UPDATED: Fake Rice (plastic rice) Cap Rambutan - Fake or Fact?

"Since the appearance of plastic rice rumors in 2011, we have been unable to locate any substantiated reports that anyone successfully passed off plastic rice off as the real thing regularly (or ever) in any of the countries in which the rumor took root. As a case study from Indonesia illustrated thoroughly, the rumor was self-promoting: one woman exposed to the plastic rice rumor became ill and presumed the fake food she’d heard about was to blame. Faulty initial testing cemented the belief, and soon many people were attributing all illnesses to the specter of plastic rice. A few follow-up items reported that thorough testing had revealed the rice in question was not plastic or was simply adulterated, yet the claim went on to make the alternative health rounds in October 2016 unencumbered by the debunkings.
All versions stemmed from one shaky item published in January 2011 and plastic rice lived in realm of legend until 21 December 2016, when the BBC published an article reporting that the notorious faux foodstuff had been “seized in Nigeria.” " 


The fake rice news hass been making its round on social media and mainstream media and like the terminator, we cant seem to get rid of it! In January 2017, the Ministry of Health Malaysia made statements that Malaysia does not import fake rice!. (https://www.nst.com.my/news/2017/01/207595/no-fake-rice-malaysia-says-health-ministry) 

Duh! who deliberately imports fake rice. 

The question is: has the MoH and its agencies conducted inspections to verify allegations of the existence of fake rice in the market?

Today a popular brand in Malaysia is affected by fake rice (plastic rice) news - on social media. 

MoH should be at the forefront to help the general public address concerns related to food safety and food fraud. As Al Jazeera puts it, fake news has grown from a mere irritant to a business. According to a reference in Snopes (one of the popular fake news verification site), fake rice is made of potato starch and industrial resin used as binding agents. 

The fake rice news has raised concerns not only in Malaysia but world over. Following news captions were taken from www.snopes.com/plastic-rice-from-china/: 
  • Various reports in Singapore media have said that Chinese companies are mass producing fake rice made, in part, out of plastic, according to one online publication Very Vietnam … “A Chinese Restaurant Association official said that eating three bowls of this fake rice would be like eating one plastic bag. Due to the seriousness of the matter, he added that there would be an investigation of factories alleged to be producing the rice,” Very Vietnam noted.
  • On May 16, the Harian Terbit newspaper published an article warning that China was producing fake rice. The report urged Indonesians to be vigilant, although it admitted there was no certainty that plastic rice was being circulated in Indonesia.
  • A 17 October 2016 article in The Hindu lamented the routine belief such blatant adulteration was common in spite of food safety regulation processes
  • Nigeria has confiscated 2.5 tonnes of “plastic rice” smuggled into the country by unscrupulous businessmen, the customs service says … Lagos customs chief Haruna Mamudu said the fake rice was intended to be sold in markets during the festive season.

At the time of posting this blog the MoH has not made any media release on the recent fake rice matter. It remains to be seen if rice adulterated with 'plastic rice' is fake or fact.



LATEST: 

Domestic trade ministry awaits reports from Chemistry Dept on ‘plastic rice’ 
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/domestic-trade-ministry-awaits-reports-from-chemistry-dept-on-plastic-rice#sthash.88vgdlXy.dpuf

Comments: 
Who is the competent authority on Food Safety in Malaysia? Calls for improved recall mechanism for general products in Malaysia has gone unheeded by KPDNKK. Calls for better incident reportring has gone unheeded by KPDNKK. Its is better they focus on what matters most undedr the CPA 1999. Confidence in food safety is not improved with testing three samples of rice. Why is MoH keeping mum?


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