Government Faults Claim Over Production Of Plastic Rice

Government Faults Claim Over Production Of Plastic Rice

Following a viral video on social media accusing Ghana of producing plastic rice, the government has debunked all accusations, describing it as false and should be ignored.

According to the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in Ghana, the samples of rice received were subjected to laboratory analyses, which afterwards showed that all the samples were in fact authentic rice and not plastic as perceived by the public.

FDA noted that the character of starch in rice makes cooked rice grains stick together and allows it to be formed into a ball that can bounce off hard surfaces as depicted in some of the videos on social media, but it is not plastic.

It added that through a statement signed by Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Health Products and Technologies Division, FDA, Seth Seaneke, in 2017, based on those videos, the claim has been investigated and has issued a press statement debunking the existence of plastic rice.

Based on the statement, the texture of each variety of rice depended on the nature of the starch content and starch was mainly made up of amylopectin, which was responsible for the sticky nature of rice, and amylose.

The statement also stated that the amylose was responsible for the gummy nature of rice, which made it bouncy when made into balls, also that the ratio of amylose to amylopectin determined the texture of rice.

“The samples received were subjected to laboratory analyses. Results from the analyses showed that all the samples were in fact authentic rice and not plastic as perceived by the public.”

‘‘This character of the starch in rice makes cooked rice grains stick together and allows it to be formed into a ball that can bounce off hard surfaces as depicted in some of the videos on social media.”

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The FDA however assured the public that it would continue to monitor the quality and safety of the varieties of rice on the market, both local and imported, to safeguard public health and safety.

FDA, through the Authority’s nationwide market surveillance activities, it obtained random samples and subsequently requested members of the public to assist investigations by either submitting samples of the alleged plastic rice or give information of where they could be found.