By Sandee LaMotte, CNN
Samples of store-bought rice from more than 100 different brands purchased in the United States contained dangerously high levels of arsenic and cadmium, according to a new report released exclusively to CNN.
“Even at low levels, both arsenic and cadmium have been linked to serious health harms, including diabetes, developmental delays, reproductive toxicity and heart disease,” said coauthor Jane Houlihan, research director for Healthy Babies, Bright Futures. The organization, which is dedicated to reducing children’s exposure to toxic chemicals, produced the report.
“Heavy metal contamination in young children is especially concerning, as early-life exposures are associated with reduced IQ and a range of cognitive and behavioral problems,” Houlihan said.
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One in four samples of rice purchased from grocery and retail stores across the United States exceeded levels of inorganic arsenic set in 2021 by the US Food and Drug Administration for infant rice cereal, according to the report published Thursday.
“The FDA set a limit for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal of 100 parts per billion, and since then we’ve seen levels in those cereals drop by 45%,” Houlihan said. “But the FDA did not address inorganic arsenic levels in the rice families purchased to cook and serve.
“Yet it turns out that for very young children, ages 0 to 2 years, rice is a more important source of inorganic arsenic than infant rice cereal,” she added. “It’s really the rice itself that’s driving higher exposures.”
Arsenic is a natural element found in soil, water and air, with the inorganic form being the most toxic. “Inorganic” is a chemical term and has nothing to do with the method of farming.
Arsenic is also a carcinogen, and early-life exposures — including during pregnancy — are especially dangerous, possibly leading to spontaneous abortion, stillbirth and preterm birth as well as later neurodevelopmental disorders, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The USA Rice Federation, which represents American growers, told CNN via email that rice grown in the United States contains the lowest levels of inorganic arsenic in the world.
“While we do not agree that there is a public health safety issue as a result of trace amounts of arsenic in rice, we will continue to work with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure the U.S. rice supply meets any threshold established,” said Michael Klein, vice president of communications and strategic development at USA Rice.
“It is worth noting (that) the top source (42%) of arsenic in the diet of Americans is fruits, vegetables, and fruit juice. Rice is 17 percent,” Klein said.
That’s an unfair comparison, Houlihan said, because dozens of different fruits and vegetables contribute to that figure of 42%.
“In contrast, rice alone — one specific food — contributes 17%, likely making it the single largest individual food source of arsenic in the American diet,” she said.
A global concern
Rice is the “most widely consumed solid food in the world,” according to the report, and a regular part of the diets of more than 1 billion children globally. In some cultures, rice is served at every meal.
“On average, for all children ages 0 to 2 years, rice accounts for 7.5% of their arsenic exposure, more than any other solid food,” Houlihan said. “For Hispanic and Latino children of the same age, that level rises to 14%.”
However, many Latino families are not aware of the dangers of arsenic in rice, said Juan Roberto Madrid, an advocate for the environmental advocacy association GreenLatinos, which partnered on the new report.
“In fact many of our full time staff were not even aware of the dangers of arsenic in rice,” Madrid said in an email. “Our communities must understand what arsenic does to babies and that there are alternatives available. This is not a cause for alarm, but rather a cause for concern.”
For Asian children, the levels are even higher, Houlihan said. “For babies 0 to 2 (years), rice accounts for 30.5% of the arsenic in their diet. It’s even higher for Asian children between 18 (months) and 24 months. Rice accounts for nearly 55% of their arsenic exposure.”
Some Asian families are aware of the presence of heavy metals in rice, but not the dangers posed by arsenic, said Gloria Tan, executive director of Gum Moon’s women’s residence at the Asian Women’s Resource Center in San Francisco. Gum Moon, which stands for “golden door,” has been providing services to Asian women since 1868 and was a partner in the new report.
“Knowing that there are dangers of arsenic might make families reconsider their rice choice,” Tan said in an email. “I think some families may be receptive to the idea of switching to a less contaminated grain.”
Ancient grains such as farro often contain significantly fewer heavy metals, the report said.(bhofack2/iStockphoto/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
Comparing rice with ancient grains
The new report analyzed the total heavy metal content in 145 samples of rice varieties grown in India, Italy, Thailand and the United States that were purchased by shoppers in the US.
“The researchers used a certified, accredited lab to measure arsenic and other heavy metals in rice samples, confirming that this is an issue with real-world implications,” said Tasha Stoiber, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, via email. EWG is a consumer organization that monitors exposure to heavy metals, plastics and other dangerous chemicals. Stoiber was not involved in the new research.
The independent lab also tested another 66 samples of nine ancient grains: amaranth, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, couscous, farro, millet, quinoa and spelt.
Results showed rice purchased by shoppers contained 28 times more arsenic than the alternative grains. The group of alternative grains, however, contained 1.5 times more cadmium than rice. Still, overall levels of heavy metals were three times lower in the nine grains compared with the levels found in the purchased rice.
Like arsenic, cadmium easily crosses the placental barrier to the fetus, potentially causing neurodevelopmental harm. Cadmium is also a known carcinogen and has been connected to harm to the kidneys, bone, stomach, lungs and more.
“Most research has focused solely on arsenic, but that leaves out an important part of the rice safety story,” Houlihan said. “By including cadmium in our analysis, we’re able to give a more complete picture of how different rice types compare in terms of overall toxic metal exposure.”
Rice type and growing region matter
The type of rice and how it’s grown and processed can impact levels of arsenic and other heavy metals, experts say. Brown and wild rice often contain the highest levels because the milling process used to create white rice removes the outer layers of the hull, where heavy metals are concentrated.
Lab testing found purchased samples of US-grown brown rice contained 151 parts per billion of heavy metals — 129 of that due to arsenic. Arborio rice grown in Italy, which is typically used to make risotto, and white rice grown in the Southeast US (often labeled as simply “USA”) were almost as high in total heavy metals as brown rice, the report said.
Arborio rice from Italy contained 101 parts per billion of arsenic — total heavy metal load in the purchased samples was 142 parts per billion. White rice grown in the US contained 95 parts per billion of arsenic, with a total heavy metal count of 118 parts per billion.
Basmati rice from India, jasmine rice from Thailand and California-grown sushi and Calrose rice (a form of sushi rice) were at or below the 100 parts per billion levels set by the FDA for arsenic in infant rice cereals. However, the Indian basmati and Italian Arborio varieties contained the highest average levels of cadmium.
The California-grown rice had the lowest overall heavy metal content — 65 parts per billion, with 55 parts per billion from arsenic — making it an excellent choice to reduce overall exposure, Houlihan said.
Consumers should be wary, however, of precooked rice, including instant (one-minute and five-minute rice), parboiled (10-minute rice), and ready-to-heat-and-eat packaged rice, she said.
“Studies have shown the processing used to create instant rice can create additional toxins, and the ready-to-heat products are cooked inside the plastic containers, potentially releasing toxic chemicals,” Houlihan said.
While the report does list the names of the 105 brands tested, that’s not what’s important when choosing rice with the lowest levels of heavy metals, she added.
“Results between brands didn’t tend to vary,” Houlihan said. “The controlling factors for avoiding heavy metal levels seems to be the rice variety and the country of origin, not the brand of rice. So make sure you know where your rice comes from.
”Unfortunately, not all brands label the source of their product, so you’ll have to do some shopping to find those that do,” she added.
This lack of clear package labeling is a gap that should be addressed by industry and the federal government, EWG’s Stoiber said. “Stronger federal oversight and clearer labeling would go a long way to keep children safe from exposure to arsenic in food.”
The FDA takes the presence of heavy metals in food extremely seriously, said Andrew Nixon, director of communications for the US Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA.
“Under Secretary (Robert F.) Kennedy (Jr.)’s leadership, HHS is conducting a comprehensive review of chemicals in the food supply — both those added intentionally and those like heavy metals that are environmental contaminants,” Nixon said in an email.
Dangerous levels of heavy metals are in the store-bought rice fed to children and families, a new report finds.(Juanmonino/iStockphoto/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
Additional ways to lower exposure
There is an easy way to eliminate nearly two-thirds of the arsenic in rice — cook it like pasta. Using 6 to 10 cups of water for every cup of rice and draining the excess before eating can remove up to 60% of arsenic. However, only rinsing rice before cooking doesn’t work, according to the report.
To further the amount of arsenic removed, soak rice for a half hour or overnight and drain before cooking as suggested.
Keep in mind that boiling and draining will also remove some of the fortified iron added to rice. Iron is important for proper development and many babies are often deficient, the report said, so consult a pediatrician about adding iron-rich foods. Beans, eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean red meat, and poultry are good sources.
In addition, there are nutrients such as B vitamins, calcium, zinc and vitamin C that can help “reduce the body’s absorption of contaminants or speed up their excretion,” the report said. “Find them in foods like lean meat, yogurt, cheese, leafy greens, broccoli, beans and lentils, citrus fruits, strawberries, and peppers.”
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