MANILA — President Aquino has ordered law enforcement agencies to conduct an investigation on the sources of “synthetic rice.”
The Interior and Justice departments were asked to investigate the case. The President sought the help of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation.
A sample of the synthetic rice was earlier spotted in Davao City and was examined by food authorities.
The Food Development Center (FDC), the laboratory arm of the National Food Authority (NFA) said in a press briefing yesterday that the said sample was “contaminated with dibutyl phthalate or DBP, a raw material for making flexible plastic products.”
The samples, however according to FDC officer in charge Jocelyn M. Sales contained starch, which is also found in rice.
She added that they need to run more tests to know whether the sample was actually not rice.