"Workers" rice, spoiled and mouldy
It can cause cancer in lungs and kidneys, but for migrant workers it is better than nothing for it quells hunger
Beijing (AsiaNews/SCMP) Millions of tonnes of spoiled, sometimes mouldy, rice are being sold to feed construction workers on the mainland every year. Many labour contractors for migrant workers - acting as middlemen between them and construction firms - travel long distances just to buy the stale but cheaper rice, commonly known as "migrant workers' rice."
"It has been sold for years and no complaint has ever been heard," said the owner of an important wholesale store in Beijing. Yesterday, he was offering spoiled rice harvested in 2000 for 1.92 yuans per kg, while the fresher product was selling for between 2.4 and 4 yuans per kg.
Sources said wholesalers buy spoiled rice in secret deals from wine-makers or animal farms, where it is normally used to induce wine fermentation or feed animals.
There are big profits to be made in buying stale rice and reselling it even though the practice contravenes the State Grain Administration regulation.
Migrant workers in Beijing, who are already accustomed to eating the spoiled rice, said that it is better than nothing for it quells the pangs of hunger. According to 29-year old Li Jun, from Xingtai, in Hebei province, "the food here is okay but it tastes far worse than at home. But we are allowed to eat as much as we want, especially for lunch, so I am not concerned." At lunch time, Mr Li usually eats a large bowl of rice with some green peppers and tofu. Mr Li pays the labour contractor 5 yuans for the food out of a daily wage of 35 yuans wages for a 12-hour workday.
Nutritionists warn that stale rice, usually mixed with mouldy grain, can cause serious health problems. "Aspergillus flavus, a common bacteria strain that can be often found in stale rice, has caused lung and kidney cancers in laboratory mice as quickly as in 24 weeks," said Professor He Jiguo, from China Agriculture University's College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering. "Other bacteria commonly found in stale grain can cause diarrhoea, vomiting, or even damage to the blood and nervous systems. At the very least, stale rice is less nutritious and can lead to malnutrition."
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14/10/2023 15:37
