The Authority for Consumer Protection and Defense of Competition (Acodeco), through its Department of Metrology, is verifying the quality of the national milled rice, in its different brands that are marketed in the national market.
According to the technical regulation RT DGNTI-COPANIT 75-2002, which is the current standard, special rice must contain at least 94.5% whole grains, 5% broken grains and 0.5% small rice. The first class rice, 70% whole grains, 25% broken grains and 5% rice. The second, 55% whole grains, 30% broken and 15% rice.
Regarding the quality of the grain, the amount of red, yellow, chalky grains, objectionable seeds and grains damaged by fungi, heat, insects, rodents, humidity or any damage that alters the normal appearance is verified. Likewise, it is checked that the length of the grain announced by the supplier, on the label, is the one indicated.
The packages of milled rice must have clearly printed, among other information, the expiration date, the weight, the type of quality and the quantity of whole and broken grains that it must contain. The presence of foreign elements, such as insects, stones and others, should not be noticed.
To carry out these tests, Acodeco withdraws samples of the different brands marketed at the national level, which are analyzed in the Legal Metrology Laboratory. The economic agents responsible for each brand are invited to witness the analyzes of their respective brands. The results of this evaluation will be published later.
Consumers are recommended that if they observe in a certain brand of milled rice, the quality of the grain is inferior or notice something different, do not hesitate to report to the Institutional Information and Complaint System (Sindi), WhatsApp and Telegram 6330-3333, the AcodecoPma social network accounts on Facebook, Twitter and the website of this institution.