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On July 8, the High Court agreed to hear a plea looking to whether the rice Indians are eating could be “plastic rice” imported from China, seeking testing of adulterated rice sample. Plastic or synthetic rice is prepared by mixing potatoes with industrial synthetic resin, making it impossible to distinguish from natural rice. It can only be identified once it’s cooked. The fake rice remains hard and doesn’t stick to hands like the ordinary rice does.

In this report by ABS-CBN, a news channel in the Philippines, we learn how to identify plastic rice. Once the rice is cooked, it tends to stay unspoiled for longer time and looks like Styrofoam when it gets cold. It also smells like sweet potato once it’s burned. So, imagine what it could do to your body? According to the Chinese Restaurant Association, eating three bowls of such rice would be equal to consuming one plastic bag.

After Philippines and many South-east Asian countries, the plastic rice has now reached India. In a claim by Mathrubhumi News, plastic rice has been sold all over Kerala and is the same one which has come from China. Talking of High Court’s decision on hearing a plea against the sale of plastic rice, a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath will hear the case. The hearing is set to be on August 20, based on the application which alleges the plastic rice is being mixed in with natural rice. “Due to globalisation, rice in large quantities is being imported from China and even pulses are being imported from different countries, but no quality test is conducted,” the petition said.

And the man behind this application is Sugriva Dubey, who has sought raids on wholesale retailers and traders that sell such rice in India. Before this, Dubey has been in news for filing a Public Interest Litigation on the issue of artificial colouring of fruits and vegetables in Indian market.