Some residents of Hanoi suburbs, such as Hoang Mai and Thanh Tri Districts, have claimed they bought rice which contained plastic or rubber.

Allegedly fake rice sold to Manh

Duy Manh, a student who lives on Giap Nhi Street, Hoang Mai District, said that he bought this 'fake' rice on his street. He said that the grains are larger and appear glossy and more translucent than normal rice. It also had the smell of plastic, he said.

The rice didn't cook normally when he brought it home. The grains did not stick together. The smell of plastic was even more obvious when being cooked, and the finished product was inedible, he said.

He tried to keep the rice for four days, but just became mouldy. He said that some of his friends have recently encountered the same problem with sellers on Giap Nhi Street.

“There is no way for me to test the rice to confirm that it's fake. But I think that some agency should step in and make sure of the quality of the rice being sold to protect consumer rights. This could have bad health effects," he said.

Some residents in HCM City have sent samples and photos of allegedly fake rice to news agencies in past months.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development advised consumers not to buy rice that appears unusual.

A Dan Tri reporter sent a sample provided by Manh to the Ministry of Health’s Food Safety and Quality Division.

Updates on the case will be provided as the results come in.

'Fake' rice difficult to discern