Structure of Rice
/Awn: Tip of the rice grain, which is removed during processing
Lemma: Three protective layers of “skin” (brown and yellow) that make up 20% of the grain’s total weight.
Caryopsis: What remains of the grain after processing, which is what most of eat. It is composed mainly of starch and represents 60% of the grain’s total weight.
Aleuronic (Bran) Layer: Internal skin containing vitamins, minerals and fat.
Embryo: Each grain of rice contains an embryo, from which a new shoot will germinate. During the refining process, the embryo breaks away from the grain.