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Riceplus Magazine shares daily International RICE News for global Rice Community. We publish daily two newsletters namely Global Rice News & ORYZA EXCLUSIVE News for readers .You can share any development news for readers. Share your rice and agriculture related research write up with Riceplus Magazine contact [email protected] , [email protected] For Advertisement & Specs [email protected]
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What's new in business news: March 30, 2015 30 Mar 2015 at 14:38 348 viewed0 comments
WRITER: JON FERNQUEST
Thai rice researchers introduce new insect-resistant rice, the road to profitability for one digital
TV channel & traffic accident deaths in Samui & Pattaya tourist areas.
Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter
March 30 , 2015 V o l u m e 5, Issue I
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Sun striking rice stalks in a paddy field.
AGRICULTURE
Thai rice researchers to introduce new insect-resistant variety
The Pathum Thani Rice Research Center has developed a new rice variety named Pathum Thani
200 with strong resistance to damaging insects and coolertemperatures. The new variety of
rice can be grown all year round and has highyields. The new hybrid variety, also known as
Kor. Khor. 57, is suitable for growing not only in irrigated areas in central provinces but also in
areas that have cooler weather such as the North. The new variety is also resistant to the brown
planthopper, an insect pest that feeds on rice plants damaging rice crops.
The rice research center has been working on this new variety for more than adecade. The
new variety is a hybrid of the famous Suphanburi 1 and IR 64 varieties. The new variety was
given the name "Pathum Thani 200" to celebrate the 200thanniversary of Pathum
Thani province. The rice centre is in the process of producing the variety as rice seed
to distribute to farmers. At present, the rice department produces about 100,000 tonnes of rice
seed for the market every year. However, the amount is far below farmer demand of 600,000
tonnes which is largely supplied by private companies offering higher-pricedhybrid rice seed.
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SET-listed Workpoint Entertainment Plc (WORK) saw its net profit drop 92% to 20 million
baht. Profit is expected to revive this year and rise to 200 million baht. Thetransition to digital
TV has been the major factor contributing to the fall inprofitability. TV ratings have been
highly volatile in the first year of digitalbroadcasting but they have become
more stable recently. Workpoint has already sold ad air time in advance worth 1 billion baht.
This year, it aims to generate 2 billion baht in ad revenue.
Workpoint was ranked third in viewership but its viewership is far below that of the two
leaders channel 7 and channel 3. Channel 3 had 1.2 and channel 7 1.5 millionviewers per
minute on average, while Workpoint had 400,000. Channels 3 and 7 remain the leaders,
controlling 50% of the market in terms of viewership and ad spending on TV. The digital
TV channel wants to boost figures to 600,000 viewers per minute by adding new content to its
digital TV channel later this year. New content will range from popular programmes such
as Fan-Pan-Tae and Golden Stage to Let Me In Thailand. However, it must allocate a
bigger budget for TVproduction in order to draw in more viewers.
The company test-runs TV shows for six months before airing them and then gradually revises
its programmes on a weeklybasis in order to stay abreast with rivals who
also review their output morefrequently.The company is also looking to produce TV
programmes to supply the internationalmarket. Workpoint sold the format of Fan Pan-Tae to a
Swedish broadcaster, The Band to a Peruvian TV station, Lightning Puzzle to
Asian broadcasters and the Envy Game TV series to a Vietnamese broadcaster. The company
has also seen a significantincrease in online viewers.
On Koh Samui island a speeding motorcycle killed a 68-year-old French tourist who was
crossing the road to return to her hotel after eating at a nearby restaurant in the Bophut beach
area. Witnesses said the spot where the accident took place was not well lighted and the
motorcyclist was driving at high speed.
The driver of the newly purchased motorcycle was identified Jettipan Yodsoi, 19. Mr Jittipan's
family reportedly runs a major auto seat cushion business on the southern tourist island. Police
said he would be charged with reckless driving causing death.
After a police officer allegedly ran a red traffic light in Pattaya in the early hours of Sunday, a
man was killed when his motorcycle was hit by the car. The car driver, Pol Sr Sgt Maj Somyot
Champahom, 50, an investigation officer said he and a policeman friend were returning from a
party of classmates when the motorcycle suddenly cut in front of his car at the intersection. He
hit the brakes hard, but failed to stop in time.
The officer insisted he had not driven through a red light and hit the motorcycle. But a person
who witnessed the incident, told police that he saw the officer‘s speeding car run the red traffic
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light and crash head-on with the motorcycle in the opposite lane. The impact of
the crash catapulted the body off the bike and it hit the footpath. The officer was detained for
an alcohol test before legal action was to be consideredagainst him. Police
will examine footage of closed circuit cameras (CCTV) to find out whether he had driven his car
through the red traffic light as alleged
India may export basmati rice, now 'infestation-free', to China
from this year Madhvi Sally, ET Bureau Mar 27, 2015, 11.15AM IST
Tags:NPPO|khapra beetle|Infestation|India-China trade|basmati rice
NEW DELHI: India may be able to export basmati rice to China from this year, with rice-
shelling and exporting units registered with the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO)
being declared infestation-free.Exporters in India, the world's second-largest rice producer, are
targeting the Indian diasporas and Middle Eastern communities, apart from the Chinese that are
trying out different cuisines even as they like their rice to be stickier and short grained.y June 30,
Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine
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the Indian government will send a list of credited Indian rice mills with the NPPO certification of
being free from `khapra beetle' infestation.
After this, we expect Chinese companies to start placing orders," said Ashok Sethi, president,
Punjab Rice Exporters' Association.Trade enquiries have already started coming in, according to
millers and company executives.The Chinese government has invited Indian rice exporters to
visit the country to see the mar ket and make pre sentations, said Mohinder Pal Jindal, presi dent,
All India Rice Exporters' Association.Besides China, South Africa and Mexico are the other new
mar kets that Indian companies have been exploring to augment basmati rice exports. At present,
Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates are the major export destinations for
Indian basmati rice.Till January 31, India exported 2.9 million tonne of basmati rice and the
figure for the entire financial year to March is expected to touch 3.2 million tonne.
This is considerably lower than exports of 3.75 million tonne reported in 2013-14. "It might take
us a few years to penetrate China, but the country has potential to become a big market for
Indian basmati rice due to its huge population, increasing income levels and openness to try new
cuisines," said Anil Kumar Mittal, chairman and MD of KRBL, which sells un der the India Gate
brand.Vietnam and Thai land are the leading suppliers of rice to China, followed by Lao,
Australia and Pakistan. Vijay Se tia of Chamanlal Setia Exports said Indian traders may be able
to take a slice of the share of neighbour Pakis tan, which exports 0.35-0.4 million tonne of rice a
year to China. http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-03-27/news/60553569_1_basmati-rice-mohinder-pal-
jindal-india-rice-exporters
Scientists have discovered a simple way to cook rice that
dramatically cuts the calories
Rice, the lifeblood of so many nations' cuisines, is perhaps the most ubiquitous food in the world.
In Asia, where an estimated 90 percent of all rice is consumed, the pillowy grains are part of
almost every meal. In the Caribbean, where the starch is often mixed with beans, it's a staple too.
Even here in the United States, where people eat a comparatively modest amount of rice, plenty
is still consumed.Rice is popular because it's malleable—it pairs well with a lot of different kinds
of food—and it's relatively cheap. But like other starch-heavy foods, it has one central flaw: it
isn't that good for you. White rice consumption, in particular, has been linked to a higher risk of
diabetes. A cup of the cooked grain carries with it roughly 200 calories, most of which comes in
the form of starch, which turns into sugar, and often thereafter body fat.But what if there were a
simple way to tweak rice ever so slightly to make it much healthier?
An undergraduate student at the College of Chemical Sciences in Sri Lanka and his mentor have
been tinkering with a new way to cook rice that can reduce its calories by as much as 50 percent
and even offer a few other added health benefits. The ingenious method, which at its core is just
a simple manipulation of chemistry, involves only a couple easy steps in practice.
[Scientists have figured out what makes Indian food so delicious]
Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine
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"What we did is cook the rice as you normally do, but when the water is boiling, before adding
the raw rice, we added coconut oil—about 3 percent of the weight of the rice you're going to
cook," said Sudhair James, who presented his preliminary research at National Meeting &
Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) on Monday. "After it was ready, we let it
cool in the refrigerator for about 12 hours. That's it."
How does it work?
To understand what's going on, you need to understand a bit of food chemistry.Not all starches,
as it happens, are created equal. Some, known as digestible starches, take only a little time to
digest, are quickly turned into glucose, and then later glycogen. Excess glycogen ends up adding
to the size of our guts if we don't expend enough energy to burn it off. Other starches,
meanwhile, called resistant starches, take a long time for the body to process, aren't converted
into glucose or glycogen because we lack the ability to digest them, and add up to
fewer calories.A growing body of research, however, has shown that it might be possible to
change the types of starches found in foods by modifying how they are prepared. At the very
least, we know that there are observable changes when certain foods are cooked different ways.
[This surprisingly tough quiz will make you second guess how well you know food]
Potatoes, for instance, go from having the right kind of starch to the less healthful kind when
they are cooked or mashed (sigh, I know). The process of heating and cooling certain vegetables,
like peas and sweet potatoes, can also alter the amount of resistant (see: good)
starches, according to a 2009 study. And rice, depending on the method of preparation,
undergoes observable chemical changes. Most notably, fried rice and pilaf style rice have a
greater proportion of resistant starch than the most commonly eaten type, steamed rice, as
strange as that might seem.
"If you can reduce the digestible starch in something like steamed rice, you can reduce the
calories," said Dr. Pushparajah Thavarajah, a professor who is supervising the research. "The
impact could be huge."Understanding this, James and Thavarajva tested eight different
recipes on 38 different kinds of rice found in Sri Lanka. What they found is that by adding a lipid
(coconut oil in this case, because it's widely used in Sri Lanka) ahead of cooking the rice, and
then cooling the rice immediately after it was done, they were able to drastically change its
composition—and for the better.
"The oil interacts with the starch in rice and changes its architecture," said James. "Chilling the
rice then helps foster the conversion of starches. The result is a healthier serving, even when you
heat it back up."So far they have only measured the chemical outcome of the most effective
cooking method for the least healthful of the 38 varieties. But that variety still produced a 10 to
12 percent reduction in calories. "With the better kind, we expect to reduce the calories by as
much as 50 to 60 percent," said James.
Cooking that can change the world
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The prospect of lower calorie rice is a big deal. Obesity rates are rising around the world,
particularly in the developing world, where people rely more heavily on cheaper food staples.
China and India, which are already seeing rising obesity problems, are huge consumers of
rice. Rice, of course, is not the sole cause of weight gain. But reducing the amount of calories in
a cup of rice by even as little as 10 percent could have an enormous impact for future
generations."Obesity has been a problem in the United States for some time," said Thavarajah.
"But it's becoming a problem in Asia, too. People are eating larger and larger portions of rice,
which isn't good."
[Why many restaurants don't actually want you to order dessert]
The researchers still have to test the remaining varieties of rice, including Suduru Samba, which
they believe will produce the largest calorie reduction. They also plan to experiment with oils
other than coconut oil, like sunflower oil.
A world where commercially sold rice comes pre-cooked and with much fewer calories might
not be that far off. People should already be able to replicate the process at home, although
James warns the results might vary depending on the type of rice used. And there's good reason
to believe the chemistry could be applied to many other popular but less-than-healthy foods.
"It's about more than rice," said Thavarajah. "I mean, can we do the same thing for bread? That's
the real question here.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/03/25/scientists-have-figured-out-a-
simple-way-to-cook-rice-that-dramatically-cuts-the-calories/#
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This Scientifically Proven Method For Cooking Rice May Reduce
Calories by 60 Percent
by Leta Shy 3/27/15
Confession: as much as I know brown rice is the healthier option, I find it hard to pass up a
bowl of perfectly steamed white rice. The problem: white rice is stripped of nutrients and
high in starch, which converts to sugars that your body uses for energy (glycogen) that can
turn to fat if you don't burn it off. Luckily, scientists may have found a way for white-rice-
lovers like me to have a bowl without the guilt by reducing the amount of starches and
calories in rice just by how you cook it.
The science behind it is this: white rice is made up of two different starches, digestible starch
(glucose, which is what turns into glycogen) and resistant starch, which takes a long time to
digest and isn't converted into simple sugars. Cooking certain foods like rice, potatoes, and
peas can alter how much of each type of starch exists in a food; in this study, researchers in
Sri Lanka found a simple method for cooking rice that may increase the amount of resistant
starches and therefore reduce the amount of calories in rice. Their simple solution? Add oil,
which interacts with the starches in the rice to convert them to resistant starch, and then chill
the cooked rice, which further changes its composition for the better.
More research needs to be done on this method, but the scientists hope that this slight
modification in how people cook rice will help combat obesity rates around the world. They
note that the reduction in calories depends on the type of rice you use. Also, while they tested
38 different varieties of rice, they only measured the results in one variety so far, in which
they found a 10 to 12 percent reduction in calories. But the scientists are optimistic that this
method may reduce calories by 50 to 60 percent — and since the cooking method sounds
both easy and delicious, I'm willing to give it a shot.
American Chemical Society
Healthier White Rice
Note that the chilling time is 12 hours but is a crucial step in converting the
starches, so make a batch ahead of time that you can store in your fridge.
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INGREDIENTS
1 cup white rice
2 teaspoons coconut oil
1 3/4 cups water
DIRECTIONS
1. In a pot, bring water to a boil.
2. Add coconut oil to pot, followed by the rice.
3. Cover, lower heat, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Let rice cool, then chill in the fridge for at least 12 hours. Reheat as necessary before serving
using this reheating method.
http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/How-Make-Healthier-Rice-37167924
Best Foods launches campaign to dispel myths on rice
backed by research Saturday, March 28, 2015 08:00 IST Ashwani Maindola, New Delhi
Best Foods Ltd, a leading basmati rice company in India, on Thursday, hosted an interactive
session with nutritionist Kavita Devgan in order to dispel myths on rice through its campaign ―I
love best rice.‖ A similar initiative was hosted in Kolkata and Hyderabad recently with
nutritionists Hena Nafis and Dr Janki B. The campaign, which is being planned across key
metros in India, is supported by research findings of TNS Global Research Consultancy, a top
research agency. TNS had collated critical data from consumers in key metros on a host of
parameters – perception, preference, purchase, price et al, to understand the beliefs & attitude
towards rice as a category.
The research reveals that while southern part of India tops in consumption of rice, in the
northern part including city-state Delhi, rice eating is an occasional happening - once in every
three days. Further working women prefer rice cooking more than housewives. Embarking on
the new initiative, Dr Aayushman Gupta, chief executive officer, Best Foods Ltd, remarked,
―We, at Best, strongly feel that white rice is a benign fuel source for the body. Hence, it is
imperative that we would need to play a pivotal role in addressing this issue to consumers at
large who are grappling with the ‗goodness‘ of rice at some point or the other. The objective was
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to bring focus to the category yet again and share some interesting facts on rice to consumers and
make them fans of rice.
Hence, we commissioned TNS which has most comprehensively and extensively covered all
issues pertaining to rice on various parameters to provide an insight into this category‖. Dr Gupta
elaborated, ―As thought leaders, Best Foods has been providing insightful information about the
category and the brand with a view to engage consumers more holistically. Promoting guilt-free
consumption of rice and the love for rice, informing consumers of the health and nutritive
benefits of rice has been a passion for us. Hailed now as the ICF-certified (accredited by the apex
body of Indian‘s most renowned chefs) as best rice brand in the category, we have been setting
new milestones. I am confident that these research findings can now assure and motivate
consumer to look at rice as not only healthy but more innovatively and incorporate more
homogeneously in their diet.
White rice is an ancient traditional food and is always hailed as a healthy food. Life on the fast
track leaves no time on hand to innovate on foods. Hence we want consumers to explore the
versatility of rice as much as they can and incorporate it in all possible ways - as a complete
meal, quick snack or an innovative mouth-watering recipe. This campaign is close to my heart
and I strongly feel that we will be able to build a huge connect and engage consumers with our
brand and category.‖ Ruchita Jain, associate project director, TNS Global Research Consultancy,
stated, ―The rice category has a huge potential and hence we had taken minute details on
consumer perceptions and apprehensions.
The research was concluded in a span of 2-3 months. First a qualitative research was conducted
covering men and women groups across key metros followed by a quantitative research covering
a sample of 1,330 women across Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. These
women were married, in the age-group of 25-45 years, totally involved in cooking. They fell
under socio-economic classes A or B and were all non-rejecters of modern trade. Having
conducted a research, both intensive and with all target groups who consume and cook rice, we
were able to put together all data.
‖ Devgan, on her engagement with Best Foods rice, added, ―Rice is a grain we have been eating
forever; it is eaten across the length and breadth of the country and is relished in multiple forms.
Lately though an unwarranted guilt factor seems to have creeped in, under the mistaken belief
that rice is unhealthy, and that it is fattening, which is not the case. Its actually overeating that
causes fattening. Further one cup rice gives more calories than a chapati. Rice is gluten-free and
has carbohydrates, which are very essential for the body. Further the glycemic index is also very
low in India‘s basmati rice.‖
http://www.fnbnews.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid=37021§ionid=1
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State-run rice mills fabricating records’
DEVESH K. PANDEY
Many government-run rice mills have been allegedly fudging records to show they are supplying
the required quantity of rice to the central pool from the paddy delivered to them under custom-
milling and levy schemes.A study by Gouri Shankar Jain, Right to Information activist, shows
that the average output of a mill cannot be more than 55-57 kg of rice per 100 kg of paddy.
―However, they [mills] show supply of 67-68 kg in their accounts, which is mandatory by Food
and Public Distribution Department rules,‖ Mr. Jain told The Hindu.
Mr. Jain‘s complaint alleging huge corruption in the financial dealings between government
institutions and rice mills is part of an ongoing audit by the Comptroller and Auditor-General in
eight major rice-producing States.―Interestingly, government-run mills show income from paddy
by-products [rice bran, husk and broken rice] in their account books, whereas private mills
conceal it. Under such circumstances, it is difficult to understand why the government has not
been formally notifying the rates being quoted by its own mills to ensure that private mill owners
have to disclose their income accordingly,‖ he said.―The gunny and plastic bags used for
packaging do not come under the category of depreciation under the Income Tax Act.
However, the government is paying up to 40 per cent depreciation on old and new bags to
paddy-purchase institutions and rice millers.‖Another modus operandi of millers has been
diversion of rice meant to be procured by government institutions for the public distribution
system (PDS) to the black market. The CAG had over a year ago detected financial irregularities
in Bihar during 2012-13.
The report said non-delivery of custom-milled rice against paddy released to the millers in 38
districts had resulted in a loss of Rs.433.94 crore to the exchequer.The CAG found out that in
several cases, paddy was supplied to mill owners without taking back rice for the central pool, as
required. Many millers defaulted on supply of rice. In March, the Economic Offences Wing of
the Bihar police initiated investigations into the alleged loss of Rs.1,400 crore as millers did not
supply rice. The State government identified over 2,000 defaulters.
Keywords: Rice mills scam, state-run rice mills, CAG audit
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/staterun-rice-mills-fabricating-
records/article7044186.ece
Scientists have discovered a simple way to cook rice that
dramatically cuts the calories
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Rice is eaten all over the world ROBERTO A. FERDMAN
THURSDAY 26 MARCH 2015
Rice, the lifeblood of so many nations' cuisines, is perhaps the most ubiquitous food in the world.
In Asia, where an estimated 90 percent of all rice is consumed, the pillowy grains are part of
almost every meal. In the Caribbean, where the starch is often mixed with beans, it's a staple too.
Even here in the United States, where people eat a comparatively modest amount of rice, plenty
is still consumed.Rice is popular because it's malleable—it pairs well with a lot of different kinds
of food—and it's relatively cheap. But like other starch-heavy foods, it has one central flaw: it
isn't that good for you. White rice consumption, in particular, has been linked to a higher risk of
diabetes. A cup of the cooked grain carries with it roughly 200 calories, most of which comes in
the form of starch, which turns into sugar, and often thereafter body fat.But what if there were a
simple way to tweak rice ever so slightly to make it much healthier?
Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine
www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine Page
13
Contact for Newsletter Advertisement [email protected] Cell : +92 321 3692774
An undergraduate student at the College of Chemical Sciences in Sri Lanka and his mentor have
been tinkering with a new way to cook rice that can reduce its calories by as much as 50 percent
and even offer a few other added health benefits. The ingenious method, which at its core is just
a simple manipulation of chemistry, involves only a couple easy steps in practice.
"What we did is cook the rice as you normally do, but when the water is boiling, before adding
the raw rice, we added coconut oil—about 3 percent of the weight of the rice you're going to
cook," said Sudhair James, who presented his preliminary research at National Meeting &
Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) on Monday. "After it was ready, we let it
cool in the refrigerator for about 12 hours. That's it."
How does it work?
To understand what's going on, you need to understand a bit of food chemistry.
Not all starches, as it happens, are created equal.
Some, known as digestible starches, take only a
little time to digest, are quickly turned into
glucose, and then later glycogen. Excess glycogen
ends up adding to the size of our guts if we don't
expend enough energy to burn it off. Other
starches, meanwhile, called resistant starches, take
a long time for the body to process, aren't
converted into glucose or glycogen because we
lack the ability to digest them, and add up to fewer
calories.
A growing body of research, however, has shown that it might be possible to change the types of
starches found in foods by modifying how they are prepared. At the very least, we know that
there are observable changes when certain foods are cooked different ways.
Potatoes, for instance, go from having the right kind of starch to the less healthful kind when
they are cooked or mashed (sigh, I know). The process of heating and cooling certain vegetables,
like peas and sweet potatoes, can also alter the amount of resistant (see: good) starches,
according to a 2009 study. And rice, depending on the method of preparation, undergoes
observable chemical changes. Most notably, fried rice and pilaf style rice have a greater
proportion of resistant starch than the most commonly eaten type, steamed rice, as strange as that
might seem.
"If you can reduce the digestible starch in something like steamed rice, you can reduce the
calories," said Dr. Pushparajah Thavarajah, a professor who is supervising the research. "The
impact could be huge."
Understanding this, James and Thavarajva tested eight different recipes on 38 different kinds of
rice found in Sri Lanka. What they found is that by adding a lipid (coconut oil in this case,
because it's widely used in Sri Lanka) ahead of cooking the rice, and then cooling the rice
Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine
www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine Page
14
Contact for Newsletter Advertisement [email protected] Cell : +92 321 3692774
immediately after it was done, they were able to drastically change its composition—and for the
better."The oil interacts with the starch in rice and changes its architecture," said James.
"Chilling the rice then helps foster the conversion of starches. The result is a healthier serving,
even when you heat it back up."
So far they have only measured the chemical outcome of the most effective cooking method for
the least healthful of the 38 varieties. But that variety still produced a 10 to 12 percent reduction
in calories. "With the better kind, we expect to reduce the calories by as much as 50 to 60
percent," said James.
Cooking that can change the world
The prospect of lower calorie rice is a big deal. Obesity rates are rising around the world,
particularly in the developing world, where people rely more heavily on cheaper food staples.
China and India, which are already seeing rising obesity problems, are huge consumers of rice.
Rice, of course, is not the sole cause of weight gain. But reducing the amount of calories in a cup
of rice by even as little as 10 percent could have an enormous impact for future generations.
"Obesity has been a problem in the United States for some time," said Thavarajah. "But it's
becoming a problem in Asia, too. People are eating larger and larger portions of rice, which isn't
good."
The researchers still have to test the remaining varieties of rice, including Suduru Samba, which
they believe will produce the largest calorie reduction. They also plan to experiment with oils
other than coconut oil, like sunflower oil.
A world where commercially sold rice comes pre-cooked and with much fewer calories might
not be that far off. People should already be able to replicate the process at home, although
James warns the results might vary depending on the type of rice used. And there's good reason
to believe the chemistry could be applied to many other popular but less-than-healthy foods.
"It's about more than rice," said Thavarajah. "I mean, can we do the same thing for bread? That's
the real question here."
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/scientists-have-discovered-a-simple-way-to-cook-rice-that-dramatically-cuts-the-calories-
10137508.html
Scientists discover new way of cooking rice to reduce calories
by 50%
March 26, 2015
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15
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How many use coconut oil to cook rice?
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: An undergraduate student
at the College of Chemical Sciences in Sri
Lanka has discovered a new way to cook rice
that can reduce its calories by as much as 50
percent and even add other health
benefits.―What we did is cook the rice as you
normally do, but when the water is boiling,
before adding the raw rice, we added coconut oil—about 3 percent of the weight of the rice
you‘re going to cook,‖ said Sudhair James, who presented his preliminary research at National
Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) on Monday. ―After it was
ready, we let it cool in the refrigerator for about 12 hours. That‘s it,‖ he told the Washington
Post.
A growing field of research has shown it might be possible to modify the types of starches found
in food by changing up how they‘re prepared. Potatoes, for instance, are a healthy, starchy food,
but when they‘re cooked or mashed the starch turns into the less healthy kind.―If you can reduce
the digestible starch in something like steamed rice, you can reduce the calories,‖ Dr.
Pushparajah Thavarajah, a professor who is supervising the research, explained to The
Washington Post.
―The impact could be huge.‖With their specific goal in mind, James and Thavarajva tested eight
different recipes on 38 different varieties of rice found in Sri Lanka. What they found is that by
adding a lipid, such as coconut oil, before cooking the rice, and then cooling the rice
immediately after it was done, they were able to drastically change its starch composition for the
better.―The result is a healthier serving, even when you heat it back up,‖ James beamed.With
obesity rates around the world skyrocketing, calorically reduced food may well hold the key to
the healthier future.
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―Obesity has been a problem in the United States for some time. But it‘s becoming a problem in
Asia, too. People are eating larger and larger portions of rice, which isn‘t good,‖ Thavarajah told
the Post.―It‘s about more than rice,‖ he continued. ―I mean, can we do the same thing for bread?
That‘s the real question here.‖
http://www.americanbazaaronline.com/2015/03/26/scientists-discover-new-way-of-
cooking-rice-to-reduce-calories-by-50/
MPCA releases draft recommendations for protecting wild
rice from excess sulfate ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is releasing its proposal for protecting
wild rice from excess sulfate. Rather than relying on a single sulfate level for all wild rice waters
in the state, the agency proposes to calculate a sulfate level for each wild rice water, based on
location-specific factors.The MPCA‘s study of how sulfate affects wild rice, which began in
2012, finds:
• In the sediment in which wild rice is
rooted, sulfate from the water above is
converted to sulfide by bacteria
• Higher levels of sulfide in the sediment create an environment that is less hospitable
to wild rice
However, certain factors change the rate at which sulfate is converted to sulfide. Most
significantly, higher levels of iron can lead to less sulfide, and higher levels of organic carbon
can lead to more sulfide.To take these variables into account, the MPCA developed an equation
that can determine a sulfate level that will protect wild rice for a specific water body. The agency
proposes collecting sediment samples in wild rice stands, measuring the iron and organic carbon
concentrations in the sediment, and then plugging the data into the equation to calculate a
protective sulfate concentration for that particular wild rice water.The MPCA will be scheduling
meetings with interested stakeholders to further describe and get input on its proposal.
The agency will continue to refine the proposal based on feedback and any new data. At the
same time, the MPCA will consider how the study‘s findings will inform regulatory decisions
and develop the data collection protocol needed to implement the proposal. The MPCA plans to
go through formal rulemaking to change the existing standard later this year. The rulemaking
will also include listing specific wild rice waters that are subject to the standard.The MPCA has
compiled a draft list of wild rice waters, along with a process to add waters to the list over time.
The list and process are available on the MPCA's draft proposal for wild rice webpage. The
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MPCA also proposes that a sulfate standard is not needed to protect commercial wild rice
paddies.
About the study
In 2012, the MCPA contracted with scientists at the University of Minnesota‘s Duluth and Twin
Cities campuses to study the relationship between sulfate, sulfide, and wild rice with field
surveys and laboratory and outdoor container experiments. The agency integrated and analyzed
the data with input from the study‘s advisory committee, and developed a draft analysis that was
subject to scientific peer review in summer 2014. The analysis was then refined based on the
peer reviewers‘ recommendations.For more information
A report on the study‘s findings is available on the MPCA's draft proposal for wild rice webpage.
http://www.hometownfocus.us/news/2015-03-
27/News_Briefs/MPCA_releases_draft_recommendations_for_protecting.html
Ban on inland rice imports not effective – PFAG
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has alleged massive importation of rice
through the inland borders of the country in spite of the government ban on the practice.
According to them, the alarming phenomenon was defeating the purpose for which the ban was
imposed which included reduction in the importation of foreign rice in order to increase the
production and consumption of local rice.It was also expected to get accurate statistics of the
cereal imported into the country, while ensuring that the right taxes were slapped on it to make
the price competitive on the local market.Speaking in separate interviews on the impact on the
directive on the importation of rice through the inland borders on the local rice production and
consumption, the Programme Co-ordinator of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana
(PFAG), Ms Victoria Adongo and Mr Kweku Amoak, a rice farmer, told the GRAPHIC
BUSINESS in Accra they claimed that ―The ban on rice import has only remained on paper since
it was announced years ago‖.
―There is still massive importation of rice through the inland borders of the country,‖ Ms
Adongo said.She argued that if the government was genuinely serious about the directive, ―it
should have placed the ban of the rice through the port because it is there that huge tons of rice
are imported into the country".The Trade Ministry served notice to rice importers in October
2013, indicating that "with effect from 1st November, 2013, all imports of rice shall be done only
through the Kotoka International Airport, Tema and Takoradi Ports".According to the then
Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the ban was to check the rampant smuggling
of the cereal and also enable the government to get reliable statistics on imports of rice.
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Meanwhile, it is estimated that the government of Ghana imports between US$200 million and
US$400 million worth of rice annually.The amount is said to be one of the key contributors to
the government heavy import bill which also has an effect on the strength of the cedi against the
foreign currencies, particularly the United States dollar.
Due to the high demand for the cereal,
particularly the perfumed brands, many business
people have found rice importation as a lucrative
venture and are importing from all sources
around the world.On another hand, the
government has also found it an easy source to
make some revenue through the charging of
import duties.According to the Food Security
Ghana, among the major reasons for smuggling
rice into the country has to do with the high
import tariffs.One of the main reasons Ghanaians prefer imported rice over the locally grown
ones is because of quality and packaging.
The perception created in the minds of consumers was that the imported rice was well polished
and perfumed as compared to the local ones, hence the high demand.Ms Adongo, however,
called on rice farmers and millers to ensure good processing practices such as grading, labelling,
milling and good packaging that would help consumers to develop the appetite for local
rice.―Presently, the government has reduced subsidy on fertiliser from 50 per cent to 20 per cent
at the same time the world price of fertiliser has gone up and this has tremendously affected the
farmers in producing more to support the sector‖, Mr Amoak noted.He said one of the biggest
problems affecting rice farmers in the country was access to credit because the Export
Development Agriculture Investment Fund (EDAIF) had refused to support the sector
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/artikel.php?ID=352164
INDIAN BASMATI RICE EXPORTS LIKELY TO GROW
IN FY 2015-16
After Iran, now it’s China that is expected to import Basmati Rice from India in the new financial
year. Besides, Indian rice exporters are also looking at new markets like South Africa and
Mexico.
The Dollar Business Bureau
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The Indian exporters of Basmati Rice are likely to get a boost in the new financial year with a
few of the global economies mulling to import the same from India.After a brief-break since
October 2014, Indian Basmati Rice exporters are expected to get market entry into Iran, which is
likely to start in April 2015.
With perennial rice at hand, is perennial wheat far behind? Matthew Weaver
Capital Press
Published:March 27, 2015 11:45AM
A farmer walks near cultivated rice laid on a paddy field during the rice harvesting season in
Samroang Kandal village on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, Jan. 26.
researchers will soon introduce a perennial variety of rice in China and elsewhere. (AP
Photo/Heng Sinith)
Researchers in China and Australia are close to releasing a perennial rice. U.S. researchers are
mixed on how long it will take to release a perennial wheat.
Perennial rice may soon become available to farmers in China and Australia, but researchers say
perennial wheat is a decade or more from introduction.Perennial rice is bred to regrow after
harvest over several growing seasons, said Tim Crews, director of research at the nonprofit Land
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Institute in Salina, Kan.A perennial rice crop would reduce labor, input costs and weed pressure,
he said.―We don‘t know how many seasons the current lines will produce, but we know that at
least four currently is what‘s been achieved,‖ Crews said. ―The long-term goal would be to have
them produce for quite some time, repeatedly, year after year.‖The institute provided some
funding for research and visited test sites to monitor progress at the Food Crops Research
Institute of the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences in China.Perennial rice may soon be
released in China, said Len Wade, strategic research professor at Charles Sturt University in
Australia. He is also involved in the rice trials.A long-standing goal for the grains industry,
perennial wheat, is still under development, Wade said. The wheat genome is far more complex
than that of rice.
In the United States, Stephen Jones, director of Washington State University‘s Research and
Extension Center in Mount Vernon, Wash., estimated perennial wheat will become available in
10 to 15 years. Jones‘ team is looking at the forage value of perennials. He is involved in a
perennial wheat project headed by University of Georgia researchers.Perennial rice research is
also underway at the University of Illinois.Crews said the researchers‘ approaches are similar,
but there‘s no direct link between perennial wheat and perennial rice.However, any progress in
one project informs the other, he said, noting the Chinese institute is also making good strides on
perennial wheat.―The more people thinking about both of the crops, the better,‖ he
said.―(Perennial wheat) could quickly accelerate if we understood some things about it that we
don‘t quite yet understand,‖ Crews said. ―It could have a quantum leap or it could actually take
quite a bit more time.‖
http://www.capitalpress.com/Research/20150327/with-perennial-rice-at-hand-is-perennial-wheat-far-
behind
Adding coconut oil and using a fridge can cut the calories of
rice by more than half
by Evan Bartlett in news
Adding fat to rice and then letting it cool can cut the calorific content of a portion by more
than half, new research shows. According to Time magazine, the College of
Chemical Sciences in Sri Lanka has found that using
just a teaspoon of coconut oil and a refrigerator can
cut calories by up to 60 per cent.Rice has two types of
starch - digestible and resistant - the latter of which
cannot be properly digested by the stomach and is
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therefore not broken down into sugar and absorbed into the bloodstream like digestible
starch.However, by testing out 38 different types of rice, researchers discovered they could make
some of that digestible starch more resistant and therefore make it less calorific.Unfortunately for
those of you trying to watch your weight, their method is rather time consuming.The researchers
found that the most effective way of reducing calories was to drop a teaspoon of coconut oil into
a pan of boiling water, add half a cup of non-fortified white rice for 40 minutes and then to
refrigerate it for 12 hours. This increased the levels of resistant starch ten-fold.
The fat molecules were said to wedge their way between the starch molecules and act as an extra
layer of protection against quick digestion.
http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/adding-coconut-oil-and-using-a-fridge-can-cut-the-calories-of-rice-by-more-than-half--xJJRuT2uRe
Data on millers’ profits not given by States
DEVESH K. PANDEY
‘Rs. 200 crore of black money is made every day through sale of by-products’
Nine rice-producing States, some of which had been requesting
revision of milling charges in favour of millers, did not provide the
requisite data to the Department of Food & Public Distribution to
facilitate feasibility study despite repeated reminders, according to an
RTI reply.The data sought also included audited accounts of the mills
showing profits made from sale of paddy by-products.
―The hesitation to share complete information on money being made by millers by selling by-
products (rice bran, husk and broken rice) is a clear indicator of how big the scam is,‖ said RTI
activist Gouri Shankar Jain, whose complaint has been made part of the CAG audit into financial
dealings of government institutions with rice mills in eight States.Mr. Jain has alleged that Rs.
200 crore of black money is being generated every day through non/under-reporting of earnings
from rice by-products by unscrupulous millers in collusion with tax assessing officials.
It was two back-to-back letters from Mr. Jain cautioning the Prime Minister‘s Office, in
December 2011 and January 2012, about wrong policy on custom milled paddy rice, that had
prompted the PMO to alert the Department of Food and Public Distribution for action.An RTI
reply to Mr. Jain revealed that in January 2014, the Department wrote to Secretaries of Andhra
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh
and West Bengal highlighting the problems faced by the Tariff Commission in conducting a
fresh study into requests for revision of milling charges.
Stating that the Commission was unable to make any recommendation for want of information or
cooperation from State governments/millers, the department said there was no response despite
repeated reminders. In the same letter, the Department mentioned Mr. Jain‘s representation about
―non-consideration of value of paddy by-products while fixing the milling charges and also huge
profit-making by millers on this account.‖The department took up the issue with the Tariff
Commission, which pointed out that only seven of the 15 States had furnished details, which
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were grossly inadequate for the study. Frustrated over poor response, the Commission gave up
and had passed its recommendation in February 2012.
In the same letter, the department said while Mr. Jain complained of profiteering by millers,
some States and millers would regularly seek increase in the milling charges stating it had not
been revised since 2003.The Department again asked the States to provide requisite data
immediately, asking them to pursue the millers to furnish information required by the
Commission for a fresh study. ―In case selected millers are not willing to cooperate in the study,
then State government concerned will be asked to take appropriate punitive action against
them.‖―However, it did not make much difference and the unscrupulous millers continued to make huge
profits, causing losses to the exchequer,‖ alleged Mr. Jain.
Keywords: Rice Mill scam, Black Money, CAG audit, rice scam, rice mills, paddy by-products, tax
evasion, RTI query, Gouri Shankar Jain
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/data-on-millers-profits-not-given-by-states/article7041512.ece
WELBEING
Cut calories when cooking rice Friday, 27 March 2015
Scientists have found a way to cut the
calories in rice during cooking.Some things
are notoriously hard to cook - soufflés,
risottos and the perfect steak spring to
mind. But rice? Well, you just stick it in a
pan with some water, give it a stir and
you're done. Or so you might think...
One of the issues with rice is that although
it's cheap and easy to prepare, it has a lot of
calories.
That's because they come from the starch they convert into sugar and can be stored by the body
as fat. This is why some new research is interesting, as a student at the College of Chemical
Sciences in Sri Lanka claims to have found a way to cook it without the calories."What we did is
cook the rice as you normally do, but when the water is boiling, before adding the raw rice, we
added coconut oil - about three per cent of the weight of the rice you're going to cook," Sudhair
James, who presented his preliminary research at National Meeting & Exposition of the
American Chemical Society (ACS) on Monday, explained. "After it was ready, we let it cool in
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the refrigerator for about 12 hours. That's it."He claims this reduced calories by as much as 50
per cent, but how does it work?
The issue is that some starches make us put on weight, whereas others can't be digested as well
so don't. Research has found that the process of cooking can alter the kind of starch in some
foods, which is what happens here.Dr. Pushparajah Thavarajah supervised James' experiment,
which saw 38 types of rice used in eight recipes. It was discovered that adding something like
coconut oil - known as a lipid - before cooking and then letting the rice go cold straight after it's
off the heat helped the change take place.The oil interacts with the starch in rice and changes its
architecture," James explained.
"Chilling the rice then helps foster the conversion of starches. The result is a healthier serving,
even when you heat it back up."In part the results depended on the type of rice used and it's
hoped the technology could be transferred to other foods.But don't go thinking you're fine to use
this method and then add a creamy curry to your rice. it's still important to make healthy choices
with the rest of your meal, so try getting a good portion of your five a day by having a vegetable
ratatouille or tagine as well.It's also worth noting that you must be careful when reheating rice.
Many think doing this causes food poisoning, but it's actually how you store cooked rice once it's
cooled which can be problematic.
The longer you leave it standing at room temperature the more likely it is that bacteria linked to
food poisoning will develop, so you should cool it as quickly as you can after it's been cooked
and then pop into the fridge. Plus you can only reheat it once.
http://www.tv3.ie/entertainment_article.php?locID=1.803.1098&article=162714
Major milestone in Sri Lankan Genomics Research
The ‗Synthetic Biology Team‘ at the Human Genetics Unit: (From Left to Right) Chathura Wijesinghe
(Bioinformatician); Dilini Gunawardana (Scientist); Dr. Sanjeewa Sinhabahu (Lead Scientist); Prof.
Vajira H W Dissanayake (Director HGU and Principal Investigator).
The Human Genetics Unit (HGU), Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo together with
John Keells Research (JKR), a unit established by John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH) to carryout
futuristic scientific research, are pleased to announce the successful sequencing of the entire
genome of goda wee - an indigenous rice variety. This is the first time that such a feat in the field
of science was achieved within the country in Sri Lanka. Sequencing of goda wee was done in
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the only genome sequencing facility in Sri Lanka located at the HGU. This facility was
established in 2014 with research grants from the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka
and other funding agencies.
The work was carried out by Prof. Vajira H. W. Dissanayake MBBS, PhD, FNASSL (Director
HGU and Principal Investigator), Dr. Sanjeewa Sinhabahu PhD (Lead Scientist), Dilini
Gunawardana MSc (Scientist) and Chathura Wijesinghe BSc (Bioinformatician) from the
Synthetic Biology Group at the HGU which was established in 2014 in collaboration with JKR
as a University-Industry partnership.Prof. Vajira H. W. Dissanayake who is also a member of the
National Biotechnology Council of the Coordinating Secretariat for Science Technology and
Innovation (COSTI) as well as the Biotechnology Committee of the National Science Foundation
(NSF) commenting on this achievement stated that ―This is a unique milestone in the annals of
Science and Technology in Sri Lanka.
We have proved that Sri Lanka now has the capability to protect and preserve our biodiversity
within the country. This will also open up the opportunity for Sri Lanka to build a new wave of
scientific enterprise based on local knowledge and innovation creating wealth for the country.
That would in turn create new job opportunities for Sri Lankan science graduates, most of whom
now leave the country or leave science and join other fields due to lack of scientific jobs.‖Head
of John Keells Research, Dr. Muditha D. Senarath Yapa PhD stated that JKR is proud to be a
part of this nationally important milestone which opens the door to many futuristic commercial
applications. This proves the ability of Sri Lankan scientists to carryout groundbreaking research
which can contribute to national development.
The team from JKR also
comprise of Ms.
Madushani Kannangara
MSc (R & D
Scientist).The HGU and
JKR would like to
acknowledge the support
given from the Rice
Research and
Development Institute
(RRDI) at Batalagoda,
especially Dr. Kapilasiri
Udawela PhD under the
direction of Dr. Amitha
Bentota PhD Director,
RRDI.The Importance of
Whole Genome Sequencing Goda wee
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Achievement
The Human Genetics Unit at the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo in collaboration with John
Keells Research has sequenced a whole genome of the above rice variety. This is the first time
such a feat was achieved in the field of science within the country in Sri Lanka. Whole genome
sequencing is a laboratory process that determines the complete DNA sequence of an organism's
genome at once. Genome sequencing results in a massive amount of data which explains how the
entire plant works. This achievement has scientific, national and commercial advantages which
are listed below.
Scientific
Whole genome sequencing is important
1.In finding novel genes, transcription factors, promoters, etc.2.In finding markers and SNPs
(single nucleotide polymorphisms) related to stress tolerance, pest and herbicide resistance, crops
with higher yield etc., quicker than conventional methods and eventually improving crops
through breeding or transgenic programs.
3. To compare genes from related species and study their divergence and evolution in order to
find genes which have related traits of interest.
4. To identify mutations that can be adopted for high throughput genotyping.5. For targeted
genome editing.
National
1. Goda wee is an indigenous salt tolerant rice variety and the Synthetic biology group at the
HGU is the first to sequence its whole plant genome in Sri Lanka.
2. Ability to sequence the whole genome in Sri Lanka will allow the safeguarding of endemic
biodiversity.
Commercial
1.Identification of genes enables the improvement of economically important plants
o to increase crop yield in a significant manner
o enable the use of disease resistant traits
o enable the use of drought/salinity resistant traits
o enable the use of pest/weed resistant traits
o enable management of crop ripening and other post-harvest activities
2. The knowledge gained will allow development of products valuable in fields such as the
pharmaceutical industry and energy production (biofuel), and production of value added products
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(e.g. fiber) using plants.
3. Knowledge of the genome sequences will enable the use of Genome editing techniques to
improve various qualities of the plant thus preventing the plant being labelled as ‗genetically
modified‘ (Biotechnology Companies, like Cellectis, is using new genome-editing techniques
that can change the plant‘s existing DNA rather than inserting foreign genes. Cibus, a privately
held San Diego company, has started to sell herbicide-resistant canola developed using this
method. It is not labeled as genetically modified. This enables the gain of positive public
perception when it comes to genetically modified food.)
http://www.nation.lk/edition/insight/item/39492-major-milestone-in-sri-lankan-genomics-
research.html#sthash.KBK3xYBW.dpuf
Vietnam rice boom heaping pressure on farmers, environment
Cat barton
29 march 2015 7:02 AM
View gallery
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Rice farmer Nguyen Hien Thien is so busy growing his crops that he has never even visited Can
Tho, a town only a few miles from his farm in the southern Mekong Delta."When I was a child,
we grew one crop of rice per year -- now it's three. It's a lot of work," 60-year-old Thien, who
has been farming since he was a child, told AFP on the edge of his small paddy field.Experts say
Vietnam's drive to become one of the world's leading rice exporters is pushing farmers in the
fertile delta region to the brink, with mounting costs to the environment.
The communist country is already the world's
second largest exporter of the staple grain. But
intensive rice cultivation, particularly the shift
to producing three crops per year, is taking its
toll on farmers and the ecosystem."Politicians
want to be the world's number one or two rice
exporter. As a scientist, I want to see more
being done to protect farmers and the
environment," said Vietnamese rice expert Vo
Tong Xuan.A major famine in 1945 and food shortages in the post-war years led to the
government adopting a "rice first" policy.This now generates far more of the crop than needed to
feed Vietnam's 90 million population and has catalysed a thriving export industry.
Workers load paddy onto a boat for a customer at Co Do Agriculture Company in the southern Mekong de …
Rice yields have nearly quadrupled since the 1970s, official figures show, thanks to high-yield
strains and the construction of a network of dykes that today allow farmers to grow up to three
crops per year.The amount of land under cultivation in the Mekong Delta has also expanded and
quotas are in place to prevent farmers from switching to other crops.But experts are questioning
who really benefits.According to Xuan, farmers don't reap the rewards of the three crop system --
the rice is low quality and they spend more on pesticides and fertilisers, which become less
effective year by year.
- Falling quality -
He argues the delta would be better off if farmers cultivated a more diverse range of crops, from
coconuts to prawns, with just the most suitable land used to grow rice.
View gallery
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A farmer throws fertilizer on his family rice field in the southern Mekong delta province of Can Tho …
The country should consider abandoning the
third crop and focus on improving quality and
branding to sell Vietnamese rice at higher
prices, he said. Currently, the bulk of Vietnam's
rice is exported at cut-price costs on
government-to-government contracts through
large state-owned enterprises (SOEs) like the
Southern Food Corporation, known as Vinafood
2."Over the last five years, the trend is towards
lower-quality rice," admitted Le Huu Trang,
deputy office manager at the firm.
Some argue that such SOEs have a vested interest
in maintaining the status quo as they earn
lucrative kickbacks from the huge contracts.But
even as salt water intrusion, drought and flooding
increase in the delta -- to say nothing of
agricultural chemical pollution -- it is also hard to
convince farmers to change."The prevailing
mindset is to grow three crops... we have to
explain two crops is better," said Nguyen Tuan
Hiep from the Co Do Agriculture company.View galler
Nguyen Thi Lang walks among new rice varieties she is developing at the Vietnam Rice Research
Instit …
Over the last 20 years, Co Do -- which is state-run but a flagship model of how the industry
could evolve -- has identified the best rice-growing land in the delta and helped farmers expand
their farms.They now work with 2,500 families on 5,900 hectares (14,600 acres) of land, enough
for each family to make a living -- typically the average rice farm in the delta spans less than one
hectare.
The firm invests heavily in high-quality seeds and improving irrigation, while also advising
farmers on the best chemicals to use."Two crops is more sustainable long term -- the soil is not
degraded, the environment isn't polluted, and value of the rice increases," Hiep said.
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- 'Ground zero' -
Climate change is another factor threatening the delta,
according to the World Bank Group's vice president and
special envoy for climate change Rachel Kyte."This is
really ground zero for some of the most difficult
adaptation, planning challenges that any country in the
world has," she said.Ultimately Vietnam has tough
choices to make, including whether to help people
transition from a rice-based economy to aquaculture
(fish or shellfish farming) or other crops, Kyte
added.The environmental costs of maintaining
Vietnam's current level of rice production are also rising.The system of dykes, which blocks
flood water, are preventing soil nutrients from flowing freely and over time "soil fertility will
fade", said Tran Ngoc Thac, deputy director of Vietnam's Rice Research Institute.
Scientists there are busy trying to breed new strains of rice that require fewer fertilisers and can
survive in extreme weather."If farmers don't change, if we can't find a suitable new rice strain,
pollution will continue and incomes will drop," Thac said, adding these measures were essential
to save the delta
http://news.yahoo.com/vietnam-rice-boom-heaping-pressure-farmers-environment-110242794.html
THIS UNIVERSITY STUDENT FOUND A WAY TO CUT
THE CALORIES OF RICE IN HALF, AND IT JUST MIGHT
CHANGE THE WORLD CONTRIBUTOR
by Chloe Olewitz in Startups on Monday 30 March 2015
It‘s no accident that rice is such a prevalent world food staple – it‘s both inexpensive
and easy to prepare, but it‘s also generally unhealthy. Rice is packed with calories
and has been linked to diabetes as those calories are so quickly converted to body
fat. But what if you could cut the calories in half?
Sudhair James is an undergraduate student at Sri Lanka‘s College of Chemical Sciences, and
alongside his mentor, Dr Pushparajah Thavarajah, he could very well be changing the way we‘ll
cook rice forever.
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These two scientists set out to discover whether altering the basic preparation of something as
simple as rice could help make people healthier.The caloric value of rice is a bigger deal than
you might realise. China and India are two of the world‘s main consumers of rice, and rates of
obesity in those countries have been rising dramatically (while the Western world‘s obesity
epidemic fades into the latest diet trend).
Obviously, it‘s not all rice‘s fault. But if rice is cheap and accessible in parts of the world that are
overdue for a leg-up in the broader category of health, why not start there?
James and Dr Thavarajah conducted tests on 38 different strains of rice using eight different
recipes. While results varied depending on the kind of rice they tested, the solution that the pair
is proposing couldn‘t be much simpler.―What we did is cook the rice as you normally do, but
when the water is boiling, before adding the raw rice, we added coconut oil — about three per
cent of the weight of the rice you‘re going to cook,‖ James said at the 249th National Meeting
and Exposition of the American Chemical Society in Denver, Colorado.
―After it was ready, we let it cool in the refrigerator for about 12 hours. That‘s it.‖The science is
based on the chemical makeup of starches, and the way different starches break down in the
body. Digestible starches are processed quickly by the digestive system, but they end up as
glucose, which becomes glycogen and in turn increases body fat. Resistant starches, on the other
hand, take much longer to break down in the body, skip the glucose and glycogen phases, and
account for fewer calories.
Since the specific type of starch in any food can change based on preparation, James and Dr
Thavarajah set out to find a new recipe to increase the resistant starches that occur naturally in
rice. They used coconut oil, a local favourite in Sri Lanka, to introduce a lipid (a.k.a. fat) into the
preparation of the rice. All it took was this simple addition and the step to cool the rice
immediately after removing it from heat.The chemical composition of the rice changed
dramatically, in this case from (bad) digestible to (good) resistant. And yes, even if
you reheat the cooked rice, the calorie count stays low.
Depending on the specific kind of rice, their results range from a 10 per cent reduction in calories
to as much as a 60 per cent decrease.James and Dr Thavarajah have more types of rice to test and
also plan to experiment with different lipids in place of coconut oil.While the success with rice
here would make an enormous contribution to the state of global health, Dr Thavarajah has his
sights set even higher: what if the same approach could be used to cut calories in other starches
like potatoes, or even bread?
Via Washington Post
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chloe is a writer from New York with a passion for technology, travel and playing devil‘s
advocate. She recently relocated to Sydney from Ibiza, which obviously means she works way
too hard
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http://www.techly.com.au/2015/03/30/university-student-found-way-cut-calories-rice-half-just-might-
change-world/
New Rice-Cooking Technique Cuts Calories by Half
Soon, you won‘t have to feel guilty for having that extra rice or use the technique to lose weight without
going on a no-rice diet.
By Julie Sabino [email protected] | Mar 29, 2015 07:46 PM EDT
Soon, you won‘t have to feel guilty for having that extra rice or use the technique to lose weight without going on a no-rice diet.
There are 204 calories in a cup of cooked white rice, but a new cooking technique developed by
Sri Lankan scientists was able to cut it in half. Soon, you won‘t have to feel guilty for having that
extra rice or use the technique to lose weight without going on a no-rice diet.Researchers at the
College of Chemical Sciences, Colombo, Western, Sri Lanka wanted to find a way to help curb
obesity in areas where rice is a staple. They know that rice contains starch and that starch is the
source of the calories, so they developed a new technique of cooking rice that can reduce the
calories.
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Resistant starch (RS) in the rice was the target in the study because the small intestine can't break
it down. As a result, starch is absorbed by the body, which translates to lower calorie intake. The
researchers experimented with 38 kinds of rice with the objective of increasing the RS.
The new cooking method added a teaspoon of coconut oil to boiling water for every half cup of
rice. The team simmered the rice for 40 minutes and refrigerated it for 12 hours. This technique
successfully increased the RS by 10 times, compared to the traditionally cooked rice, by
converting the digestible starch to RS.
"Because obesity is a growing health problem, especially in many developing countries, we
wanted to find food-based solutions," Sudhair A. James, study leader from the College of
Chemical Sciences, Colombo, Western, Sri Lanka, said in a press release."We discovered that
increasing rice resistant starch (RS) concentrations was a novel way to approach the problem. If
the best rice variety is processed, it might reduce the calories by about 50-60 percent." Not
everyone would love to eat cold rice, but the good news is that even if you reheat the rice, the RS
will not revert back to its original form.The study was presented at the 249th National Meeting &
Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) held in Denver, Colo.
http://www.hngn.com/articles/81022/20150329/new-rice-cooking-technique-cuts-calories-by-half.htm
Rice Shipments tipped to slip in next quarter amid
slowdown
Petchanet Pratruangkrai
The Nation March 30, 2015 1:00 am
Thai rice shipments will continue falling into next quarter due to tougher competition, while
importing countries are facing a sluggish economy and volatile EXCHANGE RATES , causing
Thailand to lose its crown to India as the world's largest rice exporter, according to industry
reports.Chareon Laothamatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said Thai rice
shipments in March would amount to 750,000-800,000 tonnes, down from the third month of last
year due to some countries turning to other suppliers that are cheaper.
Orders this month will come from the government-to-government contracts issued by the
Philippines. Thailand won about 250,000 tonnes, and received orders from African countries for
parboiled rice and white rice. However, orders from African countries would not be as much as
last year because most African countries trade in the euro. Currency volatility has caused trouble
for them to quote prices, so importers would only place orders for a short period.
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Some importers in Africa have turned to buying rice from India and Pakistan due to cheaper
prices. With the impending rice harvest in Vietnam, more rice would hit the market and the price
of Vietnamese rice would be lower than Thai rice.With the uncertainty over supply and
fluctuating currencies, rice-buying nations have delayed importing rice, or will only order "hand
to mouth" for a short period out of fear of losses on huge stocks.
The Commerce Ministry has reported Thai rice shipments in the first two months dropped by 4.7
per cent in volume and 7.1 per cent in value to 1.34 million tonnes worth Bt22.85
billion.Thailand took over as the world's second largest rice exporter after India's exports surged
57 per cent to 1.48 million tonnes from January to February. Pakistan is the world's third largest
exporter at 970,000 tonnes, followed by Vietnam at 800,000 tonnes and the US at 540,000
tonnes.Facing many problems over rice stocks and sales, the Rice Policy and Management
Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, has recently instructed the Commerce
Ministry to set up a committee to probe the rice-selling contracts of previous governments to
ensure transparency.
Chutima Bunyapraphasara, permanent secretary of the ministry, said with fear of illegal rice
sales, while facing many problems with rice in the government's stocks, the committee will make
an in-depth investigation into rice selling contracts to see whether they are transparent and
legal.The panel will investigate rice-selling contracts from 2008 to last year http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Rice-Shipments-tipped-to-slip-in-next-quarter-amid-
30256997.html
Local Baha’is celebrate the new year with festivities near
Mill Creek
Ian Terry / The Herald
Deeana Nasrulai, of Bothell, looks through the contents of a traditional Haft-Seen table at a
gathering of local Baha‘i‘s to celebrate Naw Ruz, the Persian New Year, at Willis Tucker Park in
south Snohomish on Saturday. The table features seven items all beginning with the same ―s‖
sounding letter of the Persian alphabet, with each symbolizing different hopes for the new year.
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Ian Terry / The Herald Pegah Ouji, of Tacoma, talks with friends at a gathering of local Baha‘i‘s
to celebrate Naw Ruz, the Persian New Year, at Willis Tucker Park in south Snohomish on
Saturday. Ouji, who left Iran with her family in 2006, works as the regional coordinator for the
Ruhi Institute whose mission is to promote and research education opportunities for those of the
Baha‘i faith.
Ian Terry / The Herald Farzan Seilani (right) serves up a plate of reshteh, a traditional Persian
dish comprised of rice, saffron and chicken, at a gathering of local Baha‘i‘s to celebrate Naw
Ruz, the Persian New Year, at Willis Tucker Park in south Snohomish on Saturday.
Ian Terry / The Herald Siblings Navid (left) and Olivia Rahbin
dance together at a gathering of local Baha‘i‘s to celebrate Naw
Ruz, the Persian New Year, at Willis Tucker Park in south
Snohomish on Saturday. Ian Terry / The Herald A guest at a
gathering of local Baha‘i‘s to celebrate Naw Ruz, the Persian New
Year, is seen in a mirror placed on a traditional Haft-Seen table at
Willis Tucker Park in south Snohomish on Saturday.
By Noah Haglund, Herald Writer
@NWHaglund
MILL CREEK — Everyone who entered the room for the night‘s celebration passed a table set with a
curious array of objects.
________________________________________
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The apples symbolized fertility and beauty, the mirror wisdom and creativity. There were decorated eggs,
a plateful of coins and a bowl with live goldfish.
________________________________________
The name for each item on the traditional Haft Sin table began with the letter ―s‖ — not in English, but in
Persian, the main language of Iran.
________________________________________
―It‘s a culture we brought from back home,‖ said Shiva Badie, a Tehran native who now lives in Bothell.
―This is to show a little bit of our Persian new year.‖
________________________________________
Fragrant hyacinth flowers, spiced basmati rice and chords on a 12-string acoustic guitar suffused the
Willis Tucker Park conference room on March 21.
________________________________________
Badie, like most of the dozens of people gathered there, is a member of the Baha‘i faith. They were
celebrating Naw-Ruz, a new year‘s holiday observed by Baha‘is and other religious groups around the
time of the spring equinox.
________________________________________
The ancient tradition is common throughout the Middle East and Central Asia. It‘s a time of fasting, of
spring cleaning and of buying new clothes — generally of setting the tone for the year to come. Like
Easter for Christians, it incorporates symbols of renewal.
________________________________________
As befits a religion that seeks to unify humanity, local Baha‘is welcomed everyone to the local Naw-Ruz
celebration.
________________________________________
The festivities began with prayers in English, Spanish, Arabic and Persian. People queued up for a
potluck dinner and later hit the dance floor to the sound of pop music.
________________________________________
The Baha‘i religion was founded in mid-19th-century Persia by Baha‘u‘llah. There are believed to be
more than 5 million adherents today, present in almost every country in the world.
________________________________________
They recognize figures from other religious traditions as prophets, among them Moses, Jesus Christ,
Mohammed, Buddha and Krishna.
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________________________________________
The religion emphasizes the equality of men and women. It opposes discrimination and places a high
value on education.
________________________________________
If a Baha‘i family is forced to choose between sending a boy or a girl to school, the preference is to send
the girl. That‘s because they consider mothers to be the first educators of children.
________________________________________
To explain her faith, Pegah Ouji, a 24-year-old woman who lives in Tacoma, quoted a passage from
Abdu‘l-Baha, the eldest son of the religion‘s founder: ―To be a Baha‘i simply means to love all the world;
to love humanity and try to serve it; to work for universal peace and universal brotherhood.‖
________________________________________
Some local Baha‘is are American-born, having converted as adults.
________________________________________
―I grew up very Catholic, played the church organ,‖ said Mary Ellen Wood, of Edmonds.
________________________________________
Wood found her new faith about 40 years ago, while a college student in Illinois.
________________________________________
Many local Baha‘is, though, are religious refugees from the Islamic Republic of Iran, where they face
fierce government persecution. Baha‘is there cannot pursue higher education or have government jobs.
________________________________________
Badie, the woman from Bothell, came to the U.S. with her sister in 1989 to attend university, an
opportunity that would have been denied to them in Iran.
________________________________________
Ouji also arrived in the U.S. with her family, in 2006, so she could pursue higher education.
________________________________________
―We wanted to send her to a private school and they wouldn‘t accept her because of her religion,‖ said her
father, Farzan Seilani, of Lynnwood.
________________________________________
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Seilani said people of other faiths in Iran, including the majority Shia Muslims, also suffer persecution if
they stray from the government line. Baha‘is, however, face worse religious discrimination from the
Islamic government than even Iran‘s small communities of Jews and Christians, he said.
________________________________________
Seilani was a panelist for a screening of the documentary ―To Light a Candle‖ earlier this month at
Edmonds Community College. The film, by Iranian-Canadian director Maziar Bahari, depicts the plight
of Baha‘is in Iran. A website, www.educationisnotacrime.me, provides more information about their
situation and a campaign to protect their human rights.
________________________________________
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, [email protected]. Twitter:@NWhaglund.
Best Foods and TNS Global unveils new findings about rice -
Expert Talk !
Life on the fast track, chasing deadlines, and sedentary lifestyle and esp. food that are stripped of
fiber, there has been considerable debate on key parameters – nutrition, easy-to-cook and
convenient to carry. Since rice is our staple food, its implications have been generating a lot of
buzz such as - its consumption quantity, quality, nutritious content etc. The goodness of rice as a
staple food is seldom challenged and yet a lot of substantiation through research needs to be
conveyed to consumers to position rice as food that is loved, enjoyed and relished!Riding this
wave, Best Foods Ltd., one of the leading premium basmati rice companies in India , today
hosted an interactive session in New Delhi with reputed nutritionist Ms. Kavita Devgan to dispel
glaring myths on rice through an innovative campaign ― ‖.
A similar initiative was successfully hosted in Kolkata & Hyderabad recently with renowned
nutritionist Hena Nafis and Dr. Janki B. The campaign which is being planned across key metros
in India is supported by the research findings of the renowned TNS Global Research
Consultancy, India‘s top Research Agency which had collated critical data from consumers in
key metros on a host of parameters – perception, preference, purchase and price et al to
understand the beliefs & attitude towards rice as a category.Embarking on the new initiative – ―‖,
Dr Aayushman Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, Best Foods Ltd., remarked, ―We at Best strongly
feel that white rice is a benign fuel source for the body. Hence, it is imperative that we would
need to play a pivotal role in addressing this issue to consumers at large who are grappling with
the ‗goodness‘ of rice at some point of the other.
The objective was to bring focus to the category yet again and share some interesting facts on
rice to consumers and make them fans of rice. Hence, we commissioned TNS which has most
comprehensively and extensively covered all issues pertaining to rice on various parameters to
provide an insight into this category‖.Detailing further, Dr Gupta elaborated, ―As thought
leaders, Best Foods has been providing insightful information about the category and the brand
with a view to engage consumers more holistically. Promoting guilt free consumption of rice &
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the love for rice informing consumers of the health and nutritive benefits of rice has been a
passion for us.
Hailed now as the ICF certified (accredited by the Apex body of Indian‘s most renowned Chefs)
as best rice brand in the category, we have been setting new milestones. I am confident that these
research findings can now assure and motivate consumer to look at rice as not only healthy but
more innovatively and incorporate more homogeneously in their diet. White rice is an ancient
traditional food and is always hailed as a healthy food. Life on the fast track leaves no time on
hand to innovate on foods. Hence we want consumers to explore the versatility of rice as much
as they can and incorporate it in all possible ways - as a complete meal, quick snack or an
innovative mouth-watering recipe! This campaign is close to my heart and I strongly feel that we
will be able to build a huge connect and engage consumers with our brand and category.‖
Webnewswire
Best Foods to expand footprint across 350 centres
TOMOJIT BASU
NEW DELHI, MARCH 26:
Basmati rice seller Best Foods Ltd. (BFL), which owns the ‗Best Rice‘ label, is seeking to
expand its footprint across the domestic market in the upcoming fiscal to strengthen its position
in the packaged basmati segment, which is growing at almost 30-35 per cent a year.―We will
continue expanding aggressively in India where we understand the retail format. We are already
present in 250 cities and towns around the country and will cover about 350 by the end of the
next fiscal,‖ said Aayushman Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, BFL, on the sidelines of the ‗I
Love Best Rice‘ campaign here on Thursday.
―We will retail mainly through modern retail stores since it‘s difficult to reach consumers buying
packaged basmati through mom-and-pop shops. Penetration is also higher in cities and towns
since conversion of loose to packaged formats is far higher,‖ Gupta said.The campaign, earlier
held in Kolkata and Hyderabad, highlights the ―goodness‖ of rice as a staple and is supported by
TNS Global Research Consultancy, a market research firm, which collated responses regarding
consumption patterns and consumer perception, apprehension and preferences over three months.
Iran ban
Bulk trade accounts for most of the four-year-old company‘s sales. At present, BFL exports 70
per cent of its basmati stock to markets, such as West Asia and the European Union. Asked if
Iran‘s temporary ban since last October had impacted the company, Gupta said it was
limited.―Domestic consumption of basmati is quite low, so most of it is exported. Our markets
are diversified, so we did not depend on Iran entirely. The growth in the segment, however,
slowed a little due to the ban, which affects the industry as a whole,‖ said Gupta.―Buyers there
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were unable to get permissions for imports, but we possessed the norms of certification the Iran
government had required, something that quite a few exporters don‘t have,‖ he added.
India exported 2.57 million tonnes (mt) of basmati rice between April and December of this
fiscal, a decline of 6.19 per cent from the corresponding period last year. Iran, the largest
importer accounting 60-65 per cent of India‘s basmati exports, had clamped down on issuing
import permits due to a large carryover stock resulting from record domestic production and
heavy imports from two years previously.
(This article was published on March 26, 2015)
http://agriculture.einnews.com/article/256874732/jD5sKO3InmYTSE26
DA adopting measures to keep record palay output Ronnel W. Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
12:44 AM | Monday, March 30th, 2015
The Department of Agriculture has launched a program that promotes the propagation of high-
yield rice varieties amid efforts to maintain the yearly growth of domestic output.The DA
expects that, through the High Yielding Technology Adoption (HYTA) program, the country
may inch closer to the goal of self sufficiency in rice production.Promoted under the HYTA
program is the use among farmers of hybrid rice, certified inbred seeds, and the so-called Green
Super Rice (GSR).According to the International Rice Research Institute, the GSR is a mix of
more than 250 different potential rice varieties and hybrids variously that are adapted to difficult
growing conditions such as drought and low inputs, including no pesticide, less fertilizer and less
herbicides.
Agriculture Undersecretary Antonio Fleta, who heads the DA‘s national rice program, said the
HYTA program expects high yielding seeds to be planted in more than 560,000 hectares of rice
fields all over the country.―The HYTA program will help the country attain the 622,000-metric-
ton palay production target for 2015, and more than 1 million MT palay for 2016,‖ Fleta said in a
statement.He said the program will be implemented in areas with good irrigation and where
farmers‘ organizations are ready to adopt ―high yield rice technology like hybrid and certified
seeds,‖ he added.Fleta added that while the average growth rate in palay production from 2011 to
2013 was 3.2 yearly, target for 2015 is 5.35 percent and for 2016 2.1 percent.
Earlier this month, the DA signed a memorandum of agreement with the German Federal
Enterprise for International Cooperation (GIZ) on a three-year project to improve education
support for rice farmers, dubbed Better Rice Initiative Asia-Fostering Agriculture and Rice
Marketing by Improved Education and Rural Advisory Services (Bria-Farmers).Alcala explained
that the P90-million Bria-Farmers is meant to help enhance food security through improved
education and advisory services for some 8,000 farmers in the provinces of Aurora, Iloilo and
Southern Leyte.
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APEDA COMMODITY PRICE NEWS
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 28-03-2015
Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs/Qtl
Product Market Center Variety Min Price Max Price
Jowar(Sorgham)
1 Jhagadiya (Gujarat) Other 1410 1760
2 Theni (Tamil Nadu) Other 1250 1350
3 Vaduj (Maharashtra) Other 2200 2400
Maize
1 Dehgam (Gujarat) Other 1200 1425
2 Bellary (Karnataka) Local 1209 1266
3 Deoli(Rajasthan) Other 1100 1350
Mousambi
1 Alappuzha (Kerala) Other 3800 4000
2 Nabha(Punjab) Other 2500 3500
3 Rohtak(Haryana) Other 1200 2000
Cabbage
1 Chala (Kerala) Other 1800 1850
2 Bonai (Orissa) Other 1500 2000
3 Gumla(Jharkhand) Other 1400 1500
Source: agmarknet for more products
Egg Rs per 100 No.
Price on 27-03-2015
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Product Market Center Price
1 Pune 295
2 Mysore 290
3 Nagapur 260
Source: e2necc.com
International Benchmark Price
Price on: 27-03-2015
Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price
Garlic
1 Chinese first grade granules, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 1800
2 Chinese Grade A dehydrated flakes, CFR NW Europe
(USD/t) 2000
3 Chinese powdered, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 1300
Ginger
1 Chinese sliced, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 4600
2 Chinese whole, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
5100
3 Indian Cochin, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 3000
Guar Gum Powder
1 Indian 100 mesh 3500 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 2250
2 Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 1700
3 Indian 200 mesh 5000 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 2775
Source:agra-net for more products
Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ / package
Price on 27-03-2015
Product Market
Origin Variety Low High
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Center
Potatoes Package: 50 lb cartons
1 Atlanta Idaho
Russet 23.50 24.50
2
Baltimore Oregon Russet 14 15
3
Detroit Wisconsin Russet 17 17.50
Carrots Package: 20 1-lb film bags
1
Atlanta California Baby Peeled 17.50 21
2
Chicago California Baby Peeled 17 17.50
3
Dallas Arizona Baby Peeled 17.75 18
Grapefruit Package: 7/10 bushel cartons
1 Atlanta
Mexico Red
Research shows a way to make white rice healthier
- by adding coconut oil, and cooling
PUBLISHED ON MAR 30, 2015 4:03 PM
Adding coconut oil while cooking white rice and cooling it in the refrigerator for 12 hours has been shown to reduce its calories
by as much as 50 per cent, according to research done at the College of Chemical Sciences in Sri Lanka. -- PHOTO: ST FILE
BY JALELAH ABU BAKER
SINGAPORE- White rice has been denounced by many for its link to a higher risk of diabetes,
but research in Sri Lanka shows there is a way to make it healthier.Mr Sudhair James, an
undergraduate student at the College of Chemical Sciences, and his professor Pushparajah
Thavarajah believe they found a way to cook white rice that can reduce its calories by as much as
50 per cent.
The new method involves adding coconut oil to water while it is boiling, before adding raw rice,
then cooling the rice in a refrigerator for about 12 hours.
"We added coconut oil-about three per cent of the weight of the rice you're going to cook," Mr
James told Washington Post. He said that heating it up again does not undo the benefits of this
cooking method.He presented his preliminary research at the National Meeting and Exposition of
the American Chemical Society on March 23.
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In explaining the food chemistry behind the research, Washington Post said that this way of
cooking changes the starch in white rice into "resistance starch," which cannot be digested by the
body. Such rice therefore contributes fewer calories. There are typically 200 calories in a cup of
cooked white rice.Nutritionist Pooja Vig, who runs The Nutrition Clinic at Camden Medical
Centre , said that research into such resistant starch has been ongoing for five to eight years.
"Given that the same thing can be done with potato, this is not surprising," she told The Straits
Times. She said that the fat in the rice will not make it unhealthy, considering the small amount
that needs to be used.Ms Vig, who has been a nutritionist for 10 years, said another benefit of
resistant starch is that it "feeds" probiotics, which are good bacteria in the gut. Probiotics aid in
good digestion and immunity, and manufacture vitamins, she said.While the research shows that
white rice can be healthier, she cautioned that people in Singapore already eat too much rice, and
should cut down on their intake.
Researchers tout rice that thwarts pests
30 Mar 2015 at 08:05
NEWSPAPER SECTION: BUSINESS
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Pathum Thani 200 is resistant to the brown planthopper. PONGPAT WONGYALA
The Pathum Thani Rice Research Center has developed a new rice variety that boasts strong
resistance to insects and cooler temperatures.Called Pathum Thani 200 to celebrate the 200th
anniversary of the province, the strain can be grown all year round and has high yields, centre
director Apichart Lawanprasert said.He said that the rice centre, a unit of the Rice Department,
has taken more than a decade to develop the strain, a hybrid of the famous Suphanburi 1 and IR
64 strains.The hybrid variety is resistant to the brown planthopper, a pest that feeds on rice plants
and always causes severe damage to rice farming.
The new variety, also known as Kor. Khor. 57, is suitable for growing not only in irrigated sites
in central provinces but also in areas that have cooler weather such as the North.The rice centre
is in the process of producing the strain as rice seed before distribution to farmers.Mr Apichart
said Pathum Thani 200 white rice is
ideal not only for the dining table but for making raw material such as rice flour, which could
provide higher value. But the new development might not reduce the problem of seed shortfalls
for the Rice Department.At present, the department produces about 100,000 tonnes of rice seed
for the market every year. However, the amount is far below demand of 600,000 tonnes.
The balance is filled by product
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s from private companies offering high-priced hybrid rice seed.The sales prices for rice seed
from the department are low at 25 baht a kilogramme for Hom Mali rice seed, 16-17 baht/kg for
white rice and 22 baht/kg for glutinous rice.Mr Apichart suggests farmers grow the new strain
and process it because the rice seed has greater value than regular paddy seed.Get full Bangkok
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Pakistan Farmers Challenge GI tag for Basmati rice By Express News Service
Published: 30th March 2015 06:00 AM
Last Updated: 30th March 2015 03:49 AM
CHENNAI: The Intellectual Properties Appellate Board (IPAB), Chennai, has adjourned to July
8 the hearing on an application filed by a Pakistan-based farmers organisation challenging the
grant of geographical indication (GI) tag for Basmati rice to certain Indian areas in the himalayan
foothills spread between Punjab and Uttar
Pradesh.The Basmati Growers Association from
Lahore has challenged the GI tag secured by
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Exports
Development Authority (APEDA), an autonomous
body under the Commerce Ministry, for the himalayan
foothill areas located in India. The GI tag would mean
that rice produced in any other areas cannot be
marketed as Basmati, as per international trade treaties.
While the appeal was dismissed by Assistant Registrar, GI, on December 31, 2013, it has now
filed the appeal in the board at Chennai. In its petition, the BGA contended that Basmati was
name for slender, aromatic and long grain variety of rice grown in specific geographical areas in
the foothills of Himalayas in Pakistan. These parts of Indo-Gangetic plain are traditional Basmati
rice yielding areas.
The organisation referred to Punjab poet Syed Waris Shah‘s master piece ‗Heer‘ in which he
mentions about Basmati grown in Punjab those days, whose areas now fall within the jurisdiction
of Pakistan. The petition said Basmati is protected under section 24 (9) of Agreement on Trade-
Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), an international agreement
administered by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).BGA has contended that the GI tag for
Indian areas would affect farmers in Pakistan, who are the legitimate cultivators of Basmati
traditionally. Shafiullah Khan of Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, had filed the petition on behalf of
BGA. When the case came up for hearing in February last week, the IPAB bench comprising the
board‘s chairman Justice K N Basha adjourned the matter to July 8.
