Nutrition problems of rice-eating countries in Asia / Nutrition Committee of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Date:
1948
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Nutrition problems of rice-eating countries in Asia / Nutrition Committee of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Parboiled rice Milled parboiled rice contains more thiamine and other nutrients than milled raw rice, and is not depleted of nutrients to the same extent by household washing. Fewer breakages occur during the milling of parboiled rice than during the milling of raw rice. Parboiled rice, however, is not liked by people in certain countries who are accustomed to raw rice, because of differences in color, flavor, and consistency of the cooked prod- uct. Another reason for its unpopularity is that is is often prepared commercially in a most unsatisfactory manner, which results in a product unattractive in appearance and taste. The Committee recommends that improved methods of parboiling should be investigated with the aim of producing cheaply rice which has the valuable nutritive properties char- acteristic of parboiled rice, but which at the same time is accept- able in rice-eating areas in general. Consumer trials with such rice should be carried out in different countries and the results made available by FAO to other rice-eating countries. “Converted” rice is essentially similar to parboiled rice in its nutritive properties, and the Committee considers it an acceptable product. The plant required for rice ‘“conver- sion” is, however, elaborate and expensive, and in many rice- eating countries the most satisfactory way of encouraging the use of parboiled rice is likely to be the modification and im- provement of simple parboiling methods in current use. Washing and cooking The washing and cooking of “raw’’ rice by methods commonly followed in rice-eating areas lead to serious depletion of calories and nutrients. Loss of calories may be from 10-15 per cent; of protein 10 per cent; and of thiamine as much as 80 per cent. Any improvement in the nutrient content of rice prior to household preparation, attainable by any known method, may be nullified by the vigorous washing of rice with subsequent dis- carding of cooking water. Limited washing and suitable cooking methods will, on the other hand, very substantially reduce losses. Improvement in this direction would have the effect of increasing the total amount of food available in rice-eating areas. The Committee realizes the difficulties of influencing time-honored household methods of preparing rice for consump- tion and recognizes the need for washing out the dirt and [4]
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