‘Plastic rice’ claims put to the test to ease real fears

Lanka Sathosa says it held back stocks of rice and sent samples for testing to further investigate suspicions of ‘plastic rice’ following consumer complaints.

Chairman T. M. K. B. Tennakoon, said four metric tonnes of rice out of 20 Mt had been held back.

He said only a few people have complained that they suspect ‘plastic rice’.

Still, authorities have an obligation to investigate. The consumer has a right to suspect and complain about adulterated food products.

He said that although he believes people’s complaints are unfounded, samples have been provided to the Medical Research Institute and the Industrial Technology institute. “I am awaiting their reports,’’ he said.

Mr. Tennakoon said he had also filed a report with the Criminal Investigations Department and to the Consumer Affair’s Authority.

Meanwhile, reports circulate on social media about plastic vegetables, eggs and many other items. Some videos appear to show how rice grain like granules are being created using machinery. These videos or their content have not been independently verified.

Some videos emerged in November last year from China, showing plastic granules being produced by a bare- bodied yellow-skinned man. He is seen feeding a creamy white substance into an old, noisy machine. The Chinese video appeared on WeChat, the domestic social media messaging app.

Back in 2011, in the Chinese city of Nanjing, a plastic rice scare emerged.

There are known artificial food manufacturers in China.

The All- Island Farmers Federation, national organiser, Namal Karunaratne believes rice is unlikely to be made from plastic. He notes that there are many varieties of rice with different textures, including sticky rice.

The Sunday Times has found the sticky rice, or glutinous rice, is common in countries with Chinese communities, such as Vietnam, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, and of course China.

Mr. Karunaratne claimed that although there could not be any plastic in the stocks of rice there is an issue with the production and expiry dates.

“The rice imported from India has a manufacturing date of 2017 January and a expiry date of 2019 January,” he said.

Mr. Karunaratne said that the farmers suspect that imported rice could be heavily sprayed with chemicals and not suitable for consumption.

“Rice grains can only be preserved for three months. When it is cooked you can keep it for half a day. But the imported rice does not get spoiled for two days,” he said.

The Batalagoda Rice Research and Development Institute too conducted tests to check for possible plastic.

The Sunday Times learns that officials received samples of rice from the Consumer Affairs Authority.

The director of the Rice Research Institute, Dr. Amitha Bentota, said a report will be available on Monday.

She said that according to their findings people should not be alarmed.

Dr. Bentota said imported rice can raise suspicions because they appear polished.

She said a bushel of rice ( 36 kilograms) was weighed against imported rice in one test.

The colour of the rice was checked and also whether dye had been used.

“We also looked for the basic traits of plastic and applied the rice to heat and checked whether the rice melts and emits a smell. We also checked whether the rice floats like plastic,” she said.

She explained that officials even taste tested the prepared rice that was suspected to be plastic.

The Customs too said it will be checking imported rice as well as rice that had been donated from overseas.

The Customs media spokesman Dhar masena Kahandawa explained that he contacted the food advisory committee of the Ministry of Health about the plastic claims.

He explained that Customs will only release food after obtaining the approval of food inspectors. Mr. Kahandawa who is also additional director general of Customs explained that food inspectors are doing basic field tests at Rank Container Terminal at Orugodawtte.

Homemakers can do some testing themselves.

Put a spoonful of rice into water and check whether it floats. Burn some rice, or crush some grains to see if there are visible characteristics of plastic.