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There are no limits to what the black market can produce to make a profit. The latest cause for concern regarding food is the production of artificial rice.
Yes, artificial rice is now produced on a mass scale and is finding its way even onto supermarket shelves.
It’s hard to believe that rice, which is one of the cheapest foods in the world, is subject to counterfeiting.
Nevertheless, this is happening on a large scale mainly in Asia and especially in China.
Fake rice already in Europe
While at first cases of artificial rice occurred only in China, they gradually spread to Vietnam, India and recently even to Europe.
The problem with fake rice is that it is almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Moreover, it is often mixed into real rice.
Artificial rice tends to cause stomach problems and can even trigger serious digestive disorders. It is made from unregulated materials and additives such as synthetic chemicals.
The greatest concerns are in areas where rice makes up the main component of people’s diets. However, it can also cause problems for people who consume it only occasionally.
Here you can watch a video that shows a machine for producing such counterfeit rice:
How to recognize counterfeit rice
You can recognize counterfeit rice because it has a slight plastic smell.
Additionally, after cooking it retains its shape (unlike real rice, which swells slightly) and it also stays hard, not softening.
Therefore, if you notice these signs in your rice, do not eat it and avoid it.
