The rice kernels are still encased in an inedible, protective hull which must be removed. The hulls can be reclaimed and used as fuel, or turned into mulch, abrasives, animal feed, and other products. Rice from which only the hull has been removed. It may be cooked and eaten as is or milled into regular-milled white rice. The light brown color is the presence of the bran layers and the rice germ.
Brown rice requires longer cooking than either parboiled or regular-milled white rice.
When cooked, brown rice has a slightly chewy texture and mild, nut-like flavor. Parboiling is an optional processing stop prior to milling. This steam-pressure treatment gelatinizes the starch within the rice kernel. The result is firmer, more separate grains that are more stable and less susceptible to overcooking than regular-milled white rice. After parboiling and drying, the rice goes through the normal milling process.