Effect of storage temperature on the quality of brown rice revealed by integrated GC-MS and lipidomics analysis

Brown rice is highly nutritious but more susceptible to deterioration without the rice husk's protection. In this study, the mechanism of storage temperature on brown rice quality was investigated based on GC-MS and lipidomics. The results showed that both 15 °C and 20 °C storage retarded the lipids oxidation of brown rice and maintained its texture properties. Moreover, 1-octanol, 1-octen-3-ol, octanal, fitone, 2, 3-dihydrobenzofuran, dodecane, and tridecane were key biomarkers in cooked brown rice flavor. Furthermore, significant correlations between lipid oxidation, texture, and flavor biomarkers were revealed. Notably, the quality of brown rice stored at 15 °C (Fatty acid value = 23.0 mg/100 g) was superior to that at 20 °C (Fatty acid value = 24.3 mg/100 g) due to more effective retardation of glycerophospholipid, glycerolipid, and phospholipid metabolism. This work provided a better understanding of temperature-controlled storage of brown rice and give recommendation for potential commercial applications.