Kome no Megumi Pork (米の恵み)

In Oita, some pigs eat rice before they reach the table. That simple detail sits behind Kome no Megumi pork (米の恵み), the prefecture’s unified pork brand. The name means “blessing of rice,” and it covers pork from pigs given feed with at least 10% rice during the last stage of fattening. So is it a special breed, and does the rice really change the taste? The short answers are no, and partly. This guide explains how the brand works, what testing it requires, what research says about rice feed, and where to try the pork in Oita. Quick Facts: Kome no Megumi PorkJapanese name米の恵み (kome no megumi, pronounced koh-meh noh meh-goo-mee), “blessing of rice”What it isA unified brand for pork raised in Oita Prefecture under shared feeding and testing standardsRegionOita Prefecture, on the island of Kyushu in southwestern JapanFeed ruleAt least 10% rice in the total feed, given in the final fattening stage for about 60 days or moreTestingFat analysis for oleic acid and related components; carcass grade of “medium” (中) or higherPremium tierKome no Megumi Premium: oleic acid of 42% or moreBrand launchedName announced in December 2016Managed byOita Rice Pork Brand Promotion Council TOCWhat Is Kome ...