Tilda International, one of the world’s leading rice producers, is encouraging the UAE government to introduce standards for basmati rice to ensure that products labelled as pure basmati are not diluted with other inferior grains.
Up to 40% of rice labelled as basmati on sale in the UAE is diluted with inferior grains, according to Tilda. The problem, which is estimated to be worth about US $32 million in the UAE, is the result of some unscrupulous rice millers and suppliers cashing in on the premium price that basmati commands by mixing the rice with cheaper grains and passing it off as pure basmati.
The problem has increased in recent years as demand for basmati rice has grown according to Deepak Thawani, a brand manager at Tilda. “No meal, be it an Emirati household, a sub-continental or Far Eastern one, is complete without rice,” he said. “Given the demand and the consumer’s willingness to pay a price premium for superior grades, the UAE has become a happy hunting ground for food fraudsters.”
Tilda is so concerned about the problem that it has established a special department, called Ricesearch,that uses DNA testing to verify the purity of basmati rice. Thawani said the company is also keen to see the UAE authorities adopt similar measures to combat the problem of adulterated basmati, and to establish a standard for basmati rice being sold in the country. “The municipality has already said it is interested in this technology to test basmati rice,” he said. “They want to adapt those standards so consumers get the best.” A survey conducted by Ricesearch also found that 39% of the samples tested failed to meet food standards in place in the UK, and 26% of the samples failed to meet the lower standards prevailing in India.
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