Issues related to rice are serious and warrant thorough review
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Ref: "Scare-mongering doesn't help", Letters, yesterday.
Robin Grant carefully defines “adulterated” as “to make improper by …inferior ingredients”. In another letter Vint Chavala tells us of foreign rice imported for that purpose.
If only one manufacturer exceeded the FAO standards it was one too many and some countries expect the lauded Thai rice to be superior for the price they are expected to pay. After the PM’s rice tasting, it was said that packaged rice would be tested in the future, inferring it had not been tested before. She appears to disagree with Grant.
Methyl bromide is a hazardous substance. Because the allowed level is 50, it does not mean you have to include 49.
Grant did not read the article on the two-year-old rice stored in pyramid form rather than a square box for easy quantity monitoring, riddled with insect life and covered with free bird donations. Presumably this is normal and not hazardous. Surprisingly, inspection before buying is not allowed.
The thing that really stinks about the rice is the corruption that goes with it, making people cut corners to make their money. There was no comment on this point in the letter.
Richard Bowler
Bangkok
