# "enriched" rice and joint cracking, two questions
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enriched-rice-and-joint-cracking-two-questions/223729
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 9, 2004, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enriched-rice-and-joint-cracking-two-questions/223729 "2004-01-09T22:01:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2004, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enriched-rice-and-joint-cracking-two-questions/223729/1 "2004-01-09T22:01:31Z")
i got to spend some quality time with my friend from the north of ireland while she was in the states. some (i think) dope-worthy questions came up while i was helping her cook a wonderful, yummy batch of thai seafood; to wit -
when they “enrich” rice, how do they do it? are nutrients just sprinkled on the rice, or what?
and…
i’ve read somewhere (probably here) that when someone cracks their joints (knuckles for example) that the sound made is that of an air bubble popping in the synovial fluid. the crucial question of the evening was… where does the air bubble _go_ when it pops? does it coalesce again, go into the bloodstream, or what?
luckily, our conversations consisted of much more than such silly questions, but i thought i’d just post them and try.
hi, devilsknew!
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### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enriched-rice-and-joint-cracking-two-questions/223729/2 "2004-01-09T22:10:00Z")
It’s cultural enrichment. Troupes of culture workers wander the rice fields reciting poetry, playing violins, and singing. Rice lovers appreciate the difference, claiming the culturally enriched rice has good taste. 😃
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### Author:  [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enriched-rice-and-joint-cracking-two-questions/223729/3 "2004-01-09T22:12:39Z")
The gas (nitrogen?) is re-absorbed into the sinovial fluid, IIRC.
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### Author:  [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2004, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enriched-rice-and-joint-cracking-two-questions/223729/4 "2004-01-10T00:00:06Z")
Cracking knuckles: [The Master Speaks](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_305b.html).
> [@](#):
>
> Once the big gas bubble has popped, a little one remains behind for about 15 or 20 minutes before the CO2 inside it is totally redissolved.
Rice: [Someone else speaks](http://www.grainstore.com/Rice.cfm) (bolding mine)
> [@](#):
>
> Most of the rice consumed in the U.S. is enriched. Rice naturally contains thiamin, niacin, and iron. However, during the milling or polishing process, the quantities of these nutrients are reduced. To bring the nutritional value of the milled product up to that of whole grain (brown) rice it is enriched with thiamin, niacin, and iron. Enrichment levels of these nutrients, which are specified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, provide for a minimum of 2 mg. thiamin, 13 mg. iron, and 16 mg. niacin per pound of raw rice.
>
> **The enrichment mixture is applied to rice as a coating.** Therefore, it is recommended that rice not be rinsed before or after cooking and not be cooked in excessive amounts of water and then drained. The enrichment and other water soluble vitamins and minerals would be lost.
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### Author:  [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2004, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/enriched-rice-and-joint-cracking-two-questions/223729/5 "2004-01-10T02:42:13Z")
Just to elaborate on **Nametag** ’s quote, I found this information from an abstract at the [United Nations University Press](http://www.unu.edu/unupress/food/V192e/ch09.htm):
> [@](#):
>
> The processing of the iron premix involves the following steps adapted from the Ricegrowers’ Cooperative Limited:
>
> 1. The fortificant (FeSO4) is prepared and mixed with the coating solution in a suspension tank;
> 2. The contents of the suspension tank are pumped into a rotating mixer;
> 3. The fortificant and coating solution are sprayed over rice kernels in the mixer;
> 4. The fortified rice grains are dried.