Effect of different conditions on the germination of coix seed and its characteristics analysis

Coix seed (CS) has high nutritional value, but the deep processing of CS is relatively limited. Sprouting can significantly improve nutritional value, laying the foundation for efficient consumption or further processing. The optimal conditions for the germination of CS are a soaking temperature of 36 °C for 10 h and a germination temperature of 29 °C for 24 h. Under these conditions, the final germination rate of CS reached 90%. Additionally, the content of γ-aminobutyric acid was 21.205 mg/100 g; soluble protein, free amino acids, γ-aminobutyric acid, and other essential substances increased in CS. Especially after germination, the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content increased by 7.8 times compared with the GABA content of ungerminated CS. Therefore, the nutritional value and flavor of germinated CS are better than those of ungerminated ones, which establishs a solid foundation for its application in developing various products such as compound health drinks, coix yogurt, and others.