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How to Tell Plastic Rice From Real Rice: Here’s What You Need to Know
Rice is a staple food for billions around the world—versatile, nutritious, and affordable. But lately, unsettling rumors about “plastic rice” flooding the market have caused concern among consumers. So how can you tell if your rice is real or fake? And should you be worried?
In this article, we’ll unpack the facts, help you spot fake rice, and share simple tips to protect yourself and your family from counterfeit grains.
What Is Plastic Rice?
“Plastic rice” refers to synthetic grains made from plastic polymers and starches designed to look like real rice. It’s an illegal, hazardous counterfeit product rumored to be sold to unsuspecting buyers. Although cases have been reported sporadically, it’s important to know how to identify fake rice and avoid it.
How to Spot Plastic Rice: Signs to Watch For
1. Appearance:
- Plastic rice grains often look unusually shiny or glossy, lacking the natural matte finish of real rice.
- The grains may be uniform in size and shape, too perfect to be natural.
2. Smell:
- Real rice has a mild, nutty aroma. Plastic rice tends to have little to no smell or may smell like chemicals or plastic.
3. Texture:
- When uncooked, plastic rice grains feel harder and more brittle.
- Real rice grains are firm but have slight flexibility and a powdery surface texture.
4. Cooking Behavior:
- Plastic rice does not soften properly when boiled and may remain hard or become sticky in an unnatural way.
- It may produce foam or bubbles while cooking that real rice doesn’t.
5. Taste:
- Cooked plastic rice can taste off or have an unpleasant chemical aftertaste.
- Real rice has a familiar, mild flavor.
Simple Home Tests to Try
Water Test:
Drop a handful of rice into a glass of water. Plastic rice may float or clump unusually, while real rice generally sinks.
Burn Test:
(Use caution and perform outdoors.) Burn a few grains: real rice burns like organic matter, giving off a smell of burning paper or wood. Plastic rice smells like burning plastic and melts instead of burning to ash.
