What are these black /dark brown particles in whole grain brown rice?

by Eastern_Nothing5552

9 Comments

  1. SeashellBeeshell on

    It’s just a bit of the rice hull. I always pick them out if I see them, but if I miss it I don’t worry about it.

  2. alwaysrunningerrands on

    Great question! So I have relatives that own rice fields and if I remember what they’ve told me correctly, this is the reason why you see these things often in whole grain rice batches –

    You need to step back into the grain’s lifecycle for this. Each rice kernel has three layers. So, when the young rice kernels are still growing on the plant, some tiny bugs suck on the innermost germ layer of rice kernels leaving behind the outermost layers. Apparently, some bugs love the innermost layers only. With the inner layer gone, the outermost layers then are left exposed to air that upon oxidation turn dark. That part then solidifies and becomes a part of the rest of the grain. Such kernels get harvested along with regular kernels and that’s what you see in the bags that have been packaged.

    As far as I know, they pose no problems although they look ugly. You don’t even have to remove them and it’s totally fine if consumed. Hope this helps 🙂

  3. antigoneelectra on

    Is it hollow? If so, it’s just some hull that wasn’t completely removed during processing. It’s likely black due to some kind of environmental factor (like too much rain or wetness during the growing season or left on the ground too long). It could also have sat in a bin or out in the hot sun and become overheated. It’s a plant that is grown with impurities and insects. Being non GMO or the variety doesn’t really impact hulls not being completely removed or weather factors.

  4. My dad was a flour miller and said all flour bags contained a few bugs, a lot of weevils.. the odd mouse or rat and probably the odd clumsy engineers thumb… but all ground up and whitened for our pleasure

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