# Unlocking the Nutritional Potential of Gamma Amino Butyric Acid (GABA) Rice: Towards a Sustainable Approach to Metabolic Disorder Remedies

## TL;DR

Germinating Nigerian rice cultivars enhances their mineral and vitamin content, offering a sustainable way to combat nutrient deficiencies and improve metabolic health.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates that germination and parboiling of Nigerian rice cultivars significantly enhance their nutritional profile through biofortification.

## Key findings

- Germination increased macro-minerals like calcium and magnesium by up to 109.8% and 22.1% after 36 hours.
- Vitamin levels, including B1 and B2, increased by 387.5% and 440.0% after 36 hours of germination.
- Phytic acid levels decreased with longer germination durations, improving mineral bioavailability.

## Abstract

This study explores the nutritional enhancement of germinated brown rice (GBR), commonly referred to as GABA rice, produced from Nigerian rice cultivars (FARO 44, FARO 52, and FARO 57). Paddy rice was germinated at 35°C for 0 (control), 12, 24, and 36 h, followed by parboiling and dehusking to obtain GBR. Nutritional analyses focused on mineral, vitamin, and phytic acid contents. Germination significantly increased macro‐minerals, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and sodium, by up to 109.8%, 22.1%, 12.1%, and 149.0%, respectively after 36 h of germination. The levels of trace minerals such as zinc, iron, manganese, selenium, and cerium also increased, while phytic acid level decreased with longer germination durations. Vitamin content improved markedly, with increases of 387.5% for B1, 440.0% for B2, and 56.8% for vitamin E, after 36 h of germination. A 24 h germination period was optimal for mineral enrichment, while 36 h maximized the vitamin levels. These findings suggest that GBR, when integrated into conventional rice processing systems, could offer a cost‐effective dietary intervention for addressing micronutrient deficiencies and managing metabolic health disorders.

This study addresses the critical issue of nutrient deficiencies associated with the widespread consumption of conventional milled rice, which often lacks essential vitamins and minerals due to the removal of the bran layer during processing. It demonstrated that controlled germination of paddy rice, followed by parboiling, substantially increases the levels of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron, as well as vital vitamins including B1, B2, B3, B6, and E, while lowering the phytic acid levels. Additionally, the study provides insights into the impact of different rice cultivars and germination durations on nutrient enhancement, contributing to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of germination as a natural biofortification method, and offering a sustainable and effective strategy to improve the nutritional profile of rice.