Dual Bioconversion Strategy: Synergistic Germination and <i>Lactobacillus</i> Fermentation Engineering for a γ-Aminobutyric Acid-Enriched Beverage from Brown Rice

Growing demand for plant-based nutraceuticals drives the need for innovative bioprocessing strategies. This study developed an integrated approach combining germination and Lactobacillus-mediated fermentation to produce a γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-enriched functional beverage from brown rice. Syste...

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Main Authors: Di Yuan, Shan Zhang, Bin Hong, Shan Shan, Jingyi Zhang, Dixin Sha, Shiwei Gao, Qing Liu, Shuwen Lu, Chuanying Ren
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-08-01
Series:Foods
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/15/2733
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Summary:Growing demand for plant-based nutraceuticals drives the need for innovative bioprocessing strategies. This study developed an integrated approach combining germination and Lactobacillus-mediated fermentation to produce a γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-enriched functional beverage from brown rice. Systematic screening identified an optimal rice cultivar for germination. Sequential enzymatic liquefaction and saccharification were optimized to generate a suitable hydrolysate. Screening of 13 probiotic strains revealed that a 10-strain <i>Lactobacillus–Bifidobacterium</i> consortium maximized GABA synthesis (12.2 mg/100 g). Fermentation parameters were optimized to 0.25% monosodium glutamate, 4% inoculum, 10 μmol/L pyridoxine hydrochloride, 37 °C, and 24 h. The resulting beverage achieved significantly elevated GABA concentrations while exhibiting low fat (0.2 g/100 g), reduced caloric content (233.6 kJ/100 g), and high viable probiotic counts (2 × 10<sup>8</sup> CFU/g). This strategy demonstrates significant potential for the scalable production of multifunctional, plant-based nutraceuticals with targeted bioactive components.
ISSN:2304-8158