• Easily digestible, rice in comparison with cereals is also connected to complex factors, in particular those regarding the type and the composition of starch, which is peculiar and differs from other starches. The importance of this subject requires specific explanation, especially concerning the difference between white rice and parboiled.
• Rice is among those nutrition foods which has a minimal price in relation to its nourishing value. Foodstuffs are set according to an ideal relationship between nutrition value and price, setting the minimum market price of one kilocalory against one gram of the type or protein contents; in this way, an ideal price is gained for every food. The relationship between ideal price and effective wholesale price represents therefore an index of doubtless interest for consumers, even though other elements may influence their choice.
• . All “ideal” prices are of course lower than the effective ones, given that the absolute minimum values of all foods in question are considered as base units of calculation. At any rate, however, the medium market price of rice is only 2.2 / 2.5 superior to the ideal one, with an index quite similar to that of grapes, which, as is well known, are one of the richest foods in relation to price. Least expensive vegetables (tomatoes, for instance) cost 8 – 10 times more than their ideal price; alternative meats (which are still the most economic ones, not withstanding the recent price increases, due to “mad cow disease”) are 15 – 20 times as much, while certain cuts of beef are 20 – 30 and above, as is valuable fresh fish. Rice, also in this regard, thanks to its complex biological-nutritional superiority, is clearly advantageous when compared with cereals in general and with pasta in particular.
• It is unanimously recognized that rice is a very versatile ingredient in the kitchen. It harmoniously goes with a variety of dishes, such as meats, fish, eggs, cheese, fruit. Spices, aromas, gravies and sauces blend perfectly with rice.

One understands, therefore, how important it is to better these already noteworthy qualities, or even just to assure a biological-nutritional minimum standard, adequate for cooking.