A study published Thursday in Environmental Health Perspectives identified high concentrations of arsenic in foods sweetened with brown rice syrup or other rice products, including baby formulas and cereal bars. The researchers say there's an urgent need for government regulators to establish arsenic limits for foodstuffs.
Study Findings
* One infant formula tested contained six times the 10 ppb allowable limit of inorganic arsenic for drinking water.
* Brown rice syrup was the primary ingredient in two of 17 formulas tested.
* 22 of 29 cereal bars contained rice products and those bars tested at 23 to 128 ppb for arsenic.
* Researchers warned of cumulative effects of eating different foods containing inorganic arsenic.
Legislation Pending
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, D- Conn., introduced legislation last week that would require the Food and Drug Administration to set safe arsenic levels for food within two years, according to Consumer Reports. Dubbed the Apple Juice Act of 2012, the bill responded to concerns raised by a Consumer Reports analysis. That analysis found that carcinogenic arsenic levels in 10 percent of apple and grape juice samples tested exceeded the amount permitted in drinking water.
Inorganic Arsenic Risk Explained
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, inorganic arsenic is arsenic combined with elements other than carbon. It's classified as a known human carcinogen, whereas organic arsenic is not. The health risk depends on the route of exposure. Ingestion and dermal exposures can result in skin lesions and gastrointestinal problem such as pain, nausea and diarrhea, as well as skin, bladder, liver and lung cancer.
For children, the risk of exposure to inorganic arsenic comes primarily from ingesting contaminated drinking water, food, or soil.
Foods Containing Inorganic Arsenic
In addition to baby formula, cereal bars, rice and rice products, and grape and apple juices, the following foods may contain inorganic arsenic: energy shots, Hijiki seaweed, and dried squid snacks, as well as much other seafood, fish, cereals, vegetables, meat and poultry, and milk/dairy products.
Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety said seafood was responsible for 51 percent of the dietary arsenic in that country, followed by fish (26 percent), cereals (10 percent), vegetables (6 percent) meat and poultry (4 percent), and milk/ dairy products (3 percent).
U.S.- Grown Rice: a Special Case
Rice grown in the United States may pose a special risk, according to Dartmouth researchers who conducted a study in 2011. That's because rice grown on U.S. soil is often cultivated on land where cotton was previously planted. Arsenical pesticides were widely used on cotton plants, and their residues may still be found in the soil.
Carol Bengle Gilbert writes about consumer issues for the Yahoo! Contributor Network.
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