Editorial: Another Problem for BELEAGUERED Thai Rice

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

This editorial deserves the accompanying news story:

Rice safety fears

PONGPHON SARNSAMAK
THE NATION July 18, 2013 1:00 am

Bid for stricter control to regulate the use of chemicals

Health authorities are scrambling to slap strict controls on chemical fumigation of rice and to push packers into upgrading their processing to good manufacturing practices (GMP) after reported findings of adulterated rice sapped public confidence in the country's food safety standards.

"Over the next five months, we will be nudging operators into adjusting themselves fast," Public Health Minister Pradit Sintavanarong said yesterday.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will this week ask the Public Health Ministry to issue a regulation limiting the use of three hazardous chemical substances - methyl bromide, hydrogen phosphide and sulfuryl fluoride - in rice products. This would be the first time for Thailand to impose controls on the use of substances in its signature food product.

The FDA will also ask manufacturers to voluntarily comply with the primary GMP, which requires them to ensure the cleanliness of their manufacturing processes to pack rice before launching in the market.

Pradit said that starting on January 1, all bagged rice would be up to GMP standards.

The government was also planning to ban methyl bromide, a pesticide used to kill rice-eating bugs, within two years, he said.

A consumer rights watchdog revealed on Tuesday that some packed rice products were tested with a high level of methyl bromide and some exceeded the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation's guidelines.

On the same day, the FDA had already ordered the manufacturer of Ko-Ko packed rice, Siam Grains, to recall its products from shelves after it found that some of its products contained 94.2 milligrams per kilogram of methyl bromide.

FDA deputy secretary-general Srinuan Korrakuchakorn said stricter control of the three chemicals would mean that food products containing the substances above limits would face penalties under the Food Act of 1979.

The regulation would also apply to brown rice, germinated brown rice, and vitamin-enhanced rice.

Last Friday, the FDA collected samples of Ko-Ko packed rice to test for traces of agricultural chemicals and methyl bromide. It got the results on Monday, which showed 94.2 milligrams of methyl bromide per kilogram. That the Foundation for Consumers announced its results while the FDA kept quiet raised the question whether the government was hiding something.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday that different organisations might have different standards when it came to the level of chemicals in packed rice. She said her government was ready to address public concerns.

"If you have any question, we are ready to check and provide an explanation," she said. Asked by reporters if the news would hurt the country's rice exports, she urged everyone not to generalise the issue.

FDA secretary-general Dr Boonchai Somboonsook said yesterday that his agency is inspecting the manufacturer's production process and had instructed it to recall all packed rice products until the investigation is complete.

Dumrong Jirasutas, director-general of the Agriculture Department, said his agency would also collect more Ko-Ko samples produced by Siam Grains to confirm the results of the lab test conducted by the Foundation for Consumers.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Rice-safety-fears-30210699.html

Edited July 18, 2013 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[NeverSure]

No mention of the lead in it, found by the US?

[DekDaeng]

Mai bpen lai,

sen bin du bai.

Edited July 18, 2013 by DekDaeng

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

One thing I'm wondering about all this... which I doubt very much the Thai media will ever address...

1. Did all this chemical-contaminated rice stuff arise now because, because of the big glut of unsold rice, the processors and storage places have been applying more pesticides and fumigants and/or applying them over a longer period if time, thus raising the exposure levels.

or

2. These same chemicals have been contaminating the rice all along, pretty much the same, and it's only now that any one's started paying attention to the issue because of the political mess about the government's rice pledging program and unsold stocks.

[DekDaeng]

One thing I'm wondering about all this... which I doubt very much the Thai media will ever address...

1. Did all this chemical-contaminated rice stuff arise now because, because of the big glut of unsold rice, the processors and storage places have been applying more pesticides and fumigants and/or applying them over a longer period if time, thus raising the exposure levels.

or

2. These same chemicals have been contaminating the rice all along, pretty much the same, and it's only now that any one's started paying attention to the issue because of the political mess about the government's rice pledging program and unsold stocks.

Some of the bags in the SIam rice video showed dates of 2001 - surely that must be the date the bag was made? Can rice keep for 12 years?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

They've been saving it up to sell it as "aged rice," same like a fine whisky.

[slapout]

I wonder if everyday when YL goes to her office, I presume she does sometimes, she asks " what's the rice problem today ? "

We have run out of storage facilities, and not sure of how many we have or what is needed

rice is being brought in from neighboring countries

rice is being stolen

some rice is logged into the system multiple times

rice is missing thru transport losses

we do not know how much rice we have in storage nor its age

we need to move old rice out for new rice storage

we need to sell mountains of rice

we have containmated rice (mold, weevil, rats, etc)

we have no standard of storage facility

we have no standard for storing contained rice, (sack, box, loose, etc)

we have reports of cancer causing residue on packeged rice

we have reports of rodent parts in sacked rice

we have reports of the use of banned chemicals for fumigation

fumigation methds, safeguards frequency, time length, are suspect

we have reports of other health hazard residue on rice

we need more money to contine this program that we are wadding thru, plus it smells and looks bad, can I get an inactive post?

[NongKhaiKid]

I wonder if everyday when YL goes to her office, I presume she does sometimes, she asks " what's the rice problem today ? "

We have run out of storage facilities, and not sure of how many we have or what is needed

rice is being brought in from neighboring countries

rice is being stolen

some rice is logged into the system multiple times

rice is missing thru transport losses

we do not know how much rice we have in storage nor its age

we need to move old rice out for new rice storage

we need to sell mountains of rice

we have containmated rice (mold, weevil, rats, etc)

we have no standard of storage facility

we have no standard for storing contained rice, (sack, box, loose, etc)

we have reports of cancer causing residue on packeged rice

we have reports of rodent parts in sacked rice

we have reports of the use of banned chemicals for fumigation

fumigation methds, safeguards frequency, time length, are suspect

we have reports of other health hazard residue on rice

we need more money to contine this program that we are wadding thru, plus it smells and looks bad, can I get an inactive post?

Other than that, anything else ?

[assayer]

Posted Today, 07:30

POPULAR

"Last Friday, the FDA collected samples of Ko-Ko packed rice to test for traces of agricultural chemicals and methyl bromide. It got the results on Monday, which showed 94.2 milligrams of methyl bromide per kilogram. That the Foundation for Consumers announced its results while the FDA kept quiet raised the question whether the government was hiding something."

The Food and Agriculture Organisation codex states that methyl bromide in food should not exceed 50 milligrams per kilogram.

Let me see now, Thai rice is not contaminated according to Yingluk, but according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation the rice has almost double the maximum amount of methyl bromide allowed. Looks as though the Food and Agriculture Organization is about to be sued by the Thai govt!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I wonder if everyday when YL goes to her office, I presume she does sometimes, she asks " what's the rice problem today ? "

We have run out of storage facilities, and not sure of how many we have or what is needed

rice is being brought in from neighboring countries

rice is being stolen

some rice is logged into the system multiple times

rice is missing thru transport losses

we do not know how much rice we have in storage nor its age

we need to move old rice out for new rice storage

we need to sell mountains of rice

we have containmated rice (mold, weevil, rats, etc)

we have no standard of storage facility

we have no standard for storing contained rice, (sack, box, loose, etc)

we have reports of cancer causing residue on packeged rice

we have reports of rodent parts in sacked rice

we have reports of the use of banned chemicals for fumigation

fumigation methds, safeguards frequency, time length, are suspect

we have reports of other health hazard residue on rice

we need more money to contine this program that we are wadding thru, plus it smells and looks bad, can I get an inactive post?

Other than that, anything else ?

Yes... the rats and the weevils are LIVING LARGE in Thailand!

[rametindallas]

I wonder if everyday when YL goes to her office, I presume she does sometimes, she asks " what's the rice problem today ? "

We have run out of storage facilities, and not sure of how many we have or what is needed

rice is being brought in from neighboring countries

rice is being stolen

some rice is logged into the system multiple times

rice is missing thru transport losses

we do not know how much rice we have in storage nor its age

we need to move old rice out for new rice storage

we need to sell mountains of rice

we have containmated rice (mold, weevil, rats, etc)

we have no standard of storage facility

we have no standard for storing contained rice, (sack, box, loose, etc)

we have reports of cancer causing residue on packeged rice

we have reports of rodent parts in sacked rice

we have reports of the use of banned chemicals for fumigation

fumigation methds, safeguards frequency, time length, are suspect

we have reports of other health hazard residue on rice

we need more money to contine this program that we are wadding thru, plus it smells and looks bad, can I get an inactive post?

This government's policies have made the World afraid to buy Thai rice at any price. The World's former leader in the industry soon to be forced out of the industry for bad reputation. What will the farmers do then?

[CBR250]

the FDA's stringent rules to get a safety label

I had to laugh at that one.

I want a safety label from the Foundation for Consumers, not a Government agency.