Abstract: A process for treating brown rice to obtain readily cookable brown rice having fissures in its bran layer, which process comprises developing fissures by heating the brown rice by blowing heated air to the brown rice and thereafter immediately cooling the heated rice, said heating being controlled according to the quantity of heat energy absorbed by the treated brown rice.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus is disclosed for forming viscous and resilient food material into a globular or spherical shape by feeding such food material, in a predetermined amount, between a pair of beds. The surfaces of the beds face each other and are kept wet by capillary action, with an anti-sticking liquid. The surfaces are adjustably spaced, one from the other, so as to apply an optimal level of pressure on the food material. At least one of the beds are subjected to an eccentric rotation to produce globe-shaped viscous and resilient food material at small cost and on a large scale by making it possible to mechanically form the viscous and plastic food material into a globular or spherical shape.