| When rice arrives at the mill, it is ushered through a series of sorting machines that separates the kernels encased in an inedible hull or husk from any debris. The rice is then sent on its way through the multi-faceted milling process.
The rough rice passes through "sheller" machines that remove the hull. What remains is brown rice with the bran layers still surrounding the kernel. The grains of brown rice are milled by machines that rub the grains together under pressure removing the bran layer, revealing white or "polished" rice.
Some American mills produce parboiled rice which is favored by those who desire rice that has an extra separate, firmer grain when cooked. Parboiling is a steam pressure process in which rough rice is soaked, steamed, and dried before milling. Milled white rice, at its best, is made up of clean, polished, whole kernels. Many U.S. rice mills use a laser sorter that looks for broken or discolored kernels, and then separates them from the whole kernels of rice.
The modern technology employed by American rice producers is, in part, responsible for the United States renowned reputation for producing high-quality rice that is recognized world-wide. The fact that the United States is one of the world's largest exporters of rice attests to its broad appeal. Furthermore, an equally impressive fact is that more than 90 percent of the rice consumed in the United States, is produced in the United States.
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