Previous post on "black hearted goods things" from China is
THIS. Before, it was the
FAKE EGG. Now plastic rice?
Is China Manufacturing Plastic Rice?
From toxic toys to tainted milk, there are many reasons for people to be wary of the "
Made in China" label.
But if a new story emerging from media outlets in Singapore and Hong Kong is accurate, it proves that things can always get worse.
The website
Very Vietnam (and
several others) recently reported that a type of "rice" made from a combination of potatoes and plastic resin is being distributed in the Chinese town of Taiyuan, in Shaanxi province.
From the article:
"It is formed by mixing the potatoes and sweet potatoes into the shape of rice grains, then adding industrial synthetic resins. Since the rice does not behave like normal rice, it stays hard even after it has been cooked. Such synthetic resins can also be very harmful if consumed.
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. Meanwhile, the low cost of the fake rice is allowing wholesalers
to make large profits."
The
International Rice Research Institute reports that residents of Hong Kong alone consume 7 million bowls of rice every day.
While undoubtedly
cheaper than growing, harvesting, and distributing actual rice, it doesn't take a health expert to see that it's probably not safe to be ingesting the equivalent of a
plastic bag (or two) every day.
If it's true, this is yet another example of the risks associated with an industrial food system that cares more about quantity than quality, and profit more than people.
From '
Very Vietnam' :
China Makes Fake Rice from Plastic? Vietnam Reacts
A number of Chinese companies have been involved over the years in various scandals involving fake or tainted goods. Perhaps the most dangerous of all involve food, including the now famous 2008 milk scandal in which Chinese-made milk was found to contain the toxin melamine. The end result was 290,000 victims who fell ill and 11 suspected cases of death.
Now there are reports from Singapore media that China is mass producing fake rice, which can be potentially very dangerous.
Original Korean article from: Weekly Hong Kong
Fake Plastic Rice from China
According to the Korean-language “Weekly Hong Kong” (which many Vietnam websites are referencing as well), Singapore media claim that fake rice is being distributed in the Chinese town of Taiyuan, in Shaanxi province. This “rice” is a mix of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and plastic. It is formed by mixing the potatoes and sweet potatoes into the shape of rice grains, then adding industrial synthetic resins. Since the rice does not behave like normal rice, it stays hard even after it has been cooked. Such synthetic resins can also be very harmful if consumed.
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. Meanwhile, the low cost of the fake rice is allowing wholesalers to make large profits.
