The National Food Authority (NFA) on Monday assured consumers that there are no fake or adulterated rice being sold in markets.
NFA Administrator Jason Laureano Aquino said the agency is monitoring daily rice market situations and has not found any adulterated or unusual rice stocks in markets after reports about alleged fake or plastic rice circulated in social media.
“We have instructed our field personnel to go directly to the people who claim that they have purchased what they suspect as fake rice and get samples, rather than wait for them to come to our offices to file a complaint or bring samples,” Aquino said as he urged people not to spread wrong information about fake rice.
“We are warning these people to refrain from causing panic among our consumers because it is a criminal act punishable under our laws,” he added.
The Food Development Center laboratory in Taguig is analyzing samples of alleged fake rice bought by a consumer in Borongan, Samar.
NFA agents have also been deployed to interview Rafael Furo Franco of Taguig City, who posted a video of cooked rice molded into a ball and made to bounce on the floor.
The NFA advised consumers to analyze the rice they buy and check its appearance, smell or taste and to report any irregularity to the agency.