Arsenic in Our Rice- What You Should Know & What You Can Do

• White rice grown in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Texas, which account for 76 percent of domestic rice, generally had higher levels of total arsenic and inorganic arsenic in our tests than rice samples from elsewhere.
• Within any single brand of rice we tested, the average total and inorganic arsenic levels were always higher for brown rice than for white.
• People who ate rice had arsenic levels that were 44 percent greater than those who had not, according to our analysis of federal health data. And certain ethnic groups were more highly affected, including Mexicans, other Hispanics, and a broad category that includes Asians.
• Reducing arsenic in food is feasible. We examined the efforts of two food companies, including Nature’s One, trying to tackle the problem and learned about methods being used to try to reduce arsenic in products.
• Based on these findings, our experts are asking the Food and Drug Administration to set limits for arsenic in rice products and fruit juices as a starting point.

While you may be swearing off Asian and Mexan food now, keep in mind that rice is a key ingredient in many products including rice milk, toddlers’ formula, cereal bars, energy products, and many Gluten Free snacks that substitute rice for wheat.