Moderate electric field (MEF) technology represents a promising non-thermal strategy to enhance cereal functionalization. Our previous work established the optimal MEF condition to promote brown rice (BR) germination. Building on this basis, the present study focused on the metabolic and transcriptional mechanisms underlying phenolic accumulation in germinated BR under MEF treatment. MEF-assisted germination significantly increased free and bound phenolic acids and flavonoids, with the highest enrichment observed at 48 h. Antioxidant capacities (DPPH, ABTS+, FRAP) exhibited parallel improvements with phenolic accumulation. Targeted metabolite analysis identified 19 phenolic acids and 30 flavonoids, among which 13 phenolic acids (e.g., ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid) and 18 flavonoids (e.g., rutin, catechin) were significantly upregulated by MEF. Transcriptomic profiling revealed 1655 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), mainly enriched in secondary metabolism and phenylpropanoid pathways. Key structural genes (OsPAL, Os4CL, OsCAD for phenolic acids; OsCHS, OsF3H, OsFLS for flavonoids) were transcriptionally upregulated, accompanied by 10.05–70.97 % increases in their enzymatic activities. These findings clarify the coordinated metabolic and transcriptional regulation of phenolic biosynthesis in germinated BR under MEF, and highlight MEF-assisted germination as a novel bioprocessing approach for enhancing the nutritional and functional properties of cereal grains.
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