compounds with biological roles, lipids, and phytochemical compounds. In addition to WGBR-T18 vs. WGBR, massive differential positive and negative ions were revealed between rice of different forms. Flavonoids, fatty acids, carboxylic acids, and organoxygen compounds were the dominant differential metabolites. Based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database, there 7 metabolic pathways (phenylalanine/tyrosine/tryptophan biosynthesis, histidine metabolism, betalain biosynthesis, C5-branched dibasic acid metabolism, purine metabolism, zeatin biosynthesis, carbon metabolism) were determined between brown rice and rice. Germination changed the metabolic pathways of porphyrin and chlorophyll, pyrimidine, and purine metabolisms in brown rice. In addition, phosphonate and phosphinate metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism were differential metabolic pathways between WGBR-HTP and WGBR-T18. To sum up, there were obvious variations in metabolic compositions of rice, brown rice, WGBR, and WGBR-HTP. The changes of specific metabolites, such as flavonoids contributed to the anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and immunomodulatory effects of GBR. HTP may further improve the nutrition and storage of GBR through influencing specific metabolites, such as flavonoids and fatty acids.