UK develops new code for ‘Basmati’ rice import

12/08/05 Rice importers of the United Kingdom have signed up to a new code of practice aimed at reassuring consumers that rice labelled and sold, as 'Basmati' is the real deal.

The new, tighter code is in response to concerns that Basmati rice sold in the UK contains significant levels of non-Basmati varieties.

Basmati rice only grows in specific regions of India and Pakistan. In the last four years around 2,50,000 tonnes of Basmati rice has been imported to the UK and currently accounts for about 37 per cent of the UK dry rice market by value, with a value of £50 million per year.

A study by the food standards agency of nearly 300 samples of rice sold in a range of outlets from supermarkets to corner shops found that nearly one in five packets had more than 20 per cent of non-Basmati rice.

In July, scientists in the UK said that they had developed a reliable DNA screening method for identifying adulteration in Basmati rice, increasingly important at a time when certain varieties are attracting premium prices.

Researchers from Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL) said that they had developed the screening method, which has been tried on all the commercially available varieties- to allow both suppliers and consumers to have more confidence in the accuracy of product labelling.

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