Abstract:

The efficiency of selenium (Se) enrichment in germinated brown rice from the japonica cultivar ‘Wu Yun Jing’
was investigated as well as and the effects of microwave drying and extrusion puffing on the nutritional quality of Se-enriched
brown rice. Satisfactory results were obtained when brown rice was soaked in 10 mg/L sodium selenite and then allowed
to germinate. Under this condition, the germination rate of brown rice was 97.9%, and the contents of organic selenium
and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were 977.6 μg/kg (the proportion of organic selenium was 98.5%) and 445.9 mg/kg,
respectively. Low temperature microwave drying at 40 ℃ had a positive effect on maintaining the contents of selenium and
GABA in germinated brown rice. The contents of organic selenium and GABA in germinated brown rice were increased by
29 and 5 times, respectively, after extrusion when compared to those of the ungerminated brown rice. This study suggested
that sodium selenite could enable selenium accumulation in germinated brown rice, and that Se-rich germinated brown rice
might be used to develop some relevant nutritious puffed foods.

Key words: germinated brown rice, selenium enrichment, γ-aminobutyric acid, microwave drying, extrusion