Rice is one of the most widely consumed commodities in the world and is the most consumed commodity for half of the world’s population.  The U.S. provides milled or parboiled long and medium grain rice for our U.S. government (USG) food assistance programs.

Anywhere from 2-5% of U.S. rice exports are in the form of food aid, providing a safe and nutritious food source for vulnerable or at-risk populations all over the world.
Image of people picking up bags of U.S. rice from food aid shipment
USA Rice Action:
  • Working with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and private voluntary organizations (PVOs) to encourage the use of fortified rice in appropriate food aid programs.
  • Ensuring that in-kind commodities, such as rice, remain in the USG toolbox.
     
Resources
Nutrition

Overview

Rice is a staple for more than half of the world’s population and is a food in nearly all the world’s cultures.  It is nutritious, easy to digest, and plentiful – thus an excellent component in world feeding programs. Rice is versatile and easy to prepare, store, handle, and distribute. 
Image of a Girl Eating Rice
Rice is comprised of mostly complex carbohydrates, contains essential amino acids and has the highest quality protein of all the grains. Using Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Scoring, rice has a 31% better quality protein than corn and a 38% better quality protein than wheat. This method of evaluating protein quality is useful to food aid professionals in planning diets with adequate protein since less protein is needed in diets when higher quality protein is included.

Rice is Perfect for Food Aid Because it is:

  • Rich in complex carbohydrates*
  • Contains all eight essential amino acids*
  • Cholesterol and sodium-free *
  • Hypoallergenic*
  • Therapeutic for some digestive disorders   
  • High digestibility (88%) aids in nutrient absorption 
  • Readily available and easy to handle/transport
  • Shelf life of two years
  • Meets USG "processed" food requirement**
  • Meets the USG "bagged in the US" requirement**
Image of a large pot of cooked rice
* Very important points for improving the nutritional levels of those who have compromised immune systems.
**Congressional mandate for USAID Title II programs.

Rice Nutrients

The nutritional values of long, medium, and short grain rice are essentially the same within each variety or classification (i.e., brown or white).  Below is a comparison chart of brown rice, unenriched white rice, and parboiled rice:
This is a chart that compares the nutrients of brown rice, unenriched white rice, and unenriched parboiled rice.
Fortified Rice

Overview

Over the last decade, USDA and USAID have sought to diversify the portfolio of value added nutritional foods made with U.S. origin commodities for global food aid and nutritional programming.  Developing a series of micronutrient-fortified foods to address not only hunger but also persistent nutritional deficiencies have also led to cost effective options for feeding. Fortified rice is among the most effective delivery mechanisms and is the most cost effective for bioavailable micronutrients that can be utilized in food assistance and nutritional programming.

Image of a bag of Fortified Rice from the USA
Rice fortification provides an immediate, ready-to-use product that helps to address micronutrient deficiencies on a large scale. Lack of Vitamin A and iron are among the most persistent and damaging micronutrient deficiencies impacting growth and development. USA Rice is working closely with USDA, USAID, WFP and the PVO community to lead to the successful and effective use of fortified rice.

Nutrients included in fortified rice: Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Iron and Zinc.

Background

  • 2010: USDA and USAID receive additional funding through the McGovern Dole Food for Education Program to conduct a series of micronutrient fortification pilot programs, including fortified rice.
  • 2014: A school feeding intervention program in Cambodia showed significant improvements in vitamin A and zinc uptake with the fortified rice.
  • 2014: Fortified rice is added to USAID’s master list of commodities for use in U.S. government food assistance programs.
  • 2015 – 2017: Additional studies further confirm the effectiveness of fortified rice in addressing nutrient deficiencies. 
  • 2018:  Rinse resistant coated fortification technology approved for use, allowing for potentially increased production and lower prices for fortified rice. 

Information on how to register to become an approved exporter for food assistance programs can be found here:  https://portal.wbscm.usda.gov/

 
Specifications

Rice Types

Long Grain:
  • When cooked, the grains are separate, light, and fluffy. 
  • USAGE: This type of rice is ideal for recipes requiring a distinct shape and texture 
  • WHERE: Traditionally eaten in the Western Hemisphere, Eastern Europe, Middle East, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and most of Africa
  • CROP SIZE: Approximately 75% of the rice crop is long grain, averaging about 2 million acres 
  • COST: The price tends to vary with demand on a yearly basis 
  • COOKING: 1 cup of uncooked rice with 2 cups of water cooks in about 20 minutes yielding 3 cups of rice.
Medium Grain:
  • When cooked the grains are moist and tender, and have a greater tendency to cling (think sushi rice)
  • USAGE: This type of rice cooks to a somewhat creamy consistency.
  • WHERE: Traditionally eaten in Central Asia, North Asia, Mediterranean and Aegean regions.
  • CROP SIZE: Approximately 20% of the rice crop is medium grain
  • COST: The price tends to vary with demand on a yearly basis
  • COOKING: 1 cup of uncooked rice with 1.5 cups of water cooks in about 20 minutes yielding about 3 cups of rice. 

Rice Grades

  • #2/7 or better has 7% broken kernels, "may be slightly gray" in color and is well-milled.
  • #5/20 or better has 20% broken kernels, "may be gray or slightly rosy" in color and reasonably well-milled. The nutritional content is virtually the same as #2.  Cooking time is slightly shorter than # 2.

Milling Types

  • Brown rice or whole grain: is the least processed form of rice. It has the outer hull removed, but still retains the bran layers that give it the tan color and nut-like flavor. This type of rice has the highest nutritional value. One cup cooks in 45 to 50 minutes yielding 3 to 4 cups.
  • Reasonably well-milled: most of the bran layer is removed which results in a slightly darker color then well-milled rice.
  • Well-milled: all of the bran is removed. Most rice consumers prefer this type.
     

Recent News

Bags of US rice in white bags with US flag on conveyer belt, being loaded into shipping container
Take it as a complement
Aug 07, 2018
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – Last week, USA Rice’s Food Security Consultant Rebecca Bratter was a featured speaker on a panel about “Affordable Protein Supply for Institutional Meals Around the World” at a conference sponsored by the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH).  

The event was part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Cochran Fellowship program designed to provide technical training and information to help global trade partners create their own successful school and hospital feeding programs with U.S. commodities.  More than 25 attendees from Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America participated in the week-long training here.

While the program was focused on protein, USA Rice was invited to speak about the role of fortified rice in nutrition, as a complement to protein.  

“There is still a lack of detailed information about the role of fortified rice in nutritional formulations as it is a new commodity in U.S. global feeding programs,” said Bratter.  “Almost all of the questions I received after our panel were about fortified rice and how different countries can procure and incorporate this product into their national school feeding and nutritional programs.  People were interested in procuring both the blended fortified rice as well as the fortified kernels to blend with their own home grown rice.”

Many of the representatives in attendance have participated in the implementation of McGovern Dole School Feeding Programs that have concluded, and are now responsible for creating national programs to ensure the continuation of the nutritional benefits of school feeding.

“This is a new opportunity for U.S. rice around the world and falls in the gray area between food assistance and commercial import.  We look forward to following up with the contacts made and exploring this new potential end use,” Bratter concluded.