Rice: A Versatile Food at the Heart of the Mediterranean Diet

Although being the most consumed food in Asia, rice plays a key role also in the diet of many countries, including those of the Mediterranean area. The availability of thousands of varieties — different in pedo-climatic adaptability, size and texture of the grain, bioactive and aromatic compounds, protein and starch features and, consequently, cooking behavior — has made it possible to satisfy tastes and nutritional needs specific for each population. The most common way of eating rice is as grain and its cooking can take place in different ways (in excess of water, pilaf method, parboiled rice or risotto) to obtain the desired texture according to the recipe. Various technologies have been developed to encourage the consumption of rice but satisfying the current market demands (e.g., quick cooking rice and frozen rice). Alongside traditional consumption, in recent decades rice has been increasingly sought after as an ingredient of various food formulations, including gluten-free products (i.e., pasta, bread and bakery products) and other products that are now widespread in Mediterranean countries, such as couscous, breakfast cereals, extruded products and baby foods.