Davao City (CNN Philippines) — Authorities confirmed on Wednesday (July 1) that the samples of suspected synthetic rice from a store in Bansalan, Davao del Sur turned out to be real rice.
Virgilio Alerta, National Food Authority (NFA) Davao manager, said they found nothing wrong with the rice stocks after testing the four types of raw samples from the store in Bansalan.
Last week, shopper Carmencita Grino complained of being sold fake rice at a store in Matina Aplaya, Davao City, saying that the grain becomes compressed like styrofoam when cooked.
Related: Fake rice seized in Davao submitted for lab analysis
The local food authority conducted a trace on the suspected fake rice and found that it came from Cabantian, Buhangin, who in turn sourced it from a rice trader in Bansalan, Davao del Sur.
Based on investigation conducted by NFA, the sack of suspected fake rice from Bansalan has no marks or labels.
The result from the laboratory analysis of the Food Development Center (FDC) in Metro Manila on the said sample is still scheduled to be released next week, but authorities still cautioned the public to continue their vigilance against fake rice.
The Department of Health (DOH) in Davao, through the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), also conducted a laboratory analysis of the cooked rice in its satellite laboratory in Tagum City. The result of the test will be released next week as well.
The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) said it still has not formed a team to investigate the proliferation of fake rice pending the laboratory analysis from the sample that was submitted by NFA-Davao to the FDC last Tuesday evening (June 30).
Police Senior Inspector Milgrace Driz, spokesperson of DCPO, said they received an order from Danao to wait for the results of the laboratory analysis from Manila before taking any action.
