Inspection needed for tainted rice coming from Chinese border

Trucks at Muse 105 mile trading zone (Photo-EMG)

Some rice and rice-related products from China's Guandong Province are found to have been tainted with cadmium, a chemical that can cause cancer and other illnesses.

Therefore, Chinese authorities have suspended the mills’ operation and seized the bags or tainted rice already in the market.

The alarm was made by the Food and Drug Administration of Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province. The agency revealed last week that 8 out of 18 samples of rice tested from canteens and restaurants in the first three months of this year had cadmium levels surpassing national limits.

The announcement followed reports over the weekend that government inspectors discovered that 44.4 percent of rice and rice products tested this year in the southern city of Guangzhou in Guangdong province showed high levels of cadmium.

The carcinogenic metal can seriously damage the kidneys, heart and cause other health problems, a general practioner said. “Cadmium is like zinc and mercury. The water and soil and farm products near the industrial zones are contaminated with this kind of chemical. We have to be very cautious about this matter, "he added.

If this tainted rice is destroyed within the China, it is not a problem. However, if this cadmium stained rice are imported to neighbouring countries with cheap prices using illegal routes, or transformed these rice into related rice products, it may become a serious problem, the consumers said.

Therefore, illegal importing and exporting of rice along Myanmar border need detailed inspection according to a merchant trading with China said.

“If this rice is destroyed, it can give no harm to people. But, these cadmium tainted rice may come into our country with the form of rice or other related rice products, from border areas illegally.

For example, the Chinese buy Myanmar rice and on the way back home, they sell this rice to us with the cheapest price. The tainted rice may enter into Myanmar or may import into other neighbouring countries. Hence, strict examination is needed, "he said.

Source : http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/national/3706-inspection-needed-for-tainted-rice-coming-from-chinese-border