By Mary Grace Padin & Manuel T. Cayon | Mindanao Bureau Chief
THE National Food Authority (NFA) on Monday asked canteens and carinderias (eateries) all over the country to make sure that the rice they serve to customers is free of contaminants.
NFA Administrator Renan Dalisay urged the public to be vigilant and to immediately report to the agency food establishments that serve fake rice.
“We would like to ask canteens and carinderias to be more discriminating when it comes to buying rice,” Dalisay said.
Many Filipinos eat in canteens and eateries because food is cheaper in those establishments.
Rice is the staple food in the Philippines. Studies have shown that the poor tend to eat more rice since they cannot afford to buy other food items, such as chicken and pork.
Previous media reports published in other Asian countries had earlier quoted experts as saying that fake rice is difficult to detect when it is mixed with normal rice.
Earlier, the NFA launched an investigation into the presence of fake rice in Davao City after a consumer complained to local media that a canteen served cooked rice that had the texture of Styrofoam. The food agency tested samples of the fake rice provided by concerned Davao City residents.
Last week the Food Development Center (FDC) said initial tests conducted on the sample revealed the presence of dibutyl phthalate, a chemical compound commonly used as a binder, such as in food packaging.
Scientists from the FDC had said they will perform additional tests to determine the chemical composition of the sample.
“The samples are also being tested for heavy metals—cadmium, lead and mercury—to determine toxicity,” the NFA said.
According to Health Undersecretary Kenneth Hartigan-Go, ingestion of the alleged fake rice from Davao City may cause harm if ingested daily for at least three months. This is because the contaminant is a nonfood-grade substance.
Meanwhile, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte has directed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to go after the source of the fake rice, as he issued a stern warning to dealers “that it would be stupid if I will let you reach the courts.”
Duterte issued the directive to the CIDG during the regular Sunday public-affairs program of the city government aired on the local program of ABS-CBN and also aired live on a cable channel. He said the CIDG should link up with its other officers in other cities and localities where suspected dealers are located.
“Sorry guys, but you have done a huge damage to public health and you have to answer for what you have done,” Duterte said.
He also asked the National Bureau of Investigation to help.
On Sunday Duterte said he would like to have access to the final results of the laboratory tests on the rice sample sent to Manila. Over the weekend, sources at the CIDG said the agency has already compiled a list of rice dealers where suspected fake rice sold in Davao City stores may have originated.