Public urged to buy rice from authorized outlets

Malacañang yesterday advised the public to buy rice only from governmentaccredited wholesale or retail outlets to avoid being victimized by those selling synthetic or fake rice.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. made the call to buy “only from National Food Authority-authorized rice dealers” so that consumers do not fall prey to unscrupulous traders.

Coloma said President Aquino has instructed Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II to investigate the source of the synthetic rice and if these can still be found in public markets.

Food security czar Francis Pangilinan has also been tasked to find out how fake rice managed to enter the local market. The NFA’s Food Development Center is doing laboratory tests on the samples taken from the synthetic rice, reportedly imported from China.

“The results of the tests will be released at the soonest time possible,” Coloma assured.

Lawmakers called on the government to map out plans to prevent the further retail of fake rice to the public.

Sen. Francis Escudero said the Food Safety Regulation Coordinating Board (FSRCB) should convene to map out plans on how to combat the entry of unsafe food into the market, including synthetic rice.

Under the law, the FSRCB is tasked to craft policies and procedures on coordinating food safety regulatory and enforcement functions, research, training, monitoring and surveillance programs.

“The idea is to have a high level of food safety, protection of human life and health in the production and consumption of food,” Escudero said.

Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar said he would seek an inquiry into the sale of fake rice in Mindanao.

“We want the entry and sale of fake rice stopped because it is harmful to health,” Villar said over dzBB.

He said the investigation should be able to pinpoint the origin of the bogus rice.

Synthetic rice – which was passed off as genuine rice – has been described as “poisonous,” according to complaints filed by consumers in Davao City.

There were also reports that residents noticed and complained of a “styrofoam-like appearance” in the rice they cooked.

The fake rice is reportedly derived from potato, sweet potato and plastic resin. Reports also indicated that synthetic rice would last for four days when cooked, unlike the locally produced staple that lasts only for a day.