Measurement of amylose content is commonly employed as the predictor of rice quality. Amylose is usually measured by absorbance of the amylose-iodine complex by a variety of ways. However, the effort to standardize the way amylose is measured is still working through the world of rice research. For comparing rice amylose analysis methods in Korea and Japan, major japonica rice-producing countries, rice samples with different amylose contents were selected. The rice samples were harvested, dried and milled at the National Institute of Crop Science, Rural Development Administration in Suwon, Republic of Korea. Amylose contents (AC) were analyzed using Concanavalin A method and modified Juliano methods, as representative methods in Korea and Japan, respectively. The AC of rice starch by Concanavalin A method were ranged 9.4～28.8%, on the other hand, the AC of rice flour by modified Juliano method had a wider range AC, 8.7～41.8%; for example, AC of semi-waxy varieties had lower values and AC of high amylose varieties had higher values in modified Juliano methods, even more than 10%. High correlation coefficients between retrogradation (or gelatinization) and AC using Concanavalin A would indicate that the Concanavalin A method could be more explanatory for evaluating rice quality like gelatinization and retrogradation.

To investigate the possibility of brown rice and germinated brown rice as a functional food, the present study evaluates bio-active components of 70% ethanol extracts from brown rice and germinated brown rice of each 7 varieties. Reducing power have been used to investigate the relative antioxidant activities of extract. The contents of r-oryzanol was measured by spectrophotometric methods and vitamin E was carried out by HPLC. The mineral contents was also determined by ICP (Inductive Coupled Plasma) analysis method. In an anticancer test using NCl-H460 and MCF7 cell lines, the 70% EtOH extracts of brown rice and germinated brown rice showed inhibitory effect of approximately 30% against MCF cell lines (Breast cancer) at 100 ㎍/mL concentration. The extraction yield of tested brown rice and germinated brown rice were 2.05～3.80% and 1.36～3.32%, respectively. The r-oryzanol content from some germinated brown rice showed slightly higher than brown rice. The mean contents of most minerals were also higher in germinated brown rice than brown rice. However, vitamin E contents showed higher in brown rice than germinated brown rice except Keunnun, Hongjinju, Nokmi.