Abstract: Germinated brown rice (GBR) is a functional whole grain recognized for its elevated dietary fiber, phenolic content, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and other bioactive compounds. Unlike previous reviews that have mainly focused on nutritional composition or germination-induced bioactive changes, this review is the first to integrate recent advances in GABA biofortification strategies, preservation technologies for fresh GBR, and quality evaluation of GBR-based convenience foods within a single framework. Abiotic elicitation using salt stress (NaCl, CaCl₂) and static magnetic field priming upregulates glutamate decarboxylase activity, yet the synergistic potential of combined treatments remains systematically underexplored. The commercialization of fresh (undried) GBR is primarily constrained by its high moisture content (> 30%), which accelerates microbial spoilage and enzymatic deterioration. Plasma-activated water (PAW) represents a promising residue-free, non-thermal preservation technology; however, further optimization of treatment parameters, validation under industrial processing conditions, and evaluation of its effects on nutritional quality are still required. For GBR-based pre-made fried rice, final product quality is governed by interactive effects of rice variety, soaking and cooking regimes, frozen storage conditions, and reheating methods. Integrating these three research areas provides a complete value-chain perspective, linking GABA biofortification during germination with preservation of fresh GBR and quality optimization of convenience foods. Key research gaps identified include scalability of combined magnetic field and salt stress treatments, standardization of PAW for GBR preservation, and formulation optimization for fried rice. Addressing these gaps will accelerate the development of high-GABA, fresh GBR products with extended shelf life.

Key words: germinated brown rice, GABA enrichment, abiotic elicitation, plasma-activated water, non-thermal preservation, functional food quality