China is one the of the major production country of paddy rice, while during the processing of paddy rice, there is usually a high portion of nutrients loss and rice bran by-products are produced. γ-oryzanol is a mixture of bioactive compounds in the unsaponifiable part of rice bran layer. Research has been focusing on it in recent years due to its outstanding physiological functions. This paper reviews the effects of rice raw materials, precision of rice processing, rice processing methods on the content of γ-oryzanol and the research progress on the extraction of γ-oryzanol from rice bran. We suggest to stress the importance of the data collection of γ-oryzanol content of rice, advocate moderate processing of rice, develop brown rice products by extrusion, advance germination and fermentation techniques, and strengthen the separation of active components from rice bran. This is in line with the major development strategies of grain saving and waste reduction, which helps build a healthy China and support high quality development of China.