Hi everyone,
Sorry it wouldn't let me copy the quote inside a quote (...inception quote...?)
<Quote> Brewers' rice is the small milled fragments of rice kernels that have been separated from the larger kernels of milled rice. (AAFCO definition).[1] Brewers' rice is a processed rice product that is missing many of the nutrients contained in whole ground rice and brown rice thus reducing the quality
Brewers' rice and second heads are one of the many byproducts that rice milling creates. Second heads are milled rice kernels that are one half to three quarters of the original kernel. Brewers' rice is a milled rice kernel that is one quarter to half the size of a full kernel. Second heads, depending on their quality are used to make rice flour. "If the quality of the second heads are poor, they will be sold for pet food or dairy feed. Brewers rice is sold for pet food and dairy feed exclusively."[3] and, despite having little nutritional value is found in approximately one third of pet food sold in the US. Brewers rice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia </Quote>
The AAFCO definition is correct. Remember that AAFCO outlines nutrient guidelines for basic formula creation in the US. That shouldn't be confused with the part "Brewers' rice is a processed rice product that is missing many of the nutrients contained in whole ground rice and brown rice thus reducing the quality" which is not in AAFCO's guidelines or definition of Brewer's Rice. See attached picture from the AAFCO 2013 manual.
Brewer's rice is an important part of RC's nutrition puzzle. As mentioned before, it provides a source of starch as well as protein. It is important to note that this type of starch is highly digestible. If you've ever had the stomach bug and had a hard time keeping things down, your doctor might have mentioned white rice. Why? Because it is highly digestible meaning less remains in your digestive tract (potentially complicating your GI upset more) and more is utilized by the body. When applied to pet food, it is an excellent carbohydrate and protein source because of its digestibility. Murray et al (2001) and the NRC "found that high-temperature extrusion of cereal grains (corn, potato, rice and sorghum) with high total starch content (>80 percent) increased the percentage of rapidly digestible starch and decreased the amount of resistant starch."
If you are talking about the fact the hull has been removed, this is a source of insoluble fibre. Because for different formulas we want a different level of and balances of fibre (for hairballs, satiety support, digestive health, stool quality etc.) we use a combination of other ingredients that provide fibre, such as cellulose, pea fibre, psyllium, and even brown rice. This allows us to be more specific with the nutrient profiles.
It is the nutrient profile of the diet as a whole that ultimately impacts the pet. If a specific ingredient is 'lacking' something, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure that nutrition is provided by a different ingredient.
Hope this helps
Ashley