Where do rice and pasta come from?

* Oryza sativa (Asian rice)

* Originated in the Yangtze River basin of China.

* Major rice-producing countries: China, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and the Philippines.

* Oryza glaberrima (African rice)

* Originated in the Niger River basin of West Africa.

* Major rice-producing countries: Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, Guinea, Chad, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Sierra Leone.

Pasta

* Triticum durum (durum wheat)

* Originated in the Middle East.

* Major pasta-producing countries: Italy, China, the United States, Brazil, Russia, Turkey, Mexico, Egypt, and Canada.

* Triticum aestivum (bread wheat)

* Originated in the Middle East.

* Also used to make pasta, but not as commonly as durum wheat.

* Triticum spelta (spelt)

* Originated in the Middle East.

* Also used to make pasta, but not as commonly as durum wheat or bread wheat.