Unlocking the Truth about Washing Rice: Starch, Microplastics, Arsenic, and Bacteria

2023-06-17 17:40:48

Culinary experts are no different when they claim that washing rice reduces the amount of starch coming from the rice grain. This fact is evident when you see the cloudy rinse water. But things get complicated when we dig deeper into the research. In a recent study, the effect of washing on the viscosity and hardness of three different types of rice from the same source was compared. The researchers came to surprising results.

Rice washing: why and when?

Washing is an important step to remove dust and husk residue left over from the rice hulling process. Recently, this process has been shown to have another significance, as research has shown that it removes up to 20% of microplastics that can pass into rice through the supply chain.

Rice and arsenic: Washing protects your health

Rice contains relatively high levels of arsenic, but the good news is that the washing process removes regarding 90% of the biologically absorbable arsenic. But remember that this process also rinses out a large amount of other nutrients that are important to our health, including copper, iron, zinc, and vanadium.

Does washing prevent bacteria?

In short, washing rice will not affect the bacterial content of cooked rice, because high cooking temperatures kill all bacteria present. More worrying is the shelf life of cooked rice. If wet rice or cooked rice is kept at room temperature, it can activate bacterial spores and they start to grow. These bacteria then produce toxins that cannot be deactivated by cooking or reheating.

What does all this information mean?

It is clear that washing rice has many benefits, from reducing starch, to reducing plastic pollution, to removing arsenic. However, we must remember that washing can rinse out some important nutrients as well. Ultimately, it’s up to each person to decide, but the best advice is to pre-wash the rice and make sure to eat a variety of grains to make up for any nutrient loss.

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