Thai rice safe for consumption, experts say

[webfact]

RICE CONTAMINATION
Thai rice safe for consumption, experts say
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- After doubts about the quality of Thai rice spread like wildfire on social media, experts and academics yesterday insisted that Thai rice was safe for human consumption.

"Processors need to fumigate rice products as they will take a long time to be shipped to another country, but the fumigation complies with international standards," said Laddawan Kunnoot, deputy director general of the Rice Department.

Most packed rice manufacturers follow international practices in using methyl bromide to fumigate rice for export.

Most farmers use chemical fertilisers only in the first two months of cultivation, so there is no contamination of agricultural chemicals in the harvesting process.

During the post-harvesting process, insecticide will be sprayed to kill rice-eating bugs and then the fumigant will be dispersed into the air in five to seven days.

Asst Prof Warapa Mahakarn-chanakul of Kasetsart University's Agro-Industry Faculty said micro-organisms and fungus, caused by humidity, in rice products are more dangerous for consumers than methyl bromide.

"Some fungi can produce toxins and cause cancer," she said.

In a test for fungi in brown rice, conducted on 240 samples from 20 provinces nationwide from 2011-12 after the massive flood, only one sample was found tainted.


-- The Nation 2013-07-19

[Soutpeel]

Asst Prof Warapa Mahakarn-chanakul of Kasetsart University's Agro-Industry Faculty said micro-organisms and fungus, caused by humidity, in rice products are more dangerous for consumers than methyl bromide.

"Some fungi can produce toxins and cause cancer," she said.


Humidity caused by storing rice in uncontrolled warehouses by a goverment perhaps dear professor ?

Fungi causing toxins...can believe this...Fungi causing cancer ?...new one on me..may be wrong
but believe methyl bromide is proven to cause cancer

I notice the dear professor has failed commented on the current round of test results, but notice this little gem...Most packed rice manufacturers follow international practices in using methyl bromide to fumigate rice for export.

so are you suggesting dear professor that rice for local consumption is not subject to fumigation by methyl bromide ? and its only those pesky farangs that will get cancer then ?

Edited July 18, 2013 by Soutpeel

[chooka]

And the Merry-Go-Round keeps turning, not contaminated, some contamination, recalling rice from sale because of contamination, and back to not contaminated.

[NongKhaiKid]

Thai " experts " say it's safe, now there's a big surprise and since they are experts I'll be sure to completely trust their judgement.

[nachiket]

My wife is a food scientist and directly associated with one of the biggest brand in Thailand and is working as R&D and QC manager. She indeed confirm that, there is nothing wrong with Thai rice and of course, this is unconfirmed hearsay. People need to stop to worry about.

This process is part of post harvesting and is already approved by FDA worldwide. (Including US, UK, EU, Thai, Indian, etc.)

Further, this post processed rice will long for 6 months or more with proper storing.

[jaltsc]

"After doubts about the quality of Thai rice spread like wildfire on social media, experts and academics yesterday insisted that Thai rice was safe for human consumption."

I am sure they were using Thai "Logic". Yes it is safe for human consumption. No one will choke while consuming it. Of course what happens to the body after it is consumed...

Edited July 19, 2013 by jaltsc

[chooka]

My wife is a food scientist and directly associated with one of the biggest brand in Thailand and is working as R&D and QC manager. She indeed confirm that, there is nothing wrong with Thai rice and of course, this is unconfirmed hearsay. People need to stop to worry about.

This process is part of post harvesting and is already approved by FDA worldwide. (Including US, UK, EU, Thai, Indian, etc.)

Further, this post processed rice will long for 6 months or more with proper storing.

Your wife is hardly independent and wouldn't keep her job long if she didn't tow the company line and she would also face legal action from the government if she found the product less than 100% pure. Remember Yingluk's threats to deal with any person who speaks out.

No offence intended.

[canman]

This article does not fill me with any confidence about Thai rice

Most packed rice manufacturers follow international practices in using methyl bromide to fumigate rice for export.
Therefore some do not follow international practices

Most farmers use chemical fertilisers only in the first two months of cultivation, so there is no contamination of agricultural chemicals in the harvesting process

Therefore some do use chemical fertilisers after the first two months and there is contamination

And worst of all:

In a test for fungi in brown rice, conducted on 240 samples from 20 provinces nationwide from 2011-12 after the massive flood, only one sample was found tainted.
So .4% of the rice tested was contaminated with fungus. How many 1000's of bags of rice does that equal?

Edited July 19, 2013 by canman

[Neilly]

BANGKOK: -- After doubts about the quality of Thai rice spread like wildfire on social media, experts and academics yesterday insisted that Thai rice was safe for human consumption.

I've been waiting for this...it had to come because they're stuck in a hard place. Can't really call it lies (even white ones)....maybe misinformation

[Thai at Heart]

My wife is a food scientist and directly associated with one of the biggest brand in Thailand and is working as R&D and QC manager. She indeed confirm that, there is nothing wrong with Thai rice and of course, this is unconfirmed hearsay. People need to stop to worry about.

This process is part of post harvesting and is already approved by FDA worldwide. (Including US, UK, EU, Thai, Indian, etc.)

Further, this post processed rice will long for 6 months or more with proper storing.

Your wife is hardly independent and wouldn't keep her job long if she didn't tow the company line and she would also face legal action from the government if she found the product less than 100% pure. Remember Yingluk's threats to deal with any person who speaks out.

No offence intended.

I wondered if he was being sarcastic with this post.

[Tatsujin]

I want to see all these experts that say it's safe + Yingluck on TV, eating a bowl of rice from EVERY brand . . .

[trainman34014]

Too much scaremongering going on. I consulted a friend of mine who works in a UK food lab' last night. He's read all about what's being said here and also seen the TV reports on Channel News Asia etc. He agrees that Fungus caused by humidity in uncontrolled storage facilities is far more dangerous to Humans than the use of Methyl Bromide. Just his opinion of course but he says that the latter disperses into the air when you open your standard bag of rice and if, as you should, wash the product before use, the dangers are miniscule. Also says eat more brown rice than white as it's far better for you.

His parting shot was...' No need to worry too much about the rice; if people want to live longer and healthier tell them to stop eating so much meat, that's the real killer' .

[GentlemanJim]

My wife is a food scientist and directly associated with one of the biggest brand in Thailand and is working as R&D and QC manager. She indeed confirm that, there is nothing wrong with Thai rice and of course, this is unconfirmed hearsay. People need to stop to worry about.

This process is part of post harvesting and is already approved by FDA worldwide. (Including US, UK, EU, Thai, Indian, etc.)

Further, this post processed rice will long for 6 months or more with proper storing.

Pity the Government have been keeping it for two years then!

This all goes to prove that it takes a nano second to lose peoples trust, and once that has occurred you are stuffed unless you do some radical, serious, honest back peddling.

[ETatBKK]

WHAT IF these rice is not suitable for human consumption, then we could re-use these rice for feeding animals ? DO WE EAT these animals then ?

[Thai at Heart]

Too much scaremongering going on. I consulted a friend of mine who works in a UK food lab' last night. He's read all about what's being said here and also seen the TV reports on Channel News Asia etc. He agrees that Fungus caused by humidity in uncontrolled storage facilities is far more dangerous to Humans than the use of Methyl Bromide. Just his opinion of course but he says that the latter disperses into the air when you open your standard bag of rice and if, as you should, wash the product before use, the dangers are miniscule. Also says eat more brown rice than white as it's far better for you.

His parting shot was...' No need to worry too much about the rice; if people want to live longer and healthier tell them to stop eating so much meat, that's the real killer' .

This is known, but when a sample turns up with 94 ppm and the international standard is 50, it isn't exactly reassuring. Bearing in mind that the more you fumigate it, the higher the residues go, so, all of those that were at 40 ppm, will possibly go above 50, if they are fumigated again. The entire attempt at a cover up has made it worse, the complete lack of independent verification, doubly worse, and then basic lying that there are NO residues has left the public utterly confused.

[Thai at Heart]

My wife is a food scientist and directly associated with one of the biggest brand in Thailand and is working as R&D and QC manager. She indeed confirm that, there is nothing wrong with Thai rice and of course, this is unconfirmed hearsay. People need to stop to worry about.

This process is part of post harvesting and is already approved by FDA worldwide. (Including US, UK, EU, Thai, Indian, etc.)

Further, this post processed rice will long for 6 months or more with proper storing.

Pity the Government have been keeping it for two years then!

This all goes to prove that it takes a nano second to lose peoples trust, and once that has occurred you are stuffed unless you do some radical, serious, honest back peddling.

Until the companies start publishing their in-house results for everyone to see, with some independent checks also, the crisis of confidence will continue. It really as though they think that for some reason, consumers react to this issue in a Thai manner. There are 100 case studies about how to handle a crisis of consumer confidence. So far, the Thai's have resorted to, shut up everyone, it's safe, and how dare you suggest otherwise.

[slapout]

Containation of rice via chemical fumigation, is dependent on serval factors.

chemical used

physical properties of storage facilities for grain being treated. This determines

amount and concentration of chemical used

exposure time to grain being treated

aeration of grain after trement

time frame from treatment to airtight packaging

time frame between the srorage and treatment, etc

and what is the denifination of ":safe"?

The chemical that has brought question to the process is banned by many countries, thus it was cheap to buy, stockpile and continue to use in some countries, whose checks, balances and enforcement are corrupt.

For a government offical to ignore the welfare, health wise, of people when compared to the loss of the 'almighty baht' is just another indicator of the thinking behind the actions of this group of parasites.

[kirk0233]

Asst Prof Warapa Mahakarn-chanakul of Kasetsart University's Agro-Industry Faculty said micro-organisms and fungus, caused by humidity, in rice products are more dangerous for consumers than methyl bromide.

"Some fungi can produce toxins and cause cancer," she said.

Humidity caused by storing rice in uncontrolled warehouses by a goverment perhaps dear professor ?

Fungi causing toxins...can believe this...Fungi causing cancer ?...new one on me..may be wrong

but believe methyl bromide is proven to cause cancer

I notice the dear professor has failed commented on the current round of test results, but notice this little gem...Most packed rice manufacturers follow international practices in using methyl bromide to fumigate rice for export.

so are you suggesting dear professor that rice for local consumption is not subject to fumigation by methyl bromide ? and its only those pesky farangs that will get cancer then ?

Aflatoxins

These cancer-causing substances are made by a fungus that can get into peanuts, wheat, soybeans, ground nuts, corn, and rice. Long-term exposure to aflatoxins can increase the risk of liver cancer. In the United States and Europe, these foods are tested for aflatoxins

[Thai at Heart]

Containation of rice via chemical fumigation, is dependent on serval factors.

chemical used

physical properties of storage facilities for grain being treated. This determines

amount and concentration of chemical used

exposure time to grain being treated

aeration of grain after trement

time frame from treatment to airtight packaging

time frame between the srorage and treatment, etc

and what is the denifination of ":safe"?

The chemical that has brought question to the process is banned by many countries, thus it was cheap to buy, stockpile and continue to use in some countries, whose checks, balances and enforcement are corrupt.

For a government offical to ignore the welfare, health wise, of people when compared to the loss of the 'almighty baht' is just another indicator of the thinking behind the actions of this group of parasites.

The industry I worked in, flat out banned methyl bromide for fumigation years ago. Simple really.

[belg]

so why not save us local consumers from all the pesticides and deliver us new crop rice (already full of pesticides etc...)

[technologybytes]

I think that these days we need to just assume that all processed or packaged foods contain a whole load of chemicals. I for one am very concerned and don't trust any statements on the matter.

[SOTIRIOS]

........last I heard:

- methyl bromide has been banned throughout the world......while here they are touting it as 'safe' and 'standard'....

- methyl bromide is in fact absorbed by the rice.....bonds with it....and cannot be washed out or removed except by costly, complicated treatment....

[animatic]

"Methyl bromide is also acutely toxic, Ajwa explains.

Exposure to high concentrations can cause damage to the respiratory and central nervous systems, even death. "

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/methyl-bromide-toxicity-what-is-on-your-strawberries.aspx#ixzz2ZUJ9A92r"

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/methyl-bromide-toxicity-what-is-on-your-strawberries.aspx#axzz2ZUIpwfLz

[animatic]

" Acute Health Effects

The symptoms of inhalation of methyl bromide are abdominal pain, convulsions, dizziness, headache, labored breathing, vomiting, weakness, hallucinations, loss of speech and incoordination. When exposed to skin, it can cause tingling and itching. It can also be absorbed in the skin: symptoms of absorption are redness, burning sensation, pain and blisters. Redness, pain, blurred vision and temporary loss of vision are the symptoms which occur when methyl bromide comes in the contact with eyes (#PANNA).

EPA lists methyl bromide as "highly acute toxic".

Chronic Health Effects

It is listed as an endocrine disrupting chemical on the EU list. According to the California Proposition 65 List, methyl bromide has effects on reproduction and development (#PANNA). "

" Toxicity to organisms

Methyl bromide is moderately toxic to aquatic organisms. Acute toxicity in freshwater fish (bluegill sunfish) occurs at concentrations of 11 mg/L and in saltwater fish (tidewater silversides) at about 12 mg/L (#EXTOXNET). "

http://toxipedia.org/display/toxipedia/Methyl+Bromide

Edited July 19, 2013 by animatic

[marell]

"Methyl bromide is also acutely toxic, Ajwa explains.

Exposure to high concentrations can cause damage to the respiratory and central nervous systems, even death. "

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/methyl-bromide-toxicity-what-is-on-your-strawberries.aspx#ixzz2ZUJ9A92r"

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/methyl-bromide-toxicity-what-is-on-your-strawberries.aspx#axzz2ZUIpwfLz

Weren't you paying attention to post #5? "People need to stop worry about."

Edited July 19, 2013 by marell

[puipuitom]

Asst Prof Warapa Mahakarn-chanakul of Kasetsart University's Agro-Industry Faculty said micro-organisms and fungus, caused by humidity, in rice products are more dangerous for consumers than methyl bromide.

"Some fungi can produce toxins and cause cancer," she said.

Humidity caused by storing rice in uncontrolled warehouses by a goverment perhaps dear professor ?

Fungi causing toxins...can believe this...Fungi causing cancer ?...new one on me..may be wrong

but believe methyl bromide is proven to cause cancer

I notice the dear professor has failed commented on the current round of test results, but notice this little gem...Most packed rice manufacturers follow international practices in using methyl bromide to fumigate rice for export.

so are you suggesting dear professor that rice for local consumption is not subject to fumigation by methyl bromide ? and its only those pesky farangs that will get cancer then ?

It would be wise first to look a littke around on Internet.

Then you could find, that a fungus, which is present all around us, called aspergillus flavus, can very rapidly grow in humid rice ( so in substandard storage, when.. all well equipment is already used up, because.. TOO MUCH RISE TO STORE !.

This fungus leaves a - call it "shit"- behind, called aflatoxine.

These are in 4 types in rice (and corn or maize) , called B1, B2, G1 and G2.

For the EU, the max tolerated value is 2 ppb ( parts per billion or.. microgram per kg)

the sum of B1+B2+G1+G2 max allowed in the EU = 4 ppb.

Above: NOT allowed to enter the EU ( with only a small but well taken care crop of rice in Spain, Italy and maize in the Balkan)

Other countries, like the USA with a huge corn ( maize) and rice crop have put this limit at 20 ppb. Canada at 15 ppm

Many rice eating countries, like Thailand, put the limit on 30 ppb. ( simple an economic calculation: do we throw own grown food away or do we accept a higher cancer risk)

When you would take the effort to look around on Internet for aflatoxin, you will find this is a liver cancer causing natural toxin.

Especially in combination with hepatitis, the chance to generate liver cancer sky-rockets.

Methylbromide evaporates ( or dangers your motoric nerve system after some time )

Therefore, I as tropifood trader, am a far more cautious about humid rice storage ( = aflatoxin growth) in this gigantic Thai rice storage system as the chance for metylbromide, which I can reduce by simply let the methylbromide evaporates away when left an hour in the open ( under a net to prevent rodents, birds and flies to join in )

[Thai at Heart]

Asst Prof Warapa Mahakarn-chanakul of Kasetsart University's Agro-Industry Faculty said micro-organisms and fungus, caused by humidity, in rice products are more dangerous for consumers than methyl bromide.

"Some fungi can produce toxins and cause cancer," she said.

Humidity caused by storing rice in uncontrolled warehouses by a goverment perhaps dear professor ?

Fungi causing toxins...can believe this...Fungi causing cancer ?...new one on me..may be wrong

but believe methyl bromide is proven to cause cancer

I notice the dear professor has failed commented on the current round of test results, but notice this little gem...Most packed rice manufacturers follow international practices in using methyl bromide to fumigate rice for export.

so are you suggesting dear professor that rice for local consumption is not subject to fumigation by methyl bromide ? and its only those pesky farangs that will get cancer then ?

It would be wise first to look a littke around on Internet.

Then you could find, that a fungus, which is present all around us, called aspergillus flavus, can very rapidly grow in humid rice ( so in substandard storage, when.. all well equipment is already used up, because.. TOO MUCH RISE TO STORE !.

This fungus leaves a - call it "shit"- behind, called aflatoxine.

These are in 4 types in rice (and corn or maize) , called B1, B2, G1 and G2.

For the EU, the max tolerated value is 2 ppb ( parts per billion or.. microgram per kg)

the sum of B1+B2+G1+G2 max allowed in the EU = 4 ppb.

Above: NOT allowed to enter the EU ( with only a small but well taken care crop of rice in Spain, Italy and maize in the Balkan)

Other countries, like the USA with a huge corn ( maize) and rice crop have put this limit at 20 ppb. Canada at 15 ppm

Many rice eating countries, like Thailand, put the limit on 30 ppb. ( simple an economic calculation: do we throw own grown food away or do we accept a higher cancer risk)

When you would take the effort to look around on Internet for aflatoxin, you will find this is a liver cancer causing natural toxin.

Especially in combination with hepatitis, the chance to generate liver cancer sky-rockets.

Methylbromide evaporates ( or dangers your motoric nerve system after some time )

Therefore, I as tropifood trader, am a far more cautious about humid rice storage ( = aflatoxin growth) in this gigantic Thai rice storage system as the chance for metylbromide, which I can reduce by simply let the methylbromide evaporates away when left an hour in the open ( under a net to prevent rodents, birds and flies to join in )

Question? How does it evaporate if they are fumigating it under plastic sheeting during prolonged storage after processing? Those stacks are enormous.

[Bluespunk]

"Most packed rice manufacturers follow international practices in using methyl bromide to fumigate rice for export."

I thought it was banned internationally because of the damage it does to the ozone layer (as well as causing cancer)

[meatboy]

get your tickets now for the pantomine on rice.

oh yes it is

oh no its not

oh yes it is

oh no its not

[Thai at Heart]

"Most packed rice manufacturers follow international practices in using methyl bromide to fumigate rice for export."

I thought it was banned internationally because of the damage it does to the ozone layer (as well as causing cancer)

Not if the export documents say you did it with aluminium phosfide.