Kashrus Kurrents, Winter 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It has been touted as nature\u2019s most versatile food. There is no single\ngrain that feeds more people around the globe and, because it is free of gluten\nand allergens, can be tolerated by most everyone. It is the most widely\nconsumed staple for over half of the world’s human population.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n When the Gemara in Brachos<\/em> discusses the brachos<\/em> that\nare made before and after eating this versatile grain, the mnemonic used to\nremember the poskim\u2019s<\/em> conclusion is \u05d0\u05de\u05df: Orez, Mezonos, Nefashos<\/em>. The grain we are discussing is\nOryza sativa<\/em>, which the Gemara refers to as orez<\/em>.[2]<\/a> We\nknow it, simply, as rice<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are over 7,000 varieties of rice grown worldwide. Rice is mostly consumed in the Asian regions from Japan in the east\nto Pakistan in the west and, after sugarcane and maize, is the third most\nproduced agricultural crop in the world.[3]<\/a> China\nand India account for more than half of the rice produced globally. By the end\nof 2022, it is estimated that about 515 million tons of rice will have been\nproduced worldwide.[4]<\/a>\nThe global rice market had an estimated value of USD 247.2 billion in 2020, and\nwith surging demand, that number is projected to increase to USD 274 billion by\nthe end of 2027.[5]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A Brief History<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Historians concur that rice was known and grown in the Far East\nthousands of years before Alexander the Great, who lived during the time of the\nsecond Beis Hamikdash. Alexander\ndiscovered rice during his invasion of Asia Minor. Subsequently, rice was\nbrought to Spain by the Moors in the 700s C.E. \nIt was the Spaniards who introduced rice to Italy in the 1400s, and to\nthe West Indies and South America in the 1600s. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although rice is grown in many U.S. states (including Arkansas,\nTexas and California), Crowley, Louisiana, ranks as America\u2019s rice capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Basic Rice\nFacts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Rice is a cereal grain and is related to the other main cereal\ngrains (i.e., wheat, barley, rye, oats and spelt), all of which are considered\nto be main staples in the food pyramid.[6]<\/a> While halachic<\/em> literature refers to these\ncereal grains as being \u2018maizin<\/em>,\u2019 \u2013 a basic staple of sustenance (mazon<\/em>)\n\u2013 the different types have fundamental differences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The main cereal grains are distinguished from rice both by their ability\nto rise and produce breads and cakes, and by their vastly different growing\nenvironments. Rice, lacking gluten, can\u2019t rise; and only rice grows in paddies\nand climates that are not conducive for growing the other cereal grains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What follows is a brief discussion of a rice kernel\u2019s intriguing\njourney from planting to harvesting, and from processing to production. We will\nalso address some of the halachic<\/em> issues and ramifications concerning\nrice manufacturing along its route from plant to plate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rice grows in warm climates and requires a constant supply of\nwater. A rice plant will grow to a height of two to six feet, at which point the\ngrain develops from spikelets<\/em>, the flowers on the head of the plant. The\nrice grain, known as rough rice<\/em>, is comprised of an outer husk called\nthe hull<\/em>. The hull covers seven layers of bran<\/em> that lie directly\nbeneath it, which in turn cover the endosperm<\/em>, otherwise known as the kernel<\/em>.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Milling: The Cleaning\nProcess<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When the rough rice comes to the mill, the kernel is dried and left\nintact, with the hull in place. If the hull is removed but the bran layers\nremain, we get brown rice<\/em>. Brown rice is a more nutritious form of rice\nbecause the vitamins and nutrients are contained in the bran layer. Once the bran layers are removed, through a\nprocess called pearling<\/em>, the nutrients are also removed, and we get white\nrice<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another byproduct of the milling process is rice flour<\/em>. Rice\nflour is a very versatile product and is used in baby foods, baking products\nand cereal manufacturing. A popular use of rice flour is in the dried fruit\nindustry. Dried fruit pieces, especially apricots, are shipped to bakeries or\nused for other food applications. In order to prevent these dried fruit pieces\nfrom sticking, they are rolled in rice powder. (Similarly, dates are commonly\nrolled in oat flour.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, dried fruit requires a strict and reliable Kosher\nfor Passover certification to ensure that the dried fruit is not rolled in\npowder and does not come into contact with any other fruit in the packaging\nareas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Milled rice\ncomes in many sizes, the most popular of which is long-grain<\/em>, used to\nmake pilafs, salads, and side dishes. Popular long-grain rice types include\nwhite and brown rice; and aromatic rice<\/em> varieties like jasmine<\/em>\nand basmati<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Brown rice\u2019s\nlight brown color is a result of the bran layers covering the rice germ. Due to\nits natural and highly nutritious state, prolonged shelf life is always a\nconcern (see side bar<\/em>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aromatic rice\nis naturally aged to develop its rich full-bodied flavor. There are no kashrus\nproblems associated with aromatic rice since no additional flavorings are\nadded. Persian rice dishes like tahdig<\/em> are exclusively made with basmati\nrice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Second-head rice<\/em>, discussed\nabove, is used for a myriad of products, including cereals, beer, and\nmanufactured rice products, such as enriched rice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Medium-grain rice<\/em> is wider than\nlong-grain. It is about half as wide as it is long, and results in soft, chewy\ngrains that stick together when cooked. Indian biryani<\/em>, Italian risotto<\/em>\nand Spanish paella<\/em> are dishes that typically use medium-grain rice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Short-grain rice<\/em> has a wide,\nsquat shape; it is wider than it is long, and is used for recipes that call for\nthe rice to clump or stick together. Sticky rice<\/em> and sushi rice<\/em>\nare types of short-grain rice. They are preferred by Japanese sushi chefs and are\nthe rice of choice in Chinese cuisine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Processing: The Myriad Transformations of Ordinary Rice<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Rice\u2019s versatility knows no bounds. \nRice can be cooked, seasoned, popped, fermented, instantized, enriched, used\nas a milk substitute or made into wine. The possibilities are endless. Each\nmanufacturing application has its own set of concerns. Let\u2019s begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two common manufacturing methods used to replace the\nnutrients in a pearled kernel of rice: enriching<\/em> and parboiling<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Enriching<\/strong>: One method is to coat broken\npieces of rice, known as second-head rice<\/em>, with vitamins and minerals,\nand then mix them into the pearled white milled rice. This is what is meant by enriched\nrice<\/em>. The second-head rice is sent to an enrichment company, where vitamins\nare sprayed directly onto the rice pieces. These are then returned to the rice\nproducer to be blended along with the long white grains as they are being\npackaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n U.S. law requires white rice to be enriched with additional\nvitamins and nutrients to compensate for the nutritional deficiencies created\nthrough the milling process. Obviously, enrichments have to be kosher approved.\nBut since domestic white rice generally cannot be produced enrichment-free, and\nvitamin enrichments are only certified for year-round use and exclude Pesach,\nthe Sephardic Jewish community, whose custom permits kitniyot<\/em> (i.e.,\nlegumes such as rice, beans, and corn) on Pesach, cannot purchase enriched rice\nfor Pesach.[7]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Parboiling<\/strong>: The second\nmethod used to replace the nutrients is parboiling<\/em>. While the rice\nkernels are still in their hulls, the kernels are steamed in large kettles so\nthat the natural nutrients are locked into the rice kernel. After parboiling,\nthe rice is dried to its previous state of moisture \u2013 in a dry kernel at 11% \u2013\nand the hull is removed. If the bran layers remain intact, the product is termed\nconverted brown rice<\/em>. If the rice\nis pearled, it is termed converted ric<\/em>e or parboiled rice<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consumers often call and ask whether there is a problem of bishul\nakum<\/em> with parboiled rice. Rice is unquestionably a grain that is olah al\nshulchan melachim<\/em>, fit to be served at a banquet, wedding or state dinner.[8]<\/a> Halacha<\/em>\nhas mandated that an observant Jew must perform an integral part of the cooking\nprocess, such as turning on the fire, regarding certain products such as\nrice. This process is known as bishul\nYisroel<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Parboiling, however, does not require bishul Yisroel<\/em> for the\nfollowing reasons: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Precooking and Instant\nRice: <\/strong>Instant rice is a long-grain rice\nproduct that has been precooked and re-dried. It can be sold as a boil-in-bag\nproduct, minute rice, or simply as instant rice. Instant rice does not require\nthorough cooking \u2013 in fact, it does not need to be re-cooked at all. By letting\nthe instant rice sit in cold water for a few minutes, it will re-hydrate into a\nperfectly edible product. This discovery raised bishul akum<\/em> concerns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Incontrovertibly,\nrice requires bishul Yisroel<\/em>. There are halachic<\/em> opinions that if\na fully cooked product requiring bishul Yisroel<\/em> is dehydrated and\nrequires a second cooking, it is considered bishul Yisroel<\/em> if a Yehudi<\/em>\nrecooks it.[10]<\/a>\nThis was the common assumption about instant rice, which changed once it was\ndiscovered that instant rice could be hydrated in cold water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, the policy\nis for the mashgiach to light the boilers that provide the steam to cook the\ninstant rice. However, there still\nremains a discrepancy among kashrus agencies as to whether instant rice\nrequires bishul Yisroel<\/em>. Furthermore, lighting the boiler is a solution\nfor Ashkenazim, who follow the Rama\u2019s position that lighting the fire fulfills\nthe bishul Yisroel<\/em> criteria.[11]<\/a>\nSephardim, who follow the opinion of Maran Beit Yosef, require that a Yehudi\nactually place the rice into the cooker before lighting the fire at the\nbeginning of the process.[12]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This cooked rice product is not the only item that has gained\npopularity in the contemporary kosher marketplace. Mediterranean diet\ndelicacies, such as dolmas<\/em> (or stuffed grape leaves, the Sephardic\nversion of stuffed cabbage) are now widely available. Brined grape leaves are\nused instead of cabbage leaves, and the filling is a combination of cooked\nrice, herbs and spices. Most productions take place in Mediterranean countries such\nas Turkey, Greece or Bulgaria. Some organizations require hashgacha temidis<\/em>\nduring specialty productions, while others allow the rice cooker or boiler to\nbe turned on prior to the production. Though these manufacturers do not typically\ndeal with non-kosher ingredients, bishul akum<\/em> has become a front burner\nissue with pre-cooked rice products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rice Blends: <\/strong>A very popular\nrice combination is long-grain rice and wild rice. \u2018Wild\u2019 rice is not actually\na variety of rice, but rather a grass that blends well with rice. These simple\ncombinations have no kashrus concerns, provided they have no seasonings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then there are varieties of rice blends and pilafs that have become\nvery popular, made by combining rice, sometimes with pasta, and seasonings. Any\nseasoned rice product requires reliable kosher certification. Spices, seasoning\nblends, hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, oils and oleoresins must be carefully\nreviewed. Often, rice producers flavor their seasoned rice with dehydrated meat\nor chicken, as well as non-kosher cheeses. Although the seasonings are blended\ncold, the same fill lines are used for both kosher and non-kosher blends.\nCareful production scheduling, cleaning and kashering of equipment, and\nlabeling of finished goods have to be set in place before certifying any\nseasoned rice product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Popping Rice, Rice Cakes, and Puffed Rice Cereal: <\/strong>Rice cakes are a seemingly simple, healthy and kosher rice snack. Rice\nkernels are placed in a disc-like popper. To produce a single rice cake, steam\nis applied to the rice kernels, putting pressure on the rice and causing it to\npop; the popped rice assumes the shape of the disc and forms a \u2018cake\u2019 of rice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Rice cakes can come in a variety of flavors, which require\ncertification. Flavorings are added directly into the rice cake disc so that\nthe flavor will be blended as the rice pops. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To produce puffed rice cereal, the rice kernels are heated as loose\ngrains (in contrast to the disc-like popper described above), and steamed under\npressure. The grains will puff up as single pieces of puffed rice. Rice\nKrispies are also puffed in a puffing tower but are subsequently baked or\ntoasted into what is known as crisp rice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rice Milk<\/strong>: This beverage has become a popular\nmilk alternative for those who are lactose intolerant and follow a FODMAP diet.\nIt is manufactured by boiling either brown or white rice and strained. Rice\nmilk can come in unsweetened, sweetened and flavored, and fortified varieties.\nFlavored varieties require certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fermenting:<\/strong> The process of\nfermenting rice can yield an impressive gamut of products, including beer, rice\nwine, rice vinegar and miso. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Brewing\n\u2013 <\/strong>Many breweries use brewer\u2019s rice<\/em> as well as barley to make\nbeer. Brewer\u2019s rice is essentially second-head rice<\/em> (mentioned above), the\nbroken shards of rice created during the milling process. Some beer beverages\nare made from brewer\u2019s rice and sorghum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rice Wine \u2013 <\/strong>Sake<\/em> is Japanese\nrice wine that is fermented but not distilled. It resembles beer more than\nwine. Since it is not carbonated, its taste is similar to that of wine. Even\nthough the rice is cooked in the brewing process, there is no issue of bishul\nakum <\/em>because the intention of the cooking is to consume the liquid rather\nthan to eat the rice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There\nare five types of sake<\/em> produced in Japan, but only one, junmai,<\/em>\nis sold in the U.S. Junmai<\/em> is pure sake<\/em>, which means that only\nrice is used in its production. Other varieties add a small amount of distilled\nalcohol to the blend and are taxed at such a high rate that it would make the\ncost to import them prohibitive. Sake<\/em> can therefore be used without\nspecial kosher certification. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Rice\nvinegar<\/strong> \u2013 is a popular vinegar used in both\nChinese and Japanese cuisines. It is fermented from glutinous rice or rice\nwine. The style of rice vinegar changes depending upon the variety of rice used\nin the fermentation process \u2013 black rice vinegar is derived from black rice,\nred rice vinegar from red, and white rice vinegar from white.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Seasoned rice\nvinegar<\/em> is a combination of sake<\/em> and\nrice vinegar. Rice vinegars vary in their acidity and taste. They are milder\nthan distilled grain vinegar and have specific applications in Chinese,\nJapanese and other Asian cuisines. Of course, all varieties of rice vinegar\nrequire reliable kosher certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Miso<\/strong> \u2013 is a thick fermented paste made of soybeans, salt and rice. It\nis used as a flavoring agent in Japanese cuisine, such as soups and sauces. In\norder to ferment the soybeans to create miso<\/em>, cooked rice fermented with\na special fungus called koji<\/em> has to be added to the cooked soybeans.\nThis mixture then ferments for a period of six months to a year. The rice must\nbe cooked to initiate the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As\nwith sake<\/em>, since this is an intermediate step in the whole process of miso<\/em>\nproduction, and one has no intention to eat the rice, there is no concern of bishul\nakum<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Quandary About\nOrez <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Talmud provides a brief discourse regarding the correct bracha<\/em>\none makes before eating orez<\/em>. If\none chews the kernel, the blessing made is the same as for vegetables, Ha\u2019adama<\/em>. However, if the orez<\/em> is ground, baked\nor cooked, the bracha<\/em> is Mezonos<\/em>, the same as for cakes and\ncookies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first question the poskim<\/em> grapple with is the type of\ngrain being discussed. Rashi maintains that orez<\/em> is millet. Tosfos takes\nissue with that interpretation and maintains that orez<\/em> is rice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Based on the fact that rice was not introduced into Europe until\nthe 1400s, it is possible that neither Rashi nor the Baalei Tosfos actually saw\nrice. Furthermore, when the Shulchan Aruch discusses this issue, the more\ncontemporary commentators are split regarding the identity of orez<\/em>. The Vilna Gaon holds that orez<\/em> is\nrice, which is consistent with the Mishna Brura\u2019s<\/em> conclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Real Blessings in Disguise<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The poskim<\/em> offer many opinions about the bracha<\/em> that one\nshould make on conventionally cooked rice, whether Ha\u2019adama<\/em> or Mezonos<\/em>.\nLikewise, they discuss the proper bracha acharona<\/em> one should recite,\nwhether Al Hamichya<\/em> or Borei Nefashos<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, as we mentioned at the start of our journey, the Hebrew\nmnemonic of \u05d0\u05de\u05df \u2013 Aleph, Mem, Nun<\/em> \u2013 holds the final key: Orez, Mezonos,\nNefashos<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Amen! It\u2019s a real blessing in disguise. [1]<\/a> https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [2]<\/a> Tosfos<\/em>\n\u2013 Brachos<\/em> 37A, D\u201dH Rashi.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [3]<\/a> https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [4]<\/a> https:\/\/worldpopulationreview.com\/country-rankings\/rice-production-by-country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [5]<\/a> https:\/\/www.globenewswire.com\/en\/news-release\/2021\/01\/26\/2164005\/28124\/en\/Global-Rice-Market-Report-2021-A-274-Billion-Opportunity-by-the-End-of-the-Year-2027.html.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [6]<\/a> Orach\nChaim<\/em> 208, Mishna Brura<\/em> 28.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [7]<\/a> O.C.<\/em>\n453:1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [8]<\/a> Y.\nD.<\/em> 113:1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [9]<\/a> Ibid.,\n2, Rema.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [10]<\/a> Ibid.,\n12, Yad Efraim.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [11]<\/a> Ibid.,\n7, Rema.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [12]<\/a> Ibid.,\n8.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Kashrus Kurrents, Winter 2023<\/p>\n It has been touted as nature\u2019s most versatile food. There is no single When the Gemara in Brachos discusses the brachos that\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\ngrain that feeds more people around the globe and, because it is free of gluten
\nand allergens, can be tolerated by most everyone. It is the most widely
\nconsumed staple for over half of the world’s human population.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n
\nare made before and after eating this versatile grain, the mnemonic used to
\nremember the poskim\u2019s conclusion is \u05d0\u05de\u05df: Orez, Mezonos, Nefashos. The grain we are discussing is
\nOryza sativa, which the Gemara refers to as orez.[2]<\/a> We
\nknow it, simply, as rice.<\/p>\n