53. Before rice grains are prepared for use as food, they have two
coverings. One is a coarse husk that is thrashed off and leaves the
grain in the form of unpolished rice and the other, a thin, brown
coating resembling bran. This thin coating, which is very difficult to
remove, is called, after its removal, _rice polishings_. At one time, so
much was said about the harmful effect of polished rice that a demand
for unpolished rice was begun. This feeling of harm, however, was
unnecessary, for while polished rice lacks mineral matter to a great
extent, it is hot harmful to a person and need cause no uneasiness,
unless the other articles of the diet do not supply a sufficient amount
of this food substance. After the inner coating has been removed, some
of the rice is treated with paraffin or glucose and talc to give it a
glazed appearance. This is called _polish_, and is sometimes confounded
with the term rice polishings. However, no confusion regarding these
terms will result if it is remembered that rice polishings are the thin
inner coating that is removed and polish is what is added to the rice.
In composition, rice differs from the other cereals in that it is
practically all starch and contains almost no fat nor protein.
54. To be perfect, rice should be unbroken and uniform in size, and in
order that it may be put on the market in this form the broken grains
are sifted out.
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