Question Box

The Question Box will appear in conjunction with the Pure Food Section. Address all questions to Pure Food Editor. Where mention is made of a nationally advertised product, enclose a stamped envelope for reply.

QUESTION

Will you please write me whether black roasted coffee may be used in the Jewish household, also whether coated rice is a grain in the original state.

ROSE AARON. Bronx.

ANSWER

Black roasted coffee one would frequently classify as French or Italian coffee. This coffee is roasted longer than the average coffee and an amount of sugar is added when roasted of sugar is added when roasted to bring it to the dark glossy stage. It is quite possible that some sort of fat ingredient is added to the sugar to assure a high lustre. From the religious point; the fact that fats may be used would make the use of such coffee highly undesirable.

Coated rice is a prepared rice, the original grain being brown rice. When stripped of the hull in which it is imbedded, the rice takes on a yellowish white appearance, and is offered as what is commonly called uncoated rice. The brown and uncoated rice should be used in the kosher household. As far as coated rice is concerned, the process of bleaching and polishing is one which might contain no-kosher fat ingredients. From a health standpoint the brown and next to it the uncoated rice contain the vital healthful ingredients. When processed as mentioned almost all nutritious matter contained in the grain is destroyed.