In June, the food safety department in Tamil Nadu undertook inspection at retail stores across Chennai. This sudden search came after claims of plastic rice being sold in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh started doing the rounds. The entire state breathed a sigh of relief after tests showed that there was no adulteration.
But now, suspicions against the humble grain have risen again after a family of Sangakonanpatti village near Koduvailarpatti reportedly witnesses rice turning red in colour after cooking.
According to TNIE, the family bought 25 kg of rice from a dealer shop at Theni for Rs.1,050 last week. When they cooked the rice on Wednesday afternoon for the first time, most of it was consumed. However, they found the next morning that the remaining rice had turned red.
A startled member of the family told TNIE, "The rice was pure white while boiling. But the colour of remaining boiled rice turned red next morning." They reportedly assumed that it was a bad omen.
For three days after that, as per the report, they continued to cook the rice and it would turn red roughly after 12 hours. By now, suspecting adulteration, they informed the Food Safety department. Sample of both boiled and uncooked rice have been taken for testing. The family further reported mild abdominal pain.
Recently, adulteration of food items has become a raging topic of discussion in the state. The Dairy Development minister had publicly announced that private milk manufacturers added carcinogenic substances in milk. This is not isloted to Tamil Nadu. Last month, the Telangana Civil Supplies Department was flooded with complaints of hotels in Hyderabad and Secunderabad serving'plastic rice'.