HOW TO IDENTIFY PLASTIC RICE THAT IS NOW IN NIGERIA

There are reports that China produces fake rice which is mixed with plastic for exportation to African countries including Nigeria. This rice may cause many health problems. You should be very careful before buying or cooking any rice now.

Here are some tests you can do by yourself to identify plastic rice. You do not need any chemicals to identify the rice at home.

1.           THE FIRE TEST

Take handful of rice and put it in a direct fire, If it catches fire quickly and smells like burnt plastic, then you have plastic rice.

2.          THE WATER TEST

Get a glass of cold water. Pour a tablespoon of raw rice in the glass and stir. If the rice goes to the bottom, it is all good. If it floats at the top, be careful because it means it contains ‘plastic rice’. Do not eat.

3.           THE POUNDING  TEST

Pound few grains of rice with a mortar and pestle, if the powder gives quite a white colour, that means the rice is good but if it has a discoloration, your rice must be fake.

4.          THE TIME TEST:

Simply boil the rice and put small portion of the boiled rice in a bottle then leave it for 2-3 days. If the rice has plastic it will not get fungus, it will remain the same, because weather or temperature does not affect plastic. 

5.    THE BOILING TEST

Observe the rice while boiling. If it starts forming a thick layer at the top of the pot, it is ‘plastic rice’.

4.       THE HOT OIL TEST: Just take some of the rice and drop it into some real hot oil. If it is plastic, it will melt or stick together or stick at the bottom of the pan.

Note: Waste or expired grains are also used with some vitamins to make fake

rice. Please be extra careful.

Share this information with your friends and family.