A rice polisher is a machine for buffing (or "polishing") kernels of

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...

to change their appearance, taste, and texture or for transforming

brown rice Brown rice is a whole grain rice with the inedible outer Rice hulls, hull removed. This kind of rice sheds its outer hull or husk but the bran and germ layer remain on, constituting the brown or tan colour of rice. White rice is the same grain w ...

into

white rice White rice is milled rice that has had its husk, bran, and germ removed. This alters the flavor, texture and appearance of the rice and helps prevent spoilage, extend its storage life, and makes it easier to digest. After milling (hulling), the ...

. Rice polishers are used after the rice has gone through the whitening process. They are abrasive machines that use

talc Talc, or talcum, is a Clay minerals, clay mineral, composed of hydrated magnesium silicate with the chemical formula Mg3Si4O10(OH)2. Talc in powdered form, often combined with corn starch, is used as baby powder. This mineral is used as a thi ...

or some other very fine dust to buff the outer surface of rice kernels. In Japanese farming communities, there is often a shared rice polishing machine. The first fully automated rice polishing machine is believed to have been patented by the English engineer and inventor

Sampson Moore Sampson Moore (1812–1877) was an English engineer and inventor based in Liverpool, England during the industrial revolution. His company, Sampson Moore & Co. produced a number of notable inventions. Overview Moore (1812–1877) was an engin ...

in 1861. In the 20th century,

kitchen appliance A home appliance, also referred to as a domestic appliance, an electric appliance or a household appliance, is a machine which assists in household functions such as cooking, cleaning and food preservation. Appliances are divided into three ty ...

s for consumers were created that allowed individual cooks to polish rice in their homes.

Components

The polisher contains cones covered with leather strips and perforated screens. The leather strips on the cones rub the grain of rice over the screen repeatedly. The remaining particles on the rice are removed during this process, giving the grain of rice a shinier appearance. There is a suction fan within the polisher that keeps the rice cool as it travels through the polishing process and lowers the percentage of broken rice. The suction fan also catches any loose talc or dust that is lost throughout the process.

Types

* Vertical cone polisher: This machine uses a covered cone within a perforated screen to create an abrasive surface for polishing rice. * Horizontal polisher: This machine uses a cylinder covered in emery that is placed within another cylinder and rotated to polish the rice.

References

Rice production Cookware and bakeware Cooking appliances English inventions {{Kitchenware-stub

Components

Types

See also

References