Abstract: Twenty four brown rice varieties were investigated for the changes in the contents of main nutrients during germination and their effect on the pasting properties of germinated brown rice. The results indicated that germination of brown rice led to a significant decrease in total starch content (P < 0.01) and a significant increase in soluble protein, cellulose, and γ-aminobutyric acid contents (P < 0.01), while not significantly changing the contents of amylose, total protein, and crude lipids (P > 0.05). Peak viscosity, minimum viscosity, final viscosity, and setback of starch from germinated brown rice were significantly positively correlated with amylose content (P < 0.01), and significantly negatively correlated with amylopection content and the ratio of amylopection to amylose (P < 0.01). The peak time of starch from germinated brown rice was significantly and positively correlated with amylose content (P < 0.01), and negatively correlated with amylopection content and the ratio of amylopection to amylase (P < 0.05). In addition, peak viscosity of germinated brown rice was significantly negatively correlated with total protein content (P < 0.01). Minimum viscosity, final viscosity, and setback of starch from germinated brown rice were negatively correlated with total protein content (P < 0.05).

Key words: germinated brown rice, brown rice varieties, nutritional composition, pasting properties