Maya Ellison
Since 2010, rumours have circulated on social media that China is making rice from plastic. In 2011, reports emerged that Chinese companies were mass-producing fake rice made from potatoes, sweet potatoes, and plastic. This rice was made by mixing the potato material, shaping it into grains, and adding an industrial resin as a binding agent. While there have been reports of rice being confiscated due to suspected plastic content, no credible evidence has confirmed the presence of plastic in these instances. Food fraud experts suggest that the plastic rice could be actual rice that has been poorly stored for an extended period, resulting in contamination. While the existence of plastic rice remains a myth, it has fuelled concerns about food safety and the potential for fraud in the global food system.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic rice made in China | Rumors have been circulating since 2010 |
| Plastic rice flooding Western markets | Reports hold this to be true |
| Plastic rice being exported and consumed by people in other countries | Social media rumors since early 2011 |
| Plastic rice being sold in parts of the world that don't have food safety checks and measures | Regularly crops up in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Plastic rice being sold in India | No, but there have been reports of demonstrations against such rice |
| Plastic rice being manufactured in China | Not confirmed, but samples of rice from China contained traces of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) |
| Plastic rice being sold in Nigeria | 2.5 tons of rice initially thought to be plastic, later ruled out by the country's health minister |
| Plastic rice being sold in Telangana, India | The Civil Supplies Department received complaints about hotels using plastic rice |
| Plastic rice being dumped in developing countries | More likely that it is real rice that has been poorly stored for up to a decade |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic rice is likely a myth
Since 2010, rumours have circulated on social media that plastic rice is being manufactured in China and exported to other countries. In 2011, reports emerged that this "plastic rice" was being produced with potatoes, sweet potatoes, and industrial resin or synthetic resin. A Chinese Restaurant Association official stated that eating three bowls of this "plastic rice" was the equivalent of eating one plastic bag. These reports caused alarm and distress among the public. However, there is evidence to suggest that the "plastic rice" is likely a myth.
Firstly, food fraud experts have stated that the rumours are likely incorrect. They argue that plastic is more expensive than rice, so it would not make economic sense to produce rice from plastic. Poor storage conditions are a more likely explanation for the appearance of "plastic rice". According to these experts, the rice may have been stored for up to ten years and not stored properly, which could alter its appearance and characteristics.
Secondly, while videos circulating online show rice being compressed into balls and bouncing, this does not necessarily indicate that the rice is made of plastic. Dr. Dono, a food expert, explained that rice with high levels of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) or non-patent carbohydrates, such as amylopectin and amylose, can also form dense, bouncy balls. This is common in sticky rice varieties.
Thirdly, the idea that the rice is made from plastic has been debunked by journalists and industry groups. Alexander Waugh, director of the UK-based Rice Association, stated that while the videos may be authentic, they do not prove that the rice is plastic. He explained that rice, when prepared in a certain way, can also become bouncy. Alexandre Capron, a journalist from France 24's The Observers, suggested that protectionism and distrust of foreign imports may have fuelled the rumours. He believes that some people are deliberately sharing fake videos to encourage consumers to buy locally grown rice.
Finally, governments and food safety authorities have also addressed the rumours and stated that there is no evidence of plastic rice being sold. For example, in Ghana, consumers and traders were invited to submit samples of any rice brands they suspected of being made of plastic, and the results showed no plastic rice on the market. While there have been reports of fake rice scandals in China, these involved passing off ordinary rice as premium grains, not plastic rice.
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Plastic rice rumours started in China
Since 2010, rumours have circulated on social media that plastic rice was being manufactured in China and exported to other countries. The rumours claimed that the fake rice was made from potatoes, sweet potatoes, and plastic, and then mixed in with real rice to trick consumers.
In 2011, Raw Story and The Mary Sue published items about the purported plastic rice controversy, noting that the claims were unsubstantiated. The same year, a report from Very Vietnam alleged that some Chinese food producers were creating synthetic rice out of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and plastic. The article included a quote from a Chinese Restaurant Association official, who said that eating three bowls of this fake rice would be like eating one plastic bag.
In 2016, the claim recirculated on Facebook, inspiring various blog posts and alternative health websites to republish the old claim. This time, the focus was on the idea that certain rice factories in China had been producing a "fake rice substitute" in place of the more expensive Wuchang rice. The Korean Times reported that this food fraud was made using a mixture of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and synthetic resin (plastic).
The rumours about plastic rice have persisted, fuelled by videos on social media that show people bouncing rice balls. However, food fraud experts and journalists have worked to debunk the myths, saying that the videos are fake and that the rice is not made from plastic. Instead, they suggest that the rice has been stored for up to 10 years and not stored well, which can cause it to become hard and rubbery.
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Plastic rice is made from potatoes, sweet potatoes, and plastic
Since 2010, rumours have circulated on social media that Chinese manufacturers are creating synthetic rice out of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and plastic. The rice is allegedly made by mixing the potato material together, shaping it into grains, and then adding an "industrial resin" as a binding agent. The obvious motivation behind this scheme would be money, as synthetic rice is allegedly cheaper to produce.
In 2011, reports emerged that Chinese companies were mass-producing fake rice made, in part, out of plastic. A Chinese Restaurant Association official commented that eating three bowls of this fake rice would be like eating one plastic bag. However, it is important to note that these claims were never substantiated. In fact, food fraud experts have stated that plastic is more expensive than rice, making it unlikely that plastic rice would be cheaper to produce.
While there have been reports of rice being contaminated with bacteria and other substances, there have been no confirmed cases of large amounts of plastic chips being passed off as rice. The term "plastic rice" is often used to describe rice that has been poorly stored for a long period of time, sometimes up to ten years, and has become contaminated as a result. This type of rice is typically sold in parts of the world that lack strict food safety measures and regulations.
The social media rumours about plastic rice in China may have been prompted by previous "fake rice" scandals in the country. In one case, companies were caught passing off ordinary but edible rice as premium "Wuchang" grains by adding flavours to it. These scandals may have contributed to the persistence of the plastic rice rumours, despite a lack of concrete evidence.
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Plastic rice was sold in Western markets
Since 2010, rumours have been circulating on social media that plastic rice is being manufactured in China and exported to other countries. In 2011, reports emerged that Chinese companies were mass-producing fake rice made from potatoes, sweet potatoes, and plastic. This synthetic rice was said to be shaped into grains and mixed with an industrial resin as a binding agent. A Chinese Restaurant Association official warned that consuming this fake rice was equivalent to eating plastic bags.
While these rumours caused alarm, food fraud experts and scientists have debunked the claims. They argue that the economics of using plastic does not make sense, as plastic is more expensive than rice. Additionally, they explain that the videos of bouncing rice balls do not indicate the presence of plastic. Instead, rice with high levels of non-starch polysaccharides or non-patent carbohydrates, such as amylopectin and amylose, can also exhibit similar characteristics.
In 2016, separate tests conducted by various Indonesian agencies on suspected plastic rice samples concluded that the rice contained traces of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and plasticizers. However, the percentages of synthetic materials were not stated, and other reports suggested that the "plastic rice" could be actual rice that had been poorly stored for an extended period.
While the existence of plastic rice in Western markets has not been substantiated, the persistence of these rumours has impacted consumer trust in imported rice. Food safety authorities in potentially affected regions, such as West Africa, have actively addressed these concerns by inviting consumers and traders to submit samples for testing and collaborating on projects like EU-China-Safe to enhance food safety and combat fraud.
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Plastic rice was first reported in 2010
Rumours of plastic rice from China have been circulating since around 2010, with reports of plastic rice being manufactured and mixed with the real rice supply to trick consumers. These rumours were further fuelled by videos showing people bouncing rice balls, leading to concerns that the rice contained plastic. However, experts have since debunked these claims, explaining that rice, when prepared in a certain way, can indeed bounce due to its natural carbohydrates and proteins.
The rumours of plastic rice originated from reports of "fake rice" scandals in China, where companies passed off ordinary rice as premium "Wuchang" grains. These reports did not involve food made entirely of plastic but rather a mixture of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and industrial resin. The addition of industrial resin, a binding agent, gave the fake rice its signature bounce, leading to the misconception that it was made of plastic.
In 2011, social media rumours asserted that Chinese manufacturers were producing plastic rice, which was then exported and consumed by people in other countries. These rumours were not substantiated, and it was noted that the motivation behind such schemes would be purely financial, as synthetic rice is cheaper to produce.
While the specific details may vary, the consistent presence of rumours regarding plastic rice from China has persisted, impacting various regions, particularly those dependent on imported rice, such as Ivory Coast and Senegal. The persistence of these rumours has led to governments and food safety authorities addressing them directly to reassure the public and dispel the myths surrounding plastic rice.
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Frequently asked questions
No, although there have been rumours circulating on social media since 2010 that China is making rice from plastic, there is no credible evidence to support these claims.
The rumours originated from a "fake rice" scandal in China in 2010, where companies passed off ordinary rice as premium "Wuchang" rice by adding flavours to it.
In 2016, Nigerian customs authorities confiscated 2.5 tonnes of rice initially believed to be plastic. However, tests showed that it was regular rice with a high level of bacteria.
Some reports claim that plastic rice is made from a mixture of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and plastic, with an "industrial resin" as a binding agent. However, food fraud experts say that it is unlikely that rice would be made from plastic as it is more expensive than rice.
The rumours have been fuelled by videos showing rice balls bouncing, which some people believe is due to the rice being made from plastic. However, rice experts have stated that rice can bounce when prepared in a certain way due to its natural characteristics.
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