Allegedly counterfeit rice appears in Hanoi.
The rice is longer and larger than normal rice, with an opaque white color and an attractive, glossy appearance. Additionally, it has a "strange" smell, similar to plastic. Following complaints from residents of Ho Chi Minh City about buying fake rice (rice made of nylon or rubber), many people in Hanoi have also spoken out, reporting the appearance of fake rice in some suburban districts such as Hoang Mai and Thanh Tri…
According to Duy Manh, a student currently residing at alley 88, Giap Nhi Street (Thinh Liet Ward, Hoang Mai District): while waiting for his family in Thai Binh to send rice, Manh bought 5 kg of rice sold on Giap Nhi Street at a price of 14,000 VND/kg.
The rice that Mr. Mạnh bought on March 16th was longer and larger than normal rice, with an opaque white color and an attractive, shiny appearance. Furthermore, it lacked the characteristic aroma of rice bran, instead having a "strange" smell, almost like plastic.
Mr. Manh said that when he and some of his roommates cooked the rice, they discovered that it didn't expand like normal rice, and the grains were unusually loose. Instead of the fragrant aroma of rice, the whole pot reeked of nylon, mixed with an unpleasant smell of synthetic plastic, making it inedible.
Upon directly investigating at Mr. Mạnh's rented room, the reporter observed that rice cooked from the aforementioned type of rice, kept from March 16th to March 20th, only showed signs of mold and did not spoil like rice cooked from regular rice.
According to Mr. Mạnh, in February 2012, some of his friends had previously bought a similar type of rice on Giáp Nhị street and had to throw it away because of the strong smell of plastic, especially right after cooking.
“During the cooking process, I sensed something unusual. Instead of a fragrant aroma, the rice smelled of plastic after washing, and the smell became even stronger after cooking. I can't confirm it's fake rice yet, but eating it would certainly be bad for my health. I hope the authorities will investigate to protect the rights and health of consumers…” Mr. Mạnh still has nearly 5 kg of the unusual rice and is ready to provide it to the authorities for testing.
Prior to receiving complaints from consumers in Hanoi, in February 2011, some residents in Ho Chi Minh City also sent product photos and images of unfamiliar rice varieties to various media outlets. Following these complaints, leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued a warning advising consumers not to use these unfamiliar rice varieties as they may pose potential health risks.
In response to this situation, a reporter from Dan Tri newspaper sent a sample of the rice along with a request for testing to the Food Safety and Hygiene Department - Ministry of Health for verification and clarification. The agency stated that it would assign inspectors to handle the matter according to regulations.
According to Dantri
