<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

1.  This was my original post:

“After many years of eating rice, I suddenly learn that there is a lot I
don’t know about it.

“I generally eat (unenriched) brown rice where the only label ingredient is
“brown rice.”  That has worked very well for me.  I was in a GFS store in
Chicago this week and I noticed a 25 lb. bag of “parboiled brown rice.”  The
brand was ParExcellence, which is a brand name of Producers Rice Mill, Inc.
in Stuttgart, Arkansas.  The only ingredient listed is “brown rice.”

“I started to wonder about the parboiling process, because whenever we use
water for something, we have to ask where that water came from.  Then I did
a little research, which seemed to indicate that maybe all rice that we buy
in the store is parboiled, as opposed to “rough rice,” which still has an
inedible hull on the outside of it.

“I have emailed the company and will post their response when I receive it,
but I was wondering if anyone on the list understands what happens to rice
between the time it is harvested and gets into the bag at the store and
would be willing to explain whether “parboiling” should raise any flags at
all, and whether the enriching process is still a potential source of
undisclosed wheat after the new allergy labeling requirements.  Or a
potential source of barley, in which case the labeling requirements would
not help us.”

2.  I received information from the company confirming that this specific
product is gluten free.  I also received some information from list members
explaining the parboiling process.  The next paragraph is exactly what I
received from the company, Producers Rice Mill Inc.:

"The ParExcellence whole grain brown rice you are referring to is 100% whole
grain brown rice.  The parboiling process does not add any
additional ingredients to the product.  It is a heated steam/pressure
process which gelantizes the starch in the grain and makes it less sticky
and extends the shelf life.  It is gluten free and you should have no issues
with eating it.  The parboiling process does harden the grain somewhat,
which requires a little longer cooking time than non-parboiled rice
products.  You will need to allow 45-50 minutes for this product to cook."

3.  I received an excellent explanation from a listmember of what the
parboiling process is:

"Parboiled rice is probably the best kind of rice you can eat.  Basically,
what they do is steam the rice under pressure while it still has the hull on
it, and they force the nutrients from the hull into the rice grain itself,
and then later on remove the hull.  I can't describe the details of this
process, I'd refer you to Wikipedia or google for that.  However, what this
process does is slightly discolor the rice, so that rather than being white,
it is a pale yellow tan color, and it gives it some flavor, which I like,
but which may be displeasing to some people.  But plain white rice is almost
pure starch, whereas converted rice has quite a lot of especially B vitamins
and other nutrients.  For most people this gives it the same nutrient value
as brown rice (which has at least part of the hull left on), but it is more
easily digestible than brown rice.  I don't believe there is any reason to
think that any type of gluten would contaminate this process.  

"Parboiling rice is common in India, but is not so often used in the other
Asian countries.  In the US, the most common parboiled rice brand is the
original Uncle Ben's, which they call "converted" rice, but they use
basically the same method to produce it."

4.  Another listowner mentioned that Minute Brown Rice states that it is
parboiled and that the manufacturer had stated in response to an earlier
inquiry that Brown Rice was the only ingredient.

5.  Other listowners provided links to sites showing the structure of the
rice grain and explaining common methods of parboiling.

6.  Finally, another listmember did echo my concerns that when rice is
"enriched," we don't necessarily know a lot about the "enrichment" process.
How this would be affected by the recent labeling laws was not addressed.
And, the issue of potential cross-contamination in the handling of any
grains was mentioned as well.  Another listmember had mentioned that she had
seen packaged rice that stated that it might contain traces of wheat.  This
may be evidence that the labeling law is addressing cross contamination.

"The most "natural" form for rice is unhusked brown rice.  This rice has the
hull still on it.  It takes longer to cook; I used to boil it in water for
45 minutes.  The hull is mildly irritating, but good for constipation.  The
effect is not unlike psillium.
I used to be able to buy it in a supermarket in Los Angeles, but I haven't
seen it since 1968.  Apparently it was a favorite with the Georges
Oshawa/macrobiotics crowd including Marilynn Monroe.  Someone suggested it
to me, and I used it for a year or so with good results.

"Next comes brown rice which has the hull removed, but it retains the brown
outer layer of the rice.  This is the familiar brown rice that you can buy
all over town.  The brown outer layer is a good source of B-vitamins.  

"Then there is white rice which is brown rice milled to remove the brown
outer layer.  White rice has little nutritional value, and the government
mandates that it be "enriched".  Food processors buy "enrichment" from small
companies set up by federal employees.
This practice is a source of additional remuneration for civil servants, and
it is a rich source of political contributions as well.  Before it is
transubstantiated by the miraculous actions of the feds, enrichment begins
its life as an inexpensive source of B-vitamins.  Hopefully this would mean
nutritional yeast, but my understanding is the brewer's yeast is even
cheaper.  The exact source of "enrichment" not stated on labels.

"Aside from enrichment contamination is also an issue.  In the US a
significant percentage (I think 2%) of grain is allowed to be something else
entirely."

7.  My conclusions from all this is are that the specific product that had
started me on this search sounds ok, that "parboiling" does not necessarily
mean that anything was used besides water, and that, just as a personal
choice, I will probably ask the companies when I switch to a new "enriched"
or "parboiled" product if I should have any concerns, even though if I was
guessing, these are likely ok if no wheat is disclosed.  

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