Staff Reporter :
Due to deep milling, the nutritional value of rice is reduced by about 60 per cent and yet different varieties of rice are being heavily polished and sold under false labels as Miniket and Nazirshail, according to a report revealed on Wednesday.
The nutritional value of rice is reduced by about 60 per cent depending on the variety as the millers trim them heavily to sell them as fodder on the one hand, while on the other, at least 18 per cent of a grain of rice is polished in rice mills. If it is reduced by half, it is possible to
save about 25 lakh tonnes of rice, the study report said.
However, after polishing the rice the remaining parts is used as animal feed.
Considering the importance of the rice bran which are used for various purposes, a group of dishonest traders in connivance with the local smugglers smuggled the bran to India because it is used for producing edible oil.
Member of Bangladesh Safe Food Authority (BSFA) Dr. Abdul Alim disclosed the research report titled ‘Nutrition and Quality Assessment of Polished Rice Sold in Bangladesh’ in the BSFA conference room on Wednesday.
Food Ministry’s Secretary Dr. Mosammat Nazmanara Khanum attended the function as the chief guest, while Chairman of the Safe Food Authority Abdul Qayum Sarkar presided over the function. After unveiling the report, he said, “We found two harmful aspects of polished rice in this study. One of which, the top cover of rice is cut off due to polishing. As a result, nutrition is declining, because the outer covering of rice is more nutritious.” Dr Alim said, “We have seen the study that 10 per cent pruning of rice reduces nutrition by about 60pc. It has been found that the millers are pruning rice from five per cent to 18 per cent. Especially, the levels of minerals including zinc and iron, which are very important for human health, are reduced drastically in the highly polished rice.”
Animal feeds are being made as a byproduct with rice paste after polishing, he said, adding that rice bran is smuggled out of the country. Even, the animal feed is also being smuggled to India, he continued.
He, however, said if it is possible to prevent half of these (rice polishing and smuggling), it is possible to save about 25 lakh tonnes of rice.
Safe Food Authority conducted the study to find out the original variety out of the fraudulence variety of rice, Dr. Mosammat Nazmanara Khanum said, adding that now the percentage of pruning of rice will be determined by this study.
The food secretary said, “The Ministry of Food wants to set the rules of rice pruning in line with an international standard. We are working to develop guidelines with the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) in this regard.”
However, the Safe Food Authority, meanwhile, has made a number of recommendations following the study in order to protect the rights of the consumers.
The millers must have to mention the name of the rice variety on the labels while packaging.
The study report also recommended that the polishing of any rice should not be more than eight per cent and water content of rice should be ensured maximum of 11 per cent. Besides, rice cannot be marketed under any name other than the original variety of rice like Miniket and Nazirshail.
BSFA Chairman Abdul Qayum Sarkar said the rice that is being sold in the country under the names of Miniket or Nazirshail are fake. A section of dishonest traders deceive the consumers by the names of different varieties of rice, he said, adding that work is underway to stop such activities.
