This study aimed to investigate the germination characteristics of Saeilmi unhulled rice affected by different steeping (at 35℃) and germination (at 30℃) time. At first, the 24 h-germinated unhulled rice (GUR) were prepared by germination for 24 h after steeping for 8, 16, and 24 h. Next, the 24 h-steeped GURs were obtained by germination for 20, 24, 28, and 32 h after steeping for 24 h. Sprout lengths of GUR were more evenly distributed as steeping and germination time increased. Among 24 h-GURs, the thiamin, niacin, and GABA contents were the highest in 8 h-steeped GUR while the folate content was the highest in 24 h-steeped one. For 24 h-steeped GURs, their levels varied with germination time: the highest contents were observed in 24 h-GUR for the thiamin and the niacin contents (534.6 and 1,281.5 μg/100 g), in 32 h-GUR for folate (58.93 μg/100 g), and in 20 h-GUR for GABA (16.3 mg/100 g). The glucose content of GUR increased upto 7 times depending on the steeping and germination time: the highest level was observed in 20 h-GUR after 24 h-steeping. °Brix of saccharified solution prepared from GURs increased with germination time: the highest was observed in 28 h-GUR after 24-steeping. These results suggest that nutritional, functional, and saccharification properties of rice could be effectively improved by germination, especially with steeping for 24 h at 35℃ coupled with germination for 24 h at 30℃.

• Beom-Gyun Jeong | 정범균
• Kap-Seong Choi | 최갑성
• Jiyeon Chun | 천지연 Corresponding author