Rice

In this episode of the I Can't Sleep Podcast, fall asleep learning about rice. Sure, it's healthy and much of the world depends on it for food. But that can't possibly be interesting enough to keep you awake. Not tonight, anyway. Happy sleeping!

Transcript

Welcome to the I Can't Sleep podcast,

Where I read random articles from across the web to bore you to sleep with my soothing voice.

I'm your host,

Benjamin Boster.

Today's episode is from a Wikipedia article titled,

Rice.

Rice is the seed of the grass species Oryza sativa,

Asian rice,

Or less commonly,

O glabirema,

African rice.

The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera Zizania and Portorizia,

Both wild and domesticated,

Although the term may also be used for primitive or uncultured varieties of Oryza.

As a cereal grain,

Domesticated rice is the most widely consumed stable food.

Domesticated rice is the most widely consumed staple food for over half of the world's human population,

Particularly in Asia and Africa.

It is the agricultural commodity with the third highest worldwide production,

After sugarcane and maize.

Since sizable portions of sugarcane and maize crops are used for purposes other than human consumption,

Rice is the most important food crop with regard to human nutrition and caloric intake,

Providing more than one-fifth of the calories consumed worldwide by humans.

There are many varieties of rice,

And culinary preferences tend to vary regionally.

The traditional method for cultivating rice is flooding the fields while or after setting the young seedlings.

This simple method requires sound irrigation planning,

But it reduces the growth of less robust weed and pest plants that have no submerged growth state and deters vermin.

While flooding is not mandatory for the cultivation of rice,

All other methods of irrigation require higher effort in weed and pest control during growth periods and a different approach for fertilizing the soil.

Rice,

A monocot,

Is normally grown as an annual plant,

Although in tropical areas it can survive as a perennial and can produce a ratoon crop for up to 30 years.

Rice cultivation is well-suited to countries and regions with low labor costs and high rainfall,

As it is labor-intensive to cultivate and requires ample water.

However,

Rice can be grown practically anywhere,

Even on a steep hill or mountain area with use of water-controlling terra systems.

Although its parent species are native to Asia and certain parts of Africa,

Centuries of trade and exportation have made it commonplace in many cultures worldwide.

Production and consumption of rice is estimated to have been responsible for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2010.

The rice plant can grow 1 to 1.

8 m tall,

Occasionally more depending on the variety and soil fertility.

It has long,

Slender leaves,

50 to 100 cm long,

And 2 to 2.

5 cm broad.

The small wind-pollinated flowers are produced in a branched arching to pendulous inflorescence,

30 to 50 cm long.

The edible seed is a grain,

5 to 12 mm long,

And 2 to 3 mm thick.

Rice is a cereal crop belonging to the family Pocae.

Rice being a tropical crop can be grown during the two distinct seasons,

Dry and wet,

Of the year,

Provided that moisture is made available to the crop.

Rice is commonly consumed as food around the world.

The varieties of rice are typically classified as long,

Medium,

And short-grained.

The grains of long-grain rice,

High in amylose,

Tend to remain intact after cooking.

Medium-grain rice,

High in amylopectin,

Becomes more sticky.

Medium-grain rice is used for sweet dishes,

For risotto in Italy,

And many rice dishes such as arroz negre in Spain.

Some varieties of long-grain rice that are high in amylopectin,

Known as Thai sticky rice,

Are usually steamed.

A stickier short-grain rice is used for sushi.

The stickiness allows rice to hold its shape when cooked.

Long-grain rice is used extensively in Japan,

Including to accompany savory dishes.

Short-grain rice is often used for rice pudding.

Instant rice differs from parboiled rice in that it is fully cooked and then dried,

Though there is a significant degradation in taste and texture.

Rice flour and starch often are used in batters and breadings to increase crispiness.

Rinsing rice before cooking removes much of the starch,

Thereby reducing the extent to which individual grains will stick together.

This yields a fluffier rice,

Whereas not rinsing yields a stickier and creamier result.

Rice produced in the U.

S.

Is usually fortified with vitamins and minerals,

And rinsing will result in a loss of nutrients.

Rice may be soaked to decrease cooking time,

Conserve fuel,

Minimize exposure to high temperature,

And reduce stickiness.

For some varieties,

Soaking improves the texture of the cooked rice by increasing expansion of the grains.

Rice may be soaked for 30 minutes,

Up to several hours.

Brown rice may be soaked in warm water for 20 hours to stimulate germination.

This process,

Called germinated brown rice,

GBR,

Activates enzymes and enhances amino acids,

Including gamma-aminobutyric acid to improve the nutritional value of brown rice.

This method is a result of research carried out for the United Nations International Year of Rice.

Rice is cooked by boiling or steaming,

And absorbs water during cooking.

With the absorption method,

Rice is cooked in a volume of water equal to the volume of dry rice,

Plus any evaporation losses,

Which is commonly measured with the tip of the finger.

With the rapid boil method,

Rice may be cooked in a large quantity of water,

Which is drained before serving.

Rapid boil preparation is not desirable with enriched rice,

As much of the enrichment additives are lost when the water is discarded.

Electric rice cookers,

Popular in Asia and Latin America,

Simplify the process of cooking rice.

Rice or any other grain is sometimes quickly fried in oil or fat before boiling,

E.

G.

Saffron rice or risotto.

This makes the cooked rice less sticky,

And is a cooking style commonly called pilaf in Iran and Afghanistan,

Or biryani in India and Pakistan.

In Arab cuisine,

Rice is an ingredient of many soups and dishes with fish,

Poultry,

And other types of meat.

It is used to stuff vegetables,

Or is wrapped in grape leaves,

Dolma.

When combined with milk,

Sugar,

And honey,

It is used to make desserts.

In some regions,

Such as Tabaristan,

Bread is made using rice flour.

Rice may be made into congee,

Also called rice porridge or rice gruel,

By adding more water than usual,

So that the cooked rice is saturated with water,

Usually to the point that it disintegrates.

Rice porridge is commonly eaten as a breakfast food,

And as a traditional food for the sick.

Rice is the staple food of over half of the world's population.

It is the predominant dietary energy source for 17 countries in Asia and the Pacific,

9 countries in North and South America,

And 8 countries in Africa.

Rice provides 20% of the world's dietary energy supply,

While wheat supplies 19%,

And maize,

Corn,

5%.

Cooked unenriched long-grain white rice is composed of 68% water,

28% carbohydrates,

3% protein,

And 1% fat.

A 100-gram reference serving of it provides 540 kilojoules of food energy,

And contains no micronutrients in significant amounts,

With all less than 10% of the daily value.

Cooked short-grain white rice provides the same food energy and contains moderate amounts of B vitamins,

Iron,

And manganese per 100-gram serving.

A detailed analysis of nutrient content of rice suggests that the nutrition value of rice varies based on a number of factors.

It depends on the strain of rice,

Such as white,

Brown,

Red,

And black or purple varieties,

Having different prevalence across world regions.

It also depends on nutrient quality of the soil rice is grown in,

Whether and how the rice is polished or processed,

The manner it is enriched,

And how it is prepared before consumption.

In 2018,

World Health Organization WHO guideline showed that fortification of rice to reduce malnutrition may involve different micronutrient strategies,

Including iron only,

Iron with zinc,

Vitamin A,

And folic acid,

Or iron with other B-complex vitamins,

Such as thiamine,

Niacin,

Vitamin B6,

And pantothenic acid.

A systematic review of clinical research on the efficacy of rice fortification showed the strategy had the main effect of reducing the risk of iron deficiency by 35% and increasing blood levels of hemoglobin.

The guideline established a major recommendation.

Fortification of rice with iron is recommended as a public health strategy to improve the iron status of populations in settings where rice is a staple food.

Rice grown experimentally under elevated carbon dioxide levels,

Similar to those predicted for the year 2100 as a result of human activity,

Had less iron,

Zinc,

And protein,

As well as lower levels of thiamine,

Riboflavin,

Folic acid,

And pantothenic acid.

As arsenic occurs in soil,

Water,

And air,

The United States Food and Drug Administration FDA monitors the levels of arsenic in foods,

Particularly in rice products used commonly for infant food.

While growing,

Rice plants tend to absorb arsenic more readily than other food crops,

Requiring expanded testing by the FDA for possible arsenic-related risks associated with rice consumption in the United States.

In April 2016,

The FDA proposed a limit of 100 parts per billion ppb for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal and other foods to minimize exposure of infants to arsenic.

For water contamination by arsenic,

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has set a lower standard of 10 ppb.

Arsenic is a IARC Group 1 carcinogen.

The amount of arsenic in rice varies widely with the greatest concentration in brown rice and rice grown on land formerly used to grow cotton,

Such as in Arkansas,

Louisiana,

Missouri,

And Texas.

White rice grown in Arkansas,

Louisiana,

Missouri,

And Texas,

Which account collectively for 76 percent of American-produced rice,

Had higher levels of arsenic than other regions of the world studied,

Possibly because of past use of arsenic-based pesticides to control cotton weevils.

Jasmine rice from Thailand and Basmati rice from Pakistan and India contain the least arsenic among rice varieties in one study.

China has set a limit of 150 ppb for arsenic in rice.

Cooked rice can contain Bacillus cereus spores,

Which produce an emetic toxin when left at 4 to 60 degrees Celsius,

Or 39 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

When storing cooked rice for use the next day,

Rapid cooling is advised to reduce the risk of toxin production.

One of the enterotoxins produced by Bacillus cereus is heat-resistant.

Preheating contaminated rice kills the bacteria,

But does not destroy the toxin already present.

Rice growth and production are affected by the environment,

Soil properties,

Biotic conditions,

And cultural practices.

Environmental factors include rainfall and water,

Temperature,

Photoperiod,

Solar radiation,

And in some instances,

Tropical storms.

Soil factors refer to soil type and their position in uplands or lowlands.

Biotic factors deal with weeds,

Insects,

Diseases,

And crop varieties.

Rice can be grown in different environments,

Depending upon water availability.

Generally,

Rice does not thrive in a waterlogged area,

Yet it can survive and grow herein,

And it can survive flooding.

1.

Lowland,

Rain-fed,

Which is drought-prone,

Favors medium depth,

Waterlogged,

Submergence,

And flood-prone.

2.

Lowland,

Irrigated,

Growth in both the wet season and the dry season.

3.

Deep water or floating rice.

4.

Coastal wetland.

5.

Upland rice,

Also known as hill rice or Gaia rice.

The history of rice cultivation is an interdisciplinary subject that studies archaeological and documentary evidence to explain how rice was first domesticated and cultivated by humans,

The spread of cultivation to different regions of the planet,

And the technological changes that have impacted cultivation over time.

The current scientific consensus,

Based on archaeological and linguistic evidence,

Is that Orissa sativa rice was first domesticated in the Yangtze River basin in China,

13,

500 to 8,

200 years ago.

Cultivation,

Migration,

And trade spread rice around the world,

First to much of East Asia and then further abroad,

And eventually to the Americas as part of the Columbian Exchange.

The now less common Orissa glaberrima rice was independently domesticated in Africa,

Around 3,

000 years ago.

Other wild rice species have also been cultivated in different geographies,

Such as in the Americas.

Since its spread,

Rice has become a global staple crop,

Important to food security and food cultures around the world.

Global varieties of Orissa sativa have resulted in over 40,

000 cultivars of various types.

More recent changes in agricultural practices and breeding methods,

As part of the Green Revolution and other transfers of agricultural technologies,

Has led to increased production in recent decades.

Significantly,

Because it's a staple crop,

New technologies often focus on improving its nutritional content or productivity,

With varieties like golden rice,

Which was genetically engineered to contain beta-carotene.

In 2020,

World production of paddy rice was 756.

7 million metric tons,

Led by China and India with a combined 52% of this total.

Other major producers were Bangladesh,

Indonesia,

And Vietnam.

The five major producers accounted for 72% of total production,

While the top 15 producers accounted for 91% of total world production in 2017.

Developing countries account for 95% of the total production.

Rice is a major food staple,

And a mainstay for the rural population and their food security.

It is mainly cultivated by small farmers in holdings of less than one hectare.

Rice is also a wage commodity for workers in the cash crop or non-agricultural sectors.

Rice is vital for the nutrition of much of the population in Asia,

As well as in Latin America and the Caribbean and in Africa.

It is central to the food security of over half the world population.

Many rice-grain-producing countries have significant losses post-harvest at the farm and because of poor roads,

Inadequate storage technologies,

Inefficient supply chains,

And farmers' inability to bring the produce into retail markets dominated by small shopkeepers.

A World Bank FAO study claims 8% to 26% of rice is lost in developing nations,

On average,

Every year,

Because of post-harvest problems and poor infrastructure.

Some sources claim the post-harvest losses exceed 40%.

Not only do these losses reduce food security in the world,

The study claims that farmers in developing countries such as China,

India,

And others lose approximately US $89 billion of income in preventable post-harvest farm losses,

Poor transport,

To lack of proper storage in retail.

One study claims that if these post-harvest grain losses could be eliminated with better infrastructure and retail network,

In India alone,

Enough food would be saved every year to feed 70 to 100 million people.

The seeds of the rice plant are first milled using a rice huller to remove the chaff,

The outer husks of the grain.

At this point in the process,

The product is called brown rice.

The milling may be continued,

Removing the bran,

I.

E.

,

The rest of the husk and the germ,

Thereby creating white rice.

White rice,

Which keeps longer,

Lacks some important nutrients.

Moreover,

In a limited diet,

Which does not supplement the rice,

Brown rice helps to prevent the disease beriberi.

Either by hand or in a rice polisher,

White rice may be buffed with glucose or talc powder,

Often called polished rice,

Though this term may also refer to white rice in general,

Parboiled or processed into flour.

White rice may also be enriched by adding nutrients,

Especially those lost during the milling process.

While the cheapest method of enriching involves adding a powdered blend of nutrients that will easily wash off,

In the United States,

Rice which has been so treated requires a label warning against rinsing.

More sophisticated methods apply nutrients directly to the grain,

Coating the grain with a water-insoluble substance which is resistant to washing.

In some countries,

A popular form,

Parboiled rice,

Also known as converted rice and easy cook rice,

Is subjected to a steaming or parboiling process while still a brown rice grain.

The parboil process causes a gelatinization of the starch in the grains.

The grains become less brittle,

And the color of the milled grain changes from white to yellow.

The rice is then dried,

And can be milled as usual,

Or used as brown rice.

Milled parboiled rice is nutritionally superior to standard milled rice because the process causes nutrients from the outer husk,

Especially thiamine,

To move into the endosperm,

So that less is subsequently lost when the husk is polished off during milling.

Parboiled rice has an additional benefit in that it does not stick to the pan during cooking,

As happens when cooking regular white rice.

This type of rice is eaten in parts of India and countries of West Africa are also accustomed to consuming parboiled rice.

Rice bran,

Called nuka in Japan,

Is a valuable commodity in Asia and is used for many daily needs.

It is a moist,

Oily inner layer which is heated to produce oil.

It is also used as a pickling bed in making rice bran pickles and takuan.

Raw rice may be ground into flour for many uses,

Including making many kinds of beverages,

Such as amazake,

Horchata,

Rice milk,

And rice wine.

Rice does not contain gluten,

So is suitable for people on a gluten-free diet.

Rice can be made into various types of noodles.

Raw,

Wild,

Or brown rice may also be consumed by raw foodists or fruitarians if soaked and sprouted.

Usually a week to 30 days,

Gaba rice.

Processed rice seeds must be boiled or steamed before eating.

Boiled rice may be further fried in cooking oil or butter,

Known as fried rice,

Or beaten in a tub to make mochi.

Rice is a good source of protein and a staple food in many parts of the world,

But it is not a complete protein.

It does not contain all of the essential amino acids in sufficient amounts for good health and should be combined with other sources of protein,

Such as nuts,

Seeds,

Beans,

Fish,

Or meat.

Rice like other cereal grains can be puffed or popped.

This process takes advantage of the grain's water content and typically involves heating grains in a special chamber.

Other puffing is sometimes accomplished by processing puffed pellets in a low-pressure chamber.

The ideal gas law means either lowering the local pressure or raising the water temperature results in an increase in volume prior to water evaporation,

Resulting in a puffy texture.

Bulk raw rice density is about 0.

9 grams per centimeter cubed.

It decreases to less than one-tenth that when puffed.

Unmilled rice,

Known as paddy,

Is usually harvested when the grains have a moisture content of around 25%.

In most Asian countries where rice is almost entirely the product of smallholder agriculture,

Harvesting is carried out manually,

Although there is a growing interest in mechanical harvesting.

Harvesting can be carried out by the farmers themselves,

But is also frequently done by seasonal labor groups.

Harvesting is followed by threshing,

Either immediately or within a day or two.

Again,

Much threshing is still carried out by hand,

But there is an increasing use of mechanical threshers.

Subsequently,

Paddy needs to be dried to bring down the moisture content to no more than 20% for milling.

A familiar sight in several Asian countries is paddy laid out to dry along roads.

However,

In most countries the bulk of drying of marketed paddy takes place in mills,

With village-level drying being used for paddy to be consumed by farm families.

Mills either sun-dry or use mechanical dryers for both.

Drying has to be carried out quickly to avoid the formation of molds.

Mills range from simple hullers,

With a throughput of a couple of tons a day,

That simply removes the outer husk,

To enormous operations that can process 4,

000 metric tons a day and produce highly polished rice.

A good mill can achieve a paddy-to-rice conversion rate of up to 72%,

But smaller inefficient mills often struggle to achieve 60%.

These smaller mills often do not buy paddy and sell rice,

But only service farmers who want to mill their paddy for their own consumption.

Because of the importance of rice to human nutrition and food security in Asia,

The domestic rice market tends to be subject to considerable state involvement.

While the private sector plays a leading role in most countries,

Agencies such as Bulog in Indonesia,

The NFA in the Philippines,

Vina Food in Vietnam,

And the Food Corporation of India are all heavily involved in purchasing of paddy from farmers or rice from mills and in distributing rice to poor people.

Bulog and NFA monopolize rice imports into their countries,

While Vina Food controls all exports from Vietnam.

World trade figures are very different from those for production,

As less than 8% of rice produced is traded internationally.

In economic terms,

The global rice trade was a small fraction of 1% of world mercantile trade.

Many countries consider rice as a strategic food staple,

And various governments subject its trade to a wide range of controls and interventions.

Developing countries are the main players in the world rice trade,

Accounting for 83% of exports and 85% of imports.

While there are numerous importers of rice,

The exporters of rice are limited.

Just five countries,

Thailand,

Vietnam,

China,

The United States,

And India,

In decreasing order of exported quantities,

Accounted for about three quarters of world rice exports in 2002.

However,

This ranking has been rapidly changing in recent years.

In 2010,

The three largest exporters of rice,

In decreasing order of quantity exported,

Were Thailand,

Vietnam,

And India.

By 2012,

India became the largest exporter of rice,

With a 100% increase in its exports on year-to-year basis,

And Thailand slipped to third position.

Together,

Thailand,

Vietnam,

And India accounted for nearly 70% of the world rice exports.

The primary variety exported by Thailand and Vietnam were jasmine rice,

While exports from India included aromatic basmati variety.

China,

An exporter of rice in early 2000s,

Was a net importer of rice in 2010,

And would become the largest net importer,

Surpassing Nigeria in 2013.

According to a USDA report,

The world's largest exporters of rice in 2012 were India,

Vietnam,

Thailand,

Pakistan,

And the United States.

Major importers usually include Nigeria,

Indonesia,

Bangladesh,

Saudi Arabia,

Iran,

Iraq,

Malaysia,

The Philippines,

Brazil,

And some African and Persian Gulf countries.

In common with other West African countries,

Nigeria is actively promoting domestic production.

However,

Its very heavy import duties open it to smuggling from neighboring countries.

Star-boiled rice is particularly popular in Nigeria.

Although China and India are the two largest producers of rice in the world,

Both countries consume the majority of the rice produced domestically,

Leaving little to be traded internationally.

The average world yield for rice was 4.

3 metric tons per hectare in 2010.

Australian rice farms were the most productive in 2010,

With a nationwide average of 10.

8 metric tons per hectare.

Yuan Longping of China National Hybrid Rice Research and Development Center set a world record for rice yield in 2010 at 19 metric tons per hectare on a demonstration plot.

In 2011,

This record was reportedly surpassed by an Indian farmer,

Sumant Kumar,

With 22.

4 metric tons per hectare in Bihar,

Although this claim has been disputed by both Yuan and India's Central Rice Research Institute.

These efforts employed newly developed rice breeds and System of Rice Intensification – SRI,

A recent innovation in rice farming.

In late 2007 to May 2008,

The price of grains rose greatly due to droughts in major producing countries,

Particularly Australia.

Increased use of grains for animal feed and U.

S.

Subsidies for biofuel production.

Although there was no shortage of rice on world markets,

This general upward trend in grain prices led to panic buying by consumers,

Government rice export bans,

In particular by Vietnam and India,

And inflated import orders by the Philippines Marketing Board,

The National Food Authority.

This caused significant rises in rice prices.

In late April 2008,

Prices hit 24 U.

S.

Cents a pound,

Twice the price of seven months earlier.

Over the period of 2007 to 2013,

The Chinese government has substantially increased the price it pays domestic farmers for their rice,

Rising to $500 per metric ton by 2013.

The 2013 price of rice originated from other Southeast Asian countries was a comparably low $350 per metric ton.

On April 30,

2008,

Thailand announced plans for the creation of the Organization of Rice Exporting Countries,

OREC,

With the intention that this should develop into a price-fixing cartel for rice.

However,

As of mid-2011,

Little progress has been made to achieve this.

As of 2013,

World food consumption of rice was 565.

6 million metric tons of patty equivalent,

While the largest consumers were China,

Consuming 162.

4 million metric tons of patty equivalent,

And India consuming 130.

4 million metric tons of patty equivalent.

Between 1961 and 2002,

Per capita consumption of rice increased by 40% worldwide.

Rice is the most important crop in Asia.

In Cambodia,

For example,

90% of the total agricultural area is used for rice production.

Per capita,

Bangladesh ranks as the country with the highest rice consumption,

Followed by Laos,

Cambodia,

Vietnam,

And Indonesia.

U.

S.

Rice consumption has risen sharply over the past 25 years,

Fueled in part by commercial applications such as beer production.

Almost one in five adult Americans now report eating at least half a serving of white or brown rice per day.

The worldwide production of rice accounts for more greenhouse gas emissions in total than that of any other plant food.

It was estimated in 2021 to be responsible for 30% of agricultural methane emissions and 11% of agricultural nitrous oxide emissions.

Methane release is caused by long-term flooding of rice fields,

Inhibiting the soil from absorbing atmospheric oxygen,

A process causing anaerobic fermentation of organic matter in the soil.

A 2021 study estimated that rice contributed 2 billion tons of anthropogenic greenhouse gases in 2010,

Of the 47 billion total.

The study added up GHG emissions from the entire life cycle,

Including production,

Transportation,

And consumption,

And compared the global totals of different foods.

The total for rice was half the total for beef.

A 2010 study found that,

As a result of rising temperatures and decreasing solar radiation during the later years of the 20th century,

The rice yield growth rate has decreased in many parts of Asia,

Compared to what had been observed had the temperature and solar radiation trends not occurred.

The yield growth rate had fallen 10 to 20% at some locations.

The study was based on records from 227 farms in Thailand,

Vietnam,

Nepal,

India,

China,

Bangladesh,

And Pakistan.

The mechanism of this falling yield was not clear,

But might involve increased respiration during warm nights,

Which expends energy without being able to photosynthesize.

More detailed analysis of rice yields by the International Rice Research Institute forecast 20% reduction in yields in Asia per degree Celsius of temperature rise.

Rice becomes sterile if exposed to temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius or 95 degrees Fahrenheit for more than one hour during flowering and consequently produces no grain.

Reviews

Absolutely love Mr.Boster’s voice and cadence. His tracks always put me to sleep!

I always learn interesting things from you, up until I fall asleep. I'm grateful for both parts of that!

Ironically I made a batch of rice to go with my stir fry this week. 😂
Excellent as always! 🤗