Black–purple rice is becoming popular with health conscious food consumers. In the present study, the
secondary metabolites in dehulled black–purple rice cv. Asamurasaki were analysed using HPLC–PDA–
MS2. The seeds contained a high concentration of seven anthocyanins (1400 lg/g fresh weight) with
cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and peonidin-3-O-glucoside predominating. Five flavonol glycosides, principally
quercetin-3-O-glucoside and quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, and flavones were detected at a total concentration
of 189 lg/g. The seeds also contained 3.9 lg/g of carotenoids consisting of lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene
and b-carotene. c-Oryzanol (279 lg/g) was also present as a mixture of 24-methylenecycloartenol
ferulate, campesterol ferulate, cycloartenol ferulate and b-sitosterol ferulate. No procyanidins were
detected in this variety of black–purple rice. The results demonstrate that the black–purple rice in the
dehulled form in which it is consumed by humans contains a rich heterogeneous mixture of phytochemicals
which may provide a basis for the potential health benefits, and highlights the possible use of the rice
as functional food.