Impact of Cold Plasma Pretreatment on Germinated Brown and Pigmented Rice: Nutritional, Functional and Physico‐Chemical Changes

ABSTRACT Brown and pigmented rice have limited functional properties in their traditional forms. This study explored cold plasma pretreatment to enhance the nutritional and functional profile of germinated brown rice (GBR) and germinated pigmented rice (GPR). Brown rice and pigmented rice were treated at 20, 25, and 30 kV for up to 15 min. Cold plasma significantly improved germination and increased γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) content, with peaks in GPR (32.14 mg/100 g) and GBR (19.86 mg/100 g) at 30 kV for 10–15 min—a fourfold increase. Lipoxygenase activity decreased, indicating better stability, while α‐amylase activity rose mildly. Cold plasma shows promise for enhancing germination and bio‐functional traits in rice grains.