Roma rice is grown in the provinces of Novara, Vercelli and Pavia. Roma rice belongs to the Superfino group. It is one of the most valuable varieties of rice among those on which the parboiling process is carried out. The paboilization consists of a hydrothermal treatment of the rice still coated with the husk (external coating of the grain). Brown rice is partially cooked in water at more than 100°C, so that the starch present in it gelatinises. The rice thus treated is subsequently dried and processed according to the usual procedure for normal rice. The grain of parboiled Roma rice is translucent, slightly amber in colour.