Pesticide concern: Packed Thai rice checked for contamination

[webfact]

PESTICIDE CONCERN
Packed rice checked for contamination
The Nation

Govt officials, consumer group testing for traces of methyl bromide, used to kill pests in govt stocks

BANGKOK: -- Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong ordered food safety watchdogs yesterday to investigate if bags of rice were contaminated with the fumigant methyl bromide, an odourless and colourless gas used to control pests.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials and the Medical Sciences Department (MSD) have been told to collect 54 samples at random from bulk-packed rice, sold on the market, to study possible contamination as well as any effects of humidity.

Results of lab tests were expected to be known by Friday, Pradit said. But it was believed the public should face no health risk.

The quality of bulk-packed rice should be frequently monitored, Pradit said. However, bulk-packed rice was not listed as a food that needed to be controlled under the 1979 Food Act.

FDA secretary general Boonchai Somboonsook said his agency had teamed up with Medical Science officials to collect samples of rice last week. Most of the samples were randomly collected from big retail stores.

The agency would check for "contamination" of rice with methyl bromide, which is used to kill weevils and fungi, as well as hazardous substances and pesticides.

Contamination of rice products had not been reported as often as other products such as canned fish, which was why it was not listed as a controlled product under the Food Act.

"The FDA is now considering listing rice products as a 'controlled product' under the Food Act, as the agency would be able to monitor the food safety for this product," Boonchai said.

MSD director-general Niphon Popattanachai said his agency would release the results of lab tests for methyl bromide in the collected samples by Friday.

The Foundation for Consumers has also been studying possible contamination of rice with methyl bromide after collecting 35 samples from the market. The results of its lab tests are also expected by the end of this week.

The pesticide is widely used in rice storage and is able to decompose, but the amount used must not exceed standards set by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Joint FAO/World Health Organisation Food Standards Programme.

Agriculture Department chief Dumrong Jirasutas has accepted that substances including methyl bromide and phosphine are used to kill weevils and fungi in rice that has been kept in storage. But he said the two substances would not pose a risk for consumers, as they decompose in the air.

"These two substances have been accepted by the FAO and the FDA to use as pesticides to kill insects," he said.


-- The Nation 2013-06-25

[I Like Thai]

Maybe tonnes and tonnes of rice will need to be destroyed. Then the rice scheme will lose lots of money because of this contamination. Maybe all the stored rice will need to be destroyed.

[NongKhaiKid]

Maybe tonnes and tonnes of rice will need to be destroyed. Then the rice scheme will lose lots of money because of this contamination. Maybe all the stored rice will need to be destroyed.

They can't see the rice because of the price, they can't sell any of the rice that's rotting and now pesticide contamination.

How is this one going to be spun ?

[waza]

Seem that if its not rotting or missing its contaminated. This also begs the question of how much they are paying for this rice that is released for local consumption, surely not the artificially inflated rice scam price, when the cheaper imported Cambodian rice is available?

Edited June 24, 2013 by waza

[A Member]

IN Channel have quoted the manager of a warehouse where dead rodents and insects were found as saying this and pesticides etc DO NOT affect the quality of the rice and render it unfit for consumption. I bet he takes the very best quality stuff home to his family every day.

[Thai at Heart]

If it's done properly phosphine doesn't leave a residue.

The whole world uses it for fumigation.

[NongKhaiKid]

If it's done properly phosphine doesn't leave a residue.

The whole world uses it for fumigation.

You have said it all with " if it's done properly... " but unfortunately it's also a phrase that most Thais are not too familiar with

[chooka]

Maybe tonnes and tonnes of rice will need to be destroyed. Then the rice scheme will lose lots of money because of this contamination. Maybe all the stored rice will need to be destroyed.

They can't see the rice because of the price, they can't sell any of the rice that's rotting and now pesticide contamination.

How is this one going to be spun ?

No problem TAT will release a statement shortly. The Rice Scheme has had effect on Tourism.

[chooka]

IN Channel have quoted the manager of a warehouse where dead rodents and insects were found as saying this and pesticides etc DO NOT affect the quality of the rice and render it unfit for consumption. I bet he takes the very best quality stuff home to his family every day.

Maybe International buyers may have a very different opinion to the manager. Different countries have different standards of what is and is not fit for human consumption. These are the people you have to convince beyond all reasonable doubt and not the Thai public.

[Thai at Heart]

If it's done properly phosphine doesn't leave a residue.

The whole world uses it for fumigation.

You have said it all with " if it's done properly... " but unfortunately it's also a phrase that most Thais are not too familiar with

To be honest, is w very simple to use.

You either don't use enough and stuff doesn't die, or you put too much so that when you open the covers, you kill yourself.

The shouldn't be a residue from phosphine.

[A Member]

IN Channel have quoted the manager of a warehouse where dead rodents and insects were found as saying this and pesticides etc DO NOT affect the quality of the rice and render it unfit for consumption. I bet he takes the very best quality stuff home to his family every day.

Maybe International buyers may have a very different opinion to the manager. Different countries have different standards of what is and is not fit for human consumption. These are the people you have to convince beyond all reasonable doubt and not the Thai public.

This is a good point and I'm sure many starving people around the world would be thankful but it's likely the rice will be bought for them by the UN, aid donor nations or international charities who may have ideas about standards unless, of course, more scams are involved. Funny how it always comes back to fiddles !

[Ricardo]

54 samples to be taken, and some 20 million tons in storage, that's one sample per 370,000 tons, isn't it ?

But perhaps a larger budget is needed, to actually test this rice properly, before it's released for voters' consumption ?

Ensuring bigger brown-envelopes, to make sure that the tests give the 'right' results, of course.

[retell]

where do they buy that pesticide ? they should ban it from being made worldwide

[bubblegum]

Its the perfect excuse to explain a those tons of missing rice

[petedk]

As someone mentioned if the spraying is done correctly then there is no danger to humans but is it done correctly? There are so many lies and cover ups that no one can be trusted.

I read in the other newspaper that a team of reporters were shown around a warehouse in Chachoensao after complaints from local residents of a bad smell. The reporters were shown that the rice was fine and suffered no signs of rotting and that the roof of the building was also OK but as one of the reporters mentioned they were only shown a small area and that he could see further away that the roof was damaged.

I know that exports of rice have fallen drastically because of the price of Thai rice but if any of the western laboratories discover any traces of chemicals over the recommended limits in the rice they import, then they would probably hit Thailand with a total ban. That would do far more damage to the Thai rice industry.

I seem to remember something similar happening to poultry sales a few years ago when we had the bird flu scare.

[soi41]

Isn't it ironic, that the consumers in a major ricegrowing country as Thailand, has to settle for second or third grade rice?

All because of stupid votebuying policy. Not to mention a never ending greed !

[Harry2]

Is it possible to buy rice from outside Thailand in the shops here?

Cant remember seeing any but it would certainly be my choice.

[chooka]

As someone mentioned if the spraying is done correctly then there is no danger to humans but is it done correctly? There are so many lies and cover ups that no one can be trusted.

I read in the other newspaper that a team of reporters were shown around a warehouse in Chachoensao after complaints from local residents of a bad smell. The reporters were shown that the rice was fine and suffered no signs of rotting and that the roof of the building was also OK but as one of the reporters mentioned they were only shown a small area and that he could see further away that the roof was damaged.

I know that exports of rice have fallen drastically because of the price of Thai rice but if any of the western laboratories discover any traces of chemicals over the recommended limits in the rice they import, then they would probably hit Thailand with a total ban. That would do far more damage to the Thai rice industry.

I seem to remember something similar happening to poultry sales a few years ago when we had the bird flu scare.

When spraying a few sacks of rice they would probably take less care than they would in spraying hotel rooms. (Downtown Inn)

[Thai at Heart]

where do they buy that pesticide ? they should ban it from being made worldwide

If you want weevils in your cornflakes, great. This stuff has been used worldwide forever with no issues whatsoever.

Literally every foodstuff in the world is fumigated with this stuff.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5042e/x5042e0a.htm

[Thai at Heart]

As someone mentioned if the spraying is done correctly then there is no danger to humans but is it done correctly? There are so many lies and cover ups that no one can be trusted.

I read in the other newspaper that a team of reporters were shown around a warehouse in Chachoensao after complaints from local residents of a bad smell. The reporters were shown that the rice was fine and suffered no signs of rotting and that the roof of the building was also OK but as one of the reporters mentioned they were only shown a small area and that he could see further away that the roof was damaged.

I know that exports of rice have fallen drastically because of the price of Thai rice but if any of the western laboratories discover any traces of chemicals over the recommended limits in the rice they import, then they would probably hit Thailand with a total ban. That would do far more damage to the Thai rice industry.

I seem to remember something similar happening to poultry sales a few years ago when we had the bird flu scare.

It isn't sprayed. It is applied using pellets which produces a gas on contact with water vapor which penetrates the stacks of products. Normally conducted under polythene sheeting or in a closed building. It will penetrate very deep inside just about any stack of produce, and the stack is normally held under fumigation for 5 days, and then one or two days for ventilation.

Edited June 25, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[Wavefloater]

If it's done properly phosphine doesn't leave a residue.

The whole world uses it for fumigation.

You have said it all with " if it's done properly... " but unfortunately it's also a phrase that most Thais are not too familiar with

Exactly! That's the big concern. In their child-minded way Thais believe that more is always better. Remember the tests done on vegetables recently that discovered some (those long green beans, I believe) were found to be as much as 220 time higher in pesticides than acceptable by the EU standards? So, now Thai rice isn't only overpriced according to world markets standards, but it appears to that much of it is going to be moldy, rotting, poisonous garbage. I've lost all confidence in Thai rice and would seriously like to know where I can find imported stuff.

[nottocus]

Maybe tonnes and tonnes of rice will need to be destroyed. Then the rice scheme will lose lots of money because of this contamination. Maybe all the stored rice will need to be destroyed.

They can't see the rice because of the price, they can't sell any of the rice that's rotting and now pesticide contamination.

How is this one going to be spun ?

No problem TAT will release a statement shortly. The Rice Scheme has had effect on Tourism.

TAT has announced tourist numbers up by 4 million in the last quarter once tours of rice storage facilities were promoted.

[irwinfc]

i did a quick research on methyl bromide and phosphine (which is supposed to be safer than methyl bromide). i have not come across any site or publication indicating either chemical as toxic or even carcinogenic when eaten. it's the inhalation during spraying that kills people. whether this issue has been exaggerated or not remains to be seen. my guess is all this started from either Facebook, Twitter, LINE, etc.

[jamhar]

This rice story seems to be just a bit too easy.

[Thai at Heart]

i did a quick research on methyl bromide and phosphine (which is supposed to be safer than methyl bromide). i have not come across any site or publication indicating either chemical as toxic or even carcinogenic when eaten. it's the inhalation during spraying that kills people. whether this issue has been exaggerated or not remains to be seen. my guess is all this started from either Facebook, Twitter, LINE, etc.

They haven't used methyl bromide in Thailand for donkeys years. All I have ever heard of is phosphine.

[irwinfc]

i did a quick research on methyl bromide and phosphine (which is supposed to be safer than methyl bromide). i have not come across any site or publication indicating either chemical as toxic or even carcinogenic when eaten. it's the inhalation during spraying that kills people. whether this issue has been exaggerated or not remains to be seen. my guess is all this started from either Facebook, Twitter, LINE, etc.

They haven't used methyl bromide in Thailand for donkeys years. All I have ever heard of is phosphine.

that's what i have read as well, but methyl bromide is what the authorities are checking for. so you either heard wrong or the MOPH is just full of idiots.

[Thai at Heart]

i did a quick research on methyl bromide and phosphine (which is supposed to be safer than methyl bromide). i have not come across any site or publication indicating either chemical as toxic or even carcinogenic when eaten. it's the inhalation during spraying that kills people. whether this issue has been exaggerated or not remains to be seen. my guess is all this started from either Facebook, Twitter, LINE, etc.

They haven't used methyl bromide in Thailand for donkeys years. All I have ever heard of is phosphine.

that's what i have read as well, but methyl bromide is what the authorities are checking for. so you either heard wrong or the MOPH is just full of idiots.

Ummm. I think you may have answered your own question.

[T_Dog]

where do they buy that pesticide ? they should ban it from being made worldwide

The pesticide companies have a lot of influence world wide. Lots of problems up in Fang but look what happened to the video telling the world of the issue.......

http://www.tveap.org/?q=film_details.php&id=O005

[irwinfc]

i did a quick research on methyl bromide and phosphine (which is supposed to be safer than methyl bromide). i have not come across any site or publication indicating either chemical as toxic or even carcinogenic when eaten. it's the inhalation during spraying that kills people. whether this issue has been exaggerated or not remains to be seen. my guess is all this started from either Facebook, Twitter, LINE, etc.

They haven't used methyl bromide in Thailand for donkeys years. All I have ever heard of is phosphine.

that's what i have read as well, but methyl bromide is what the authorities are checking for. so you either heard wrong or the MOPH is just full of idiots.

Ummm. I think you may have answered your own question.

sorry, i don't recall asking one.

[skorchio]

It would take a person of seriously strong character to blow a whistle on this. If the rice is found to be dirty, it could bring down the Govt. I would expect compliance from the authorities doing the testing, as they would fear for their safety, big time.