A variety of red rice now being sold in the market turns white when washed for cooking, raising suspicion that either a kind of colouring or a powder is added to create an artificial red hue, a reader complained.

"The colour changes to a less than the standard red rice I have become accustomed to", he pointed out. "Medical advice requires me to eat rice with the bran intact, but the colour of this variety, it seems, has been artificially changed to hoodwink consumers".

 "We have not received any complaints about this particular variety of rice", said Mrs. C. N. Thilakaratne, acting Director-General of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA).

"I cannot comment on it without first drawing a sample and forwarding it to the Government Analyst for a report", she said. "We need to know where this rice is being sold to check on it".

She said that there are certain varieties of red which slightly change colour when washed as there is an inherent powder created in the milling process. "But, if there is an unnatural transformation, we can take action".

Mrs. Thilakaratne asked consumers to report any complaints directly to her so that punitive action can be initiated against errant traders. (SP)