No fake rice in samples sent for analysis — Dr Jamilah
Sarawak Health Department through its Food Safety and Quality Division carried out monitoring and five samples of rice of various brands and those sold by weight had been taken from the supermarket concerned for analysis. Dr Jamilah Hashim, Sarawak Health director
SIBU: All the five rice samples sent for laboratory analysis have been found to be in compliance with the Food Act, 1983 and Food Regulations, 1985.
In a press statement yesterday, Sarawak Health director Dr Jamilah Hashim said no fake rice had been detected.
She added that the Health Department had taken note of the report carried by Borneo Post Online on Nov 9, 2018 of customers’ concerns that branded rice and those sold by weight in a supermarket here might be fake.
“Sarawak Health Department through its Food Safety and Quality Division carried out monitoring and five samples of rice of various brands and those sold by weight had been taken from the supermarket concerned for analysis.
“The results of the analysis found all the rice samples concerned complied with the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985, while no fake rice is detected,” Dr Jamilah said.
She added: “Sarawak Health Department will continue its monitoring on rice sold in the local market to ensure compliance with Food Act, 1983 and Food Regulations, 1985.”
Assuring that state Health Department is always sensitive to matters that can affect the health of consumers, Dr Jamilah advised consumers who have doubts on food safety to contact the state Health Department or the nearest Divisional Health Office, or through website: http://moh. spab.gov.my or Food Safety and Quality Division’s Facebook at www.facebook.com/bkkmhq.
It was recently reported that two members of the public were shocked when the rice they had cooked had a weird consistency and did not look like genuine rice.
According to the report, one of them who requested not to be identified said though the texture of the rice looked different, she did not suspect anything at first because it tasted like rice.
She also claimed that the rice felt like cotton and she could squeeze water out of it when it was wet and the rice became light as a feather when it was dry.