Rice-based fermented products: The functional properties of the microorganisms in the defined starter contributing to melanogenesis inhibition activity.

Rice contains numerous nutrients and biologically active compounds. The phytochemical composition of rice varies among cultivars that leads to diversities in biological activities. Fermentation is an efficient way for improving nutrient bioavailability and functional properties of raw materials. It enhances and/or synthesizes the compounds with health promoting or decreased antinutritive compounds during fermentation process. Rice-based fermented products have been reported for enhancing various biological activities including antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetes anti-wrinkle and anti-melanogenesis activities. Melanogenesis, melanin biosynthesis, is the cause of human skin pigmentation, however the accumulation of melanin leads to skin hyper-pigmentary disorders, such as freckles and melasma. In this review, the information on rice-based fermented products have been assembled to illustrate the fermented rice properties especially melanogenesis inhibition activity including functional roles of the microorganisms in the fermented rice products.