The arrival of and popularity of "cauliflower rice" is bringing about some controversy among major rice industry players in the United States who have spoken out against the marketing as false advertising and confusing for consumers.
“Only rice is rice, and calling ‘riced vegetables’ ‘rice,’ is misleading and confusing to consumers,” Betsy Ward, president of industry lobby USA Rice, said in a statement earlier this month. “We may be asking the Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory agencies to look at this.” Ward added that Scott Gottlieb, the new Trump-appointed FDA commissioner, could use his power to enforce the agency’s existing definitions for food, the so-called “standards of identity.”
Michael Klein, a spokesman for the rice lobby, told Quartz that one company, Green Giant Fresh, used a “Move over, rice” marketing campaign. Despite their complaints, the cauliflower industry isn't too worried.
“Using the FDA to combat merchandising efforts? That’s a story they’re telling their retail partners,” said Gina Nucci of the California-based produce company, Mann Packing, which sells cauliflower products. “Every section of the grocery store is fighting for the same food dollar. Same share of stomach. Consumers are smart. I don’t think anyone is going to mistake regular rice for a riced cauliflower product, frozen or fresh.”
