Arsenic in Rice and Juice – Recent Reports Cause Concern, but Let’s Not Sound the Alarm Yet

First it was apple juice, now it’s rice.

In January, a Consumer Reports investigation that found arsenic — a known carcinogen — in apple and grape juices was reported by Dr. Mehmet Oz on his national television program. The news caused a stir among viewers and prompted some health officials to say the report resulted in “unnecessary public alarm” because it measured both toxic (inorganic) and non-toxic (organic) arsenic.

Now come yet more tests announced by Consumer Reports in November that claim rice products on grocery shelves, such as organic rice baby cereal, rice breakfast cereals, and brown and white rice, may contain inorganic arsenic some at worrisome levels, because they contain more arsenic than the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) legal standard for drinking water (ten parts per billion, or ppb).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has known for some time that some vegetables, rice, and fruit do contain trace amounts of arsenic, but do not have any guidelines for consumers concerning what are considered acceptable levels. The studies from Consumer Reports on arsenic in juice and rice raise concerns when they compare levels found to the level accepted in drinking water. Yet another study on rice and arsenic from Dartmouth, which preceded Consumer Reports in February but received little press, identified elevated arsenic levels in organic products such as cereal bars and toddler formulas made with brown rice syrup. These are still very small-dose exposures, and no one is sure what, if any, effects there could be.

At one time, arsenic was used in pesticides. It is also released into the atmosphere through industrial uses, naturally occurs in rocks, and ends up in the soil. Since rice is grown underwater, it displays higher levels than some other foods because the arsenic leaches from the soil into the rice.

The amount of exposure is not high enough to cause any acute symptoms. The greater concern, however, is that chronic, long-term exposure to these trace elements of arsenic could potentially increase your risk of bladder, lung, skin, and other cancers based on studies at higher-dose exposures. There is also concern over its effect on the developing brain, but this has not been well-studied.

Still, while Consumer Reports recommends “steps to moderate consumption” of rice products to one serving a day, especially for babies, the Food and Drug Administration, which conducted its own tests and continues to study the issue, said that, based on currently available data and scientific literature, it is not recommending that adults modify their diet or their child’s diet over concerns about arsenic levels.

The FDA’s advice, similar to that of most nutritionists, is to eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of grains.

As with any potentially disturbing news, people can get very worried and go to extremes, or they can adopt a modified approach. I suggest parents adopt the latter, more moderate approach rather than totally eliminating rice from their baby’s diet and greatly reducing rice intake for their older children. Moderation is the key in anything we eat.

It is reasonable that people worry, since rice cereal is often the first solid food pediatricians recommend for children. But there are other grains that you can give your child, such as oatmeal, which is known to have lesser amounts of arsenic and is also fortified with iron.

Limit foods that contain large amounts of brown rice syrup, and choose rice products which have lower levels of arsenic, which are detailed in the November issue of Consumer Reports. And avoid the use of rice milk, especially in younger children.

Some may be surprised by the Consumer Reports finding that more nutritious brown rice is not the best choice when it comes to arsenic levels. The reason is that white rice is polished, removing some of the outer layers of the grain, which contain arsenic.

It is important to remember that our greatest exposure to arsenic is through water, especially some well water. Anyone who has a well should have their water checked for arsenic, which can be present in significant amounts.

Dr. Hilary Branch is a pediatrician at Baystate High Street Health Center Pediatrics and Baystate Children’s Hospital. For more information on Baystate Children’s Hospital, visit baystatehealth.org/bch.