PHOENIX — NutraCea has begun cereal production and new customer sampling at its Phoenix facility. Currently, the facility has the capacity to handle 2,700 tons of stabilized rice bran with plans to be able to handle 5,000 tons by the end of the second quarter of 2009 and 7,000 tons by early 2010.

"We adjusted the ramp up at the Phoenix facility in order to ensure that all phases of production are running smoothly and to further guarantee the consistency and quality of our baby cereal and stage 2 products," said Leo Gingras, chief operating officer.

Stabilized rice bran is a byproduct of white rice production in which the external layer of rice is removed and processed into an alternative form of grain.