NFA rice is fit for human consumption
The NFA rice issued to the different accredited outlets in the province and City of Iloilo are fit for human consumption.
This was the assurance of Provincial Manager Hedy G.Jardeleza of the National Food Authority (NFA), Iloilo Provincial Office as she urged the public to report to the NFA any observation or information of unscrupulous traders recycling flood-damaged rice so that the source can be properly traced and appropriate action can be undertaken.
"We want to protect the health and interest of the consuming public," Jardeleza stressed as she also warned all NFA accredited outlets and private traders not to mix their own water-damaged rice with good rice and selling them with NFA label.
Jardeleza said that she will have the market inspected so that immediate action will be instituted against the alleged damaged rice being sold to the public.
It will be recalled that some 200,000 bags of NFA rice stored at Kabasaka and Jaro Triplex were affected by flash flood last June 21, but "NFA ensures that the damaged rice does not reach the market."
"Disposition of the water-damaged rice is confined to the organic fertilizer manufacturers with license from the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority only, since per laboratory analysis these are no longer fit for human and animal consumption.Part of the stocks were dumped and composted at the NFA compound," Jardeleza explained.
She further said that "as added precaution to ensure that no water soaked rice are released, the ninth and tenth layer of the rice stocks are being replied and retained at the NFA warehouses for checking and laboratory analysis.These stocks if found unfit for human consumption will be disposed of as animal feeds".
The NFA-Iloilo manager emphasized that no chemical preservatives are being applied to the NFA rice in storage.Quality control measures are instituted primarily to prevent and control pest infestation during storage.(PIA/T.Villavert)