Deciphering Pigmented Rice Varieties as Sustainable and Unexplored Valuable Sources of Bioactive Components With Health‐Related Properties and Technological Applications—A Systematic Review

The interest in pigmented grains has grown substantially in recent years. Pigmented rice is crucial for diversifying agricultural production and promoting healthier, more balanced diets. This systematic review updates and discusses literature published between 2019 and 2024 on the bioactive compounds in pigmented rice, their potential health benefits, and technological applications, based on a final sample of 69 articles. Data indicate that pigmented rice varieties have valuable nutritional composition, and their by-products have several constituents that promote health and prevent chronic diseases. The health-related functions of flavonoids, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, phenolic acids, resistant starch, dietary fiber, essential fatty acids, and proteins typically found in pigmented rice and its by-products have been confirmed through in vitro and in vivo studies, showcasing anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial activities. Several varieties of pigmented rice, including black, red, and purple, differ in their nutrient and bioactive compound content and, consequently, in their potential consumer benefits. The presence of these bioactive compounds also improved the technological properties of pigmented rice, such as stability, viscosity, and texture, and favored the development of biodegradable packaging films. These insights support considering pigmented rice varieties as healthy and sustainable food choices for domestic meal preparation and for use by the food industry as functional ingredients to formulate novel, added-value functional food products.