Is Rice Really Gluten Free ?

Shocked Individual Is Rice Really Gluten Free ?

In the past year there has been a great deal of debate as to whether rice is gluten free or not. The concern with rice is not with the rice itself, but the coatings that are applied to enriched rice to add vitamins to the grain itself. Rice itself is gluten free, but enriched rice is rice that has been sprayed with a vitamin coating and some fear that the coating could contain a gluten based grain. I have been researching rice and have yet to come across a brand that contains any gluten in the coatings. I have had a difficult time in getting any particular manufacturer to tell me exactly what is in their enriched rice coating that causes it to stick to the grain. S & W brand did let me know that the medium they use is cornstarch based, so their product is gluten free; however, this does not tell me that all manufacturers use this same process across the board.

Since cornstarch can and is generally used as a medium, I can not rule out that wheat starch could not ever be used as a medium for enriching rice as well. I firmly believe you should verify that any rice you purchase that says enriched on the package is indeed gluten free before consuming it, because there could be the small chance that it could contain gluten and that is not worth the risk. I advocate this type of vigilance over any processed foods, because you need to always be a food label detective. When I take things for granted that is when I seem to get "glutened" and we all know that is not fun. Also be very careful when purchasing flavored rice mixes, many of these are not gluten free. Always read the label and check with the manufacturer to verify that the product you select is indeed gluten free.

Here are some gluten free enriched rice sources that I have confirmed to be gluten free. We are currently verifying the gluten free status of other rice manufacturers and will post them as soon
as we have the results.

Manufacturer:	G.F. Products:	Contact Info:
Uncle Bens	UNCLE BEN'S® ORIGINAL CONVERTED® Brand Rice UNCLE BEN'S® Instant Rice UNCLE BEN'S® Original Brown Rice UNCLE BEN'S® Instant Brown Rice UNCLE BEN'S® Boil-in-Bag Rice UNCLE BEN'S® Long Grain & Wild Rice (discard seasoning packet) UNCLE BEN'S® Specialty Rices (Arborio, Basmati, Jasmine)	www.unclebens.com
Minute Rice	Minute Rice is owned by Kraft Foods and they no longer release a gluten free list. Kraft now includes all ingredients on their products so if there is even a minute trace of gluten, they claim that they always list it on the label in a clear manner.	www.kraftfoods.com/minuterice
Mahatma Rice	Long grain rice, Brown Rice, Instant White Rice, Jasmine, Valencia (Short Grain), Spanish Rice Mix, Broccoli Rice and Cheese Mix, Long Grain and Wild Rice Mix, Nacho Cheese Rice Mix, Saffron Yellow Rice Mix	www.mahatmarice.com
S & W Rice	Enriched White Extra Long Grain Rice, Brown Rice Long Grain Rice, Indian Basmati, Thai Jasmine, Long Grain and Wild, Italian Arborio.	http://www.s-and-wrice.com

Ok, before you panic, let talk about types of rice and what is safe. There are more than 40,000 different varieties of rice grown throughout the world. In the United States there are only a few varieties grown, and these can be divided into long, medium, and short grain. Limited waxy rice is produced as well as some aromatic varieties.

The primary difference in these rices is their cooking characteristics, and, in some cases, a subtle flavor difference. From the nutritional standpoint, they are equal, and indeed can often (with the exception of Arborio and waxy rice) be interchanged in recipes.

	Long Long grain rice has a long, slender kernel, four to five times longer than its width. Cooked grains are separate, light and fluffy.
	Medium Medium grain rice has a shorter, wider kernel (two to three times longer than its width) than long grain rice. Cooked grains are more moist and tender, and have a greater tendency to cling together than long grain.
	Short Short grain rice has a short, plump, almost round kernel. Cooked grains are soft and cling together.
	Sweet or Waxy Waxy, sweet or glutinous rice grown in the United States is short and plump with a chalky white, opaque kernel. When cooked, this rice loses its shape and is very glutinous. Waxy rice is more often used in commercial product formulations. The starch and flour from waxy rice is used in frozen products as a binder for gravies, sauces, and fillings because it is resistant to breakdown during freezing and thawing, unlike some corn or wheat starches.
	Aromatic Aromatic rices have a flavor and aroma similar to that of roasted nuts or popcorn. The natural compound that gives aromatic rice the characteristic aroma and flavor is present in all rice, but in the aromatic varieties it is present in much higher concentrations. The most popular domestically grown aromatic rices include: della which cooks dry, separate and fluffy; jasmine which cooks more moist and tends to cling together; and basmati which cooks into very long, slender grains which are dry, separate and fluffy
	Arborio Arborio rice is a large, bold rice with a characteristic white dot at the center of the grain. By the way of length/width ratio and starch characteristics, it is classified as a medium grain rice. Typically used in risotto, this rice develops a creamy texture around a chewy center and has exceptional ability to absorb flavors.

Make sure if the package says Enriched, you verify that it is indeed gluten free before consuming if you are in doubt. This will make it more difficult to eat out, but it is better to be safe than sorry. Also when eating rice out in Chinese restaurants always choose steamed rice, because the fried rice has soy sauce in it that usually contains gluten. Many times rice is not gluten free in restaurants because they add seasoning packets that contain wheat starch. Always be a food label detective.

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