FDA Allays Fear Over Plastic Rice

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has dispelled rumour circulating on social media about the sale and consumption of 'plastic' rice in Ghana.

According to the FDA, laboratory investigations of the samples of the said 'plastic' rice show that the rice is authentic rice and not 'plastic' rice.

“We subjected all the samples received to laboratory investigation. Results from the laboratory analysis indicated that all the samples were in fact authentic rice and not plastic,” Delese Mimi Darko, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the authority, said.

Mrs Darko was addressing a press conference on the rumoured 'plastic' rice in Ghana which has generated public discussion on the FDA and their mandate.

About a week ago, several videos claiming the existence of 'plastic' rice went viral on social media. The videos showed cooked rice purported to be 'plastic' rice being kneaded into a round shape and bouncing off the hard surface. The demonstrator, thus, concluded the rice is plastic rice and has since raised public concern on the safety rice on the market.

But the FDA CEO, explaining the issue, stressed that the physical and chemical properties of plastics are such that they ordinarily cannot be reconstituted into edible food. “This is because plastic cannot absorb water and do not mix with water,” she revealed.

She said the textural properties of rice varieties are due to the nature of their starch constituents, which is the ratio of amylase to amylopectin. Amylose is responsible for the gelatinous nature of rice and therefore contributes to the bouncy property of rice when made into balls.

“This character of the starch in rice enables cooked rice grains to agglomerate and allow it to be kneaded into a malleable sphere that can bounce off hard surface. The varieties of rice that contain a higher quantity of amylase will produce greater bounce whilst those with higher amylopectin will bounce less,” Mrs Darko explained.

The chief laboratory technician of the authority further demonstrated the differences between cooking plastic palettes and cooking rice.

He said while plastic settles under water when put on fire, rice mixes with the boiling water. He also stated that plastic cannot absorb water and melts when put under high temperature but rice when put under high temperature burns leaving some residue.

INFOSAN
The CEO of FDA said the rumour of plastic rice is not peculiar to Ghana, as findings by the International Food Safety Authority Network (INFOSAN), investigations into the same issues has revealed similar rumoured artificial, plastic, fake rice appearing in Singapore, Nigeria and Canada are real authentic rice.

“This is a sign of the times and the effect of the increased access to information technology. Similar reports have been recorded in the United Kingdom and United States as well,” she said.

Mrs Darko, however, added that the rumours notwithstanding, the regulatory authorities are monitoring rice imports from countries that are purported to produce this 'plastic' rice.

“The FDA's mission is to ensure that all products, including food, are safe. We are, therefore, calling on the general public, particularly the media, to partner with the FDA to raise public awareness on all matters of food safety issues,” she mentioned.

 By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri