Nuka 糠 (ぬか) is the Japanese word for bran. A byproduct of the production of grain, especially rice, it is readily available at low cost. Japanese people use it in food preparation, for example, the making of tsukemono (pickles). They also add it to the water when boiling bamboo shoots . Additionally, nuka is a source of edible oil. Furthermore, it is useful for cleaning dishes and other kitchen utensils.