Exploiting the Rice Germplasm for Health-Promoting and Value-Added Foods

Rice, a staple food for nearly half of the world's population, has long been a focus of agricultural and nutritional research. Rice (Oryza sativa), the first fully sequenced crop, holds the world's largest single-species germplasm collection. This diversity is a valuable resource for improving rice varieties to enhance both human health and sustainability. The same potential exists for the lesser-known rice Oryza glaberrima. However, most people consume rice as milled white grains, which lack many of the nutritional benefits found in whole grain varieties such as brown, red, purple, and black rice. These whole grains are rich in fiber, vitamins, micronutrients, antioxidants, and bioactive phytochemicals, offering numerous health benefits. This Special Issue highlights the importance of whole grain rice, underutilized rice varieties, and by-products from rice processing, while exploring innovative approaches in rice cultivation, processing, and consumption that enhance its health benefits. The featured papers investigate how the full potential of rice can be unlocked, from climate-resilient agricultural techniques to value-added food processing, paving the way for a future where rice not only feeds the world but also improves global health.