UGM Experts Ensure News Of Hoax Plastic Rice Circulation

ILLUSTRATION PHOTO VIA BETWEEN

YOGYAKARTA - Deputy Chairperson of the Halal Center for Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Nanung Danar Dono confirmed that the information circulating on social media related to the circulation of plastic rice is a hoax or a lie.

Nanung said that when the information was correct, when rice from plastic was steamed it was impossible to expand or turn into rice.

"If it really exists, then when it is heated it will only turn into hot plastic rice, not turn into rice," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, October 11.

He explained that plastic polymers when heated or steamed will only turn into hot plastics, even if they are too hot they will wrinkle instead of expanding.

Nanung said that if someone made a video holding rice, then a solid ball was formed and then it could bounce off when thrown, then that does not mean it indicates that the rice is made of plastic.

According to him, this indicates that rice has a non-start polysaccharides (NSP) content or high non-pati carbohydrates.

The same thing can also happen, especially in types of rice that contain amilopectin and high amilose such as gluten rice or glutten rice or sticky rice.

"That's why the glueper when it is bitten is very different from the arem-arem made of ordinary rice," he said.

Nanung explained that the rice industry, fake eggs, fake fish (tempura), fake cobis, counterfeit vegetables are actually in Japan and in China.

Even so, he continued, these products are limited to being supplied with a cooking menu in front of ready-to-eat restaurants and not for consumption.

In Japan, China or Thailand, many restaurants are found displaying their cooking menus with such products.

"Once again, it's just an example of various menus being sold, not for buyers to consume," he said.

Therefore, Nanung asked netizens or people in Indonesia to get used to seeking clarification on the truth of a news that was viral on social media and not in a hurry to spread it.

"This is important so that we don't make noise and don't participate in spreading lies to the public (community). We shouldn't have made or participated in spreading fake news on social media, or wherever we are," he said.