September 21st, 2012

Consumer reports has recently released an article pretaining to the amount of arsenic found in rice products avaliable in US food markets. Arsenic not only is a potent human carcinogen but also can set up children for other health problems in later life.

“In virtually every product tested, we found measurable amounts of total arsenic in its two forms. We found significant levels of inorganic arsenic, which is a carcinogen, in almost every product category, along with organic arsenic, which is less toxic but still of concern. Moreover, the foods we checked are popular staples, eaten by adults and children alike. No federal limit exists for arsenic in most foods, but the standard for drinking water is 10 parts per billion (ppb). Keep in mind: That level is twice the 5 ppb that the EPA originally proposed and that New Jersey actually established. Using the 5-ppb standard in our study, we found that a single serving of some rices could give an average adult almost one and a half times the inorganic arsenic he or she would get from a whole day’s consumption of water, about 1 liter.”

A link between the location of the rice grown for the particular consumer product and the level of arsenic reported has been found, showing that rice that was obtained from India, Thailand and California contains lower levels.

Here are some examples of grocery products that contain lower levels of aresnic: 365 Everyday Brand Organic Thai Jasmine White rice, Martin Brand Long-Grain Enriched, Trader Joe’s White Basmati, and Dogeut’s Brand Enriched Long-Grain.