Rice Test

China continues to be the world’s biggest supplier of rice. The Middle Kingdom harvests more than 200 million tons every year and a huge share of it gets exported all over the planet. But cooks and diners as well need to take care: not only are untold levels of pesticides used in Chinese agriculture, but in accordance to a report in The Korea Times rice is also now being produced synthetically.
Potato starch gets mixed with plastic (synthetic resin, for instance) and then formed into rice-shaped kernels. Finally the grains are steamed with a typical rice aroma.

Doctors have emphatically warned against consuming the artificial product: three full portions apparently contain as much plastic as there is in a little plastic bag. That’s alarming!

With these simple tricks you can test whether your rice is wholesome and plastic-free:

The Water Test

Pour a tablespoon of uncooked rice into a glass with cold water and stir it vigorously. If the rice all sinks to the bottom of the glass, it’s fine. If the grains float up to the surface, be careful!

The Fire Test

Try setting a little bit of your rice on fire with a match or lighter. If it starts burning right away and smells like burning plastic, then you know what to do! (Don’t eat it!)

The Mortar and Pestle Test

When you crush a few grains of rice with a mortar and pestle they should be reduced to a fine, white, starchy powder. But with artificial rice, you will see a light yellow discoloration instead.

The Mold Test

If you want to know for sure whether your cooked rice is quite safe, put a small quantity into an airtight container and leave it in a warm place. Within a couple of days it will have gotten moldy. Only fake rice stays mold-free.

Watch the video below: