Chloe Zhang
Rumours of the USA importing plastic rice from China have been circulating since 2010, with viral videos on social media showing bouncing rice balls as evidence. However, there is little evidence to support these claims. While it is true that the USA regularly imports rice from China, among other countries, there have been no confirmed cases of plastic rice being sold on the market. The US Department of Agriculture projects that rice imports for 2022/23 will reach an all-time high of 44 million hundredweight, with the majority being long-grain Asian aromatic varieties such as jasmine rice from Thailand and basmati rice from India and Pakistan.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic rice being sold in the USA | No evidence found |
| Plastic rice being sold in Africa and Southeast Asia | Rumors and investigations, but no evidence found |
| Countries that investigated the sale of plastic rice | Ivory Coast, Senegal, The Gambia, Ghana, China, Nigeria, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia |
| Year of initial reports of plastic rice | 2011 |
| Materials used to make plastic rice | Potatoes, Sweet potatoes, industrial sticky resin, synthetic resin, plastic |
| Rice varieties imported by the USA | Long-grain, medium-grain, short-grain |
| Countries the USA imports rice from | Thailand, India, Pakistan, South America, China, Italy |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic rice a hoax
Rumours of plastic rice being sold in Africa and Southeast Asia have been circulating on social media since around 2010, with viral videos showing bouncing rice balls. The rumours spread in Senegal, The Gambia, Ghana, and Nigeria, and reached such a pitch that various food safety authorities decided to investigate. Despite the virality of the claims, no plastic rice was found to be sold on the Ghanaian or Nigerian markets.
The rumours were originally prompted by "'fake rice' scandals", although they didn't involve food made entirely out of plastic. In one case, companies were passing off ordinary but edible rice as premium "Wuchang" grains. Then in 2011, reports emerged that rice was being produced with potatoes and an industrial sticky resin. The rumours were further compounded when a Chinese restaurant association official warned that eating three bowls of "plastic rice" was the equivalent of eating one plastic bag. However, at no point were there confirmed cases of large amounts of plastic chips being passed off as rice.
"Plastic rice" is manufactured for use in shipping boxes, but it's likely that in most cases the cost of the chips would be more expensive than real rice. The story had reached social media in Africa by 2016 when Nigerian customs authorities confiscated 2.5 tonnes of rice. Customs officials initially claimed that the rice was plastic - and were later forced to backtrack when the country's health minister said there was no evidence for the claims.
In October 2016, the claim recirculated on Facebook and inspired blog posts anew, such as verbatim details of the years-old claim reproduced on alternative health blogs. Research has shown that certain rice factories in China have been producing a "fake rice substitute" in place of the popular and more expensive Wuchang rice, for greater profit. According to the Korean Times, this food fraud is being created using a mixture of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and synthetic resin (plastic). These ingredients are mixed together and formed into "grains" that closely resemble actual grains of rice.
The United States regularly imports medium- and short-grain rice from Thailand, India, China, and Italy, with nearly all the rice from China going to the U.S. However, there is no indication that any of this rice is plastic. In fact, U.S. rice imports for the 2022/23 marketing year are projected to reach the highest volume on record at 44 million hundredweight, with imported rice accounting for almost 32% of domestic use.
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Plastic rice in Africa
Rumours of plastic rice being sold in Africa have been circulating on social media since around 2010, with videos showing people bouncing rice balls. In 2016, Nigerian customs authorities confiscated 2.5 tonnes of rice that was initially believed to be plastic. However, these claims were later refuted by the country's health minister, who stated there was no evidence that the rice was made of plastic. The incident sparked investigations into the origin of the seized rice and warnings to the public against consuming it.
In 2017, rumours of plastic rice spread in Senegal, The Gambia, and Ghana, prompting the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority to investigate. They invited consumers and traders to submit samples of suspected plastic rice brands and concluded that no plastic rice was being sold on the Ghanaian market.
The rumours of plastic rice in Africa are often associated with China, with some believing that Chinese manufacturers produce synthetic rice made from potatoes, sweet potatoes, and plastic. This synthetic rice is then allegedly exported and mixed with real rice supplies to deceive consumers. While there is little evidence to support these claims, the rumours have persisted, particularly in countries heavily dependent on imported rice, such as Ivory Coast and Senegal.
The persistence of the plastic rice rumours in Africa has led to varying responses from authorities and media organisations. Some governments and food safety authorities have addressed the rumours directly, reassuring the public that there is no truth to them. Hassan Arouni, editor of the BBC's Focus on Africa, has expressed uncertainty about the origin of these rumours but commended West African food safety authorities for their proactive approach in dispelling them.
While the existence of plastic rice in Africa remains a myth, it has caused concern and panic among the public. The spread of misinformation on social media has been a contributing factor, with viral videos and unverified reports fuelling the persistence of the plastic rice rumours in Africa.
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Plastic rice in the USA
Rumours of plastic rice being sold in the USA have been circulating on social media since around 2010. Viral videos showing bouncing rice balls have fuelled the fire, and the stories have spread across the world, from West Africa to Southeast Asia.
In 2011, reports emerged that rice was being produced with potatoes and industrial sticky resin. A Chinese restaurant association official warned that eating three bowls of this "plastic rice" was the equivalent of eating one plastic bag. However, there were never any confirmed cases of large amounts of plastic chips being passed off as rice. In fact, it's likely that the cost of plastic chips would be higher than real rice, making the whole scheme financially illogical.
In 2016, the story resurfaced on Facebook and alternative health blogs, claiming that certain rice factories in China were producing a "fake rice substitute" in place of the more expensive Wuchang rice. The "rice" was said to be made from potatoes, sweet potatoes, and synthetic resin (plastic). These ingredients were mixed, shaped into grains, and then sold as real rice. While these stories originated in China, there is little evidence that it was ever a widespread problem.
Despite the lack of evidence, the rumours have persisted, and governments have been compelled to make statements to reassure their citizens. In 2016, the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority invited consumers and traders to submit samples of any rice brands they suspected of being made from plastic. They found no plastic rice being sold on the Ghanaian market. Similarly, the Government Laboratory in Hong Kong tested incriminated rice samples and confirmed that all samples were, in fact, rice.
The United States imports rice from various countries, including Thailand, India, Pakistan, South America, and China. While there have been no reports of plastic rice in the USA, the country's increasing reliance on imported rice may raise concerns among consumers, especially given the persistent rumours surrounding plastic rice in other parts of the world.
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Plastic rice in China
Since as early as 2011, rumours have circulated on social media that Chinese companies are manufacturing and exporting plastic rice. The rice is allegedly made from a mixture of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and plastic, with an industrial resin as a binding agent. These rumours were fuelled by viral videos showing bouncing rice balls, which some claimed were made of plastic. However, experts have debunked these rumours, stating that rice, when prepared in a certain way, can indeed bounce due to its natural carbohydrate and protein content.
In 2016, Nigerian customs officials seized 2.5 tonnes of rice, initially claiming it was plastic. However, they later backtracked, as tests showed no evidence of plastic, although the rice did contain high levels of bacteria. Similarly, in Indonesia, concerns arose about synthetic rice being distributed to the community, but these reports were also found to be false. While there have been no confirmed cases of plastic rice, small amounts of natural rice moulded into dense balls can indeed bounce, and high-quality videos of such rice balls could be mistaken for plastic.
In China, fake rice, eggs, fish, and vegetables are sometimes used as display items for restaurant menus, but these are not intended for consumption. While there is no evidence of widespread plastic rice being sold in China or elsewhere, the rumour persists, particularly in countries dependent on imported rice, such as those in West Africa. Food safety authorities in these regions are addressing the rumours directly, reassuring the public that they are unfounded.
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USA's rice imports in 2022/23
There have been rumours of plastic rice circulating on social media since around 2010, originating in China and spreading to West African countries like Ivory Coast, Senegal, The Gambia, Ghana, and Nigeria. These rumours were driven by viral videos showing bouncing rice balls and were addressed by food safety authorities in West Africa, who investigated and found no evidence of plastic rice being sold in their markets. While there were reports of companies passing off ordinary rice as premium grains and mixing rice with potatoes and industrial sticky resin, there were no confirmed cases of large amounts of plastic chips being sold as rice.
Now, regarding the USA's rice imports in 2022/23, the information I've found is based on projections from the USDA's Economic Research Service Rice Outlook report from September 2022. According to this source, the combined medium- and short-grain rice imports are projected to expand by 41% in 2022/23 due to reduced production in California, which typically accounts for around 70% of US medium- and short-grain production. The California rice crop is expected to decrease by 38% from the previous year, resulting in the smallest crop yield since 1977/78 due to consecutive years of drought. To compensate, the United States will likely increase imports from Thailand, India, China, and Italy, with most of the rice from China going to Puerto Rico.
In terms of volume, one source mentions that rice imports to the US are projected to reach about 1.3 million metric tons in 2022/23, which is a significant increase from the 2016/17 trade year when imports amounted to about 787 thousand metric tons.
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Frequently asked questions
No, there is no evidence that the USA imports plastic rice.
"Plastic rice" is a term used to describe fake rice made from a mixture of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and plastic or industrial resin.
The term "plastic rice" originated from rumours on social media that Chinese companies were manufacturing and exporting plastic rice, passing it off as real rice.
The USA is projected to have an all-time high volume of rice imports in 2022/23, with 32% of domestic rice being imported. This increase in imported rice may have sparked concerns about the quality and safety of the rice entering the country.
Food safety authorities and government laboratories conduct tests on rice samples to ensure that they meet the required safety standards and do not contain any harmful substances, including plastic. Consumers can also be vigilant by checking the physical properties of rice and reporting any suspicious products to the relevant authorities.
