To characterize phytonutrients, the seeds of 12 purple Perilla (Perilla frutescens var. crispa) accessions collected from Korea and Japan were used for quantitative analysis of tocopherols, phytosterols, squalene and fatty acids. The average tocopherol, squalene and phytosterols contents were 12.2 mg 100g-1 , 3.99 mg 100g-1 and 77.20 mg 100g-1 , respectively. Among 4 tocopherol (T) isomers (α -T, β -T, ~gamma -T, and δ -T), ~gamma -T was present in the highest quantity (11.03 mg 100g-1 ) with the least variation (CV = 13.7%), while β -T was present in lowest quantity (0.25 mg 1100g-1 ). Compared to campesterol (4.36 mg 100g-1 ) and stigmasterol (13.32 mg 100g-1 ), β -sitosterol exhibited higher quantity (59.51 mg 100g-1 ) with 9.5% of variation. The major fatty acids were unsaturated fatty acids such as linolenic (61.5%), linoleic (17.3%), and oleic (9.9%) acids compared to saturated ones: palmitic (7.6%) and stearic (3.7%) acids. When Korean and Japanese accession were compared, almost no difference in content could be observed, while more variation as evaluated by CV (%) could be observed in Japanese accession in most phytonutrients suggesting wider genetic variation of purple Perilla in Japan. Presence of all above-mentioned phytonutrient compounds strongly suggested health beneficial value of purple Perilla seeds.

Recent consumption of germinated brown rice is increasing due to its health-beneficial effects. To clarify germination-dependent changes in functional compounds, 5 different types of (ordinary, glutinous rice, green-kerneled, red-colored and black-colored) rices were selected and pre- and post-germination vit E (α-, β-, γ-tocopherols and α-, γ-, δ -tocotrienols), squalene, and phytosterols (campesterol, stigmasterol, sitosterol) contents were evaluated. In the case of vit E generally decreasing tendency were observed in most cases, except for δ-tocopherol which increased by 8 to 28% in all types of rices. Significant increase in squalene contents were observed only in glutinous rice (by 31%), while other types of rices exhibited no changes or slight reduction after germination. In all tested rice types, germination significantly increased stigmasterol by 5 to 27%, while no changes or slight reductions in campesterol and sitosterol were observed. In conclusion most of tested functional compounds exhibited statistically not significant or slight changes except for stigmasterol which were increased by the process of producing germinated brown rice.