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Vancouver Sun
22-06-2025
- Health
- Vancouver Sun
Does rice contain arsenic? Yes, here's how you can reduce the risk
Arsenic in rice isn't a new concern, but a recent report published by Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF) brought the issue back into the spotlight. The study found arsenic in all 145 rice samples bought at stores across the United States. More than a quarter surpassed 100 parts per billion (ppb) of inorganic arsenic, the Canadian and American federal limits for infant rice cereal. Health Canada says rice and fruit juice are the most common dietary sources of inorganic arsenic, a toxic chemical. So, how worried should you be? Discover the best of B.C.'s recipes, restaurants and wine. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of West Coast Table will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'With all things to do with food safety, it comes down to reducing the risk of exposure,' says Lawrence Goodridge, a professor at the University of Guelph's Department of Food Science and director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety , who wasn't involved in the HBBF report. 'People can reduce their risk by consuming less of those foods.' Arsenic was 'the poison of choice in Victorian times,' says Keith Warriner, a professor at the University of Guelph's Department of Food Science, who wasn't involved in the HBBF report. It's also ubiquitous. 'The reality is, arsenic is everywhere. So it's not a case where you can avoid it.' Warriner underscores that people shouldn't stop eating rice altogether because of arsenic. After all, it's a staple of many cuisines with cultural significance and health benefits. 'It's a concern to have, but it's not 'I'm going to give up rice' because there are things we can do to minimize.' Here are ways to reduce the risk, from the rice you buy and how you cook it to diversifying your diet with grains lower in heavy metals such as arsenic. The more toxic of its chemical forms, inorganic arsenic is considered a carcinogen and is naturally present in soil and groundwater. Long-term exposure has been associated with an increased risk of health problems, including cancer, cardiovascular disease and skin lesions . When exposure happens in utero or during childhood, it 'may affect development and increase the risk of cancer in adulthood,' according to Health Canada. Babies and young children are 'the real concern,' says Goodridge. The toxicity accumulates more easily because they're smaller and their body weight is lower. 'Infant rice products can be a source of significant exposure,' he adds. 'It doesn't mean you can't give it to your kids, but limit it. It shouldn't be the primary grain cereal that they're fed. It shouldn't be the primary milk that they're given.' Goodridge advises rotating rice-based foods such as cereals with other grains. The same goes for rice milk and fruit juice, which Health Canada recommends limiting for children under two. The recommendations also apply during pregnancy because arsenic exposure can affect the developing fetus. 'Like most risks we have in life, it all depends on exposure and the amounts we get. If we go on the (Ontario Highway) 401 every day, our probability of crashing will be higher than someone who travels there once a year,' says Warriner. 'The more frequently you consume (rice), the more likely you are to accumulate it because arsenic accumulates. That's one of the bad things about it.' With rice, studies suggest all is not equal. Inorganic arsenic levels can vary by type and growing region. The HBBF report found that brown rice, Italian Arborio rice (used to make risotto) and white rice grown in the southeastern United States had higher amounts of heavy metals. On average, California rice (Calrose, sushi, jasmine, white), Thai jasmine rice and Indian basmati rice had 32 per cent less heavy metals than other types. Arsenic is a naturally occurring element but can also be introduced through human activities, such as mining and pesticide use. Rice grown in southeastern U.S. states such as Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas tends to have higher arsenic levels because, according to Goodridge, cotton farmers used arsenic-based pesticides to treat their crops in the past, contaminating fields now used to grow rice. Brown rice is prone to higher levels than white because it retains arsenic in the bran layer. 'One thing that people can do is moderate their intake of certain types of rice,' says Goodridge. 'The key is, if you like brown rice, limit the frequency.' Many choose brown rice because it contains more fibre and nutrients than white. As a whole grain, the bran, endosperm and germ are intact. The rub is that the arsenic happens to accumulate where the nutrients are. 'That's one of the problems. Getting rid of arsenic also can get rid of nutrients (such as iron),' says Warriner. 'So it's all a place of balancing things.' Rice tends to have higher levels of arsenic than other grains, so Goodridge advises people to diversify their diets. The HBBF report found that alternative grains, including barley , couscous , farro , oats and quinoa , have 69 per cent less heavy metal contamination than rice. Rice is more susceptible to arsenic due to a combination of factors, including plant physiology. 'Different plants have different capacities to accumulate,' says Warriner. 'They transport this arsenic in. And some, it's actually a nutrient. There are microbes out there that need this sort of arsenic.' The cultivation method in paddy fields is another reason. 'If the arsenic is in the water, which it is, and you flood it, and you're exposing the poor plant to all this stuff, it would accumulate more,' adds Warriner. 'If it's in the environment, it gets sponged up into the rice itself.' As with rice, certain fruits can be susceptible to arsenic because it's present in water used for irrigation or juice dilution, Goodridge highlights. Compounding the issue, some fruit orchards (especially apple) were historically treated with arsenic-based pesticides. The arsenic lingers in the soil and can enter the tree and fruit. Health Canada has set maximum levels for inorganic arsenic in fruit juice and nectar, brown and white rice, and rice-based foods for infants and young children. Goodridge thinks Canadians should be confident in the limits but cautions that regulations aren't perfect. The government sets rules to ensure the food we buy is free from harmful bacteria, yet people still get sick, and outbreaks continue to occur. 'Consumers have to take their own responsibility for ensuring the practices that they do reduce the risk, reduce the chances of getting sick. Health Canada sets these limits. That's great. That means that what's in the grocery store should have lower limits. So now, if on top of that, consumers take additional steps, they further reduce the risk.' If you're concerned about arsenic and open to changing your rice preparation and cooking methods, you can perform an extraction in the kitchen. 'It's all to do with volumes of water,' says Warriner, a former chef as well as a food scientist. 'Can you extract that arsenic out of it and throw it away in the sink?' One option is parboiling. After rinsing and soaking your rice, add it to a pot of boiling water — 'the higher the volume of water, the better' — and cook for five minutes. Drain the rice (discard the cooking water) and return it to the pot with fresh water. Using a two-to-one ratio of water to rice, cover and cook over low-to-medium heat for an additional eight minutes to make 'the magic 13 minutes for cooking rice,' adds Warriner. A 2020 University of Sheffield study suggests that parboiling rice using a four-to-one ratio and then cooking it until all the water is absorbed (called the absorption method) using a two-to-one ratio removes 54 per cent of the inorganic arsenic in brown rice and 74 per cent in white rice. Adding to its benefits, the study shows 'no loss of micronutrients.' In practice, Warriner prefers the 'nice, loose' texture of the absorption method. While it doesn't yield any arsenic extraction, he eats rice once a week at most. 'I don't usually have it more than that, so your exposure is going to be much less.' Another option is cooking rice like pasta, which Health Canada recommends. Goodridge highlights that you should always rinse your rice and, if you have time, soak it, even for just 10 minutes, before adding six to 10 parts water to one part rice. Once the rice is cooked, drain the excess water. Compared to the absorption method on a stovetop or in a rice cooker, this technique 'will significantly reduce inorganic arsenic by up to 50 to 60 per cent,' says Goodridge. Parboiling and cooking rice like pasta 'are the two main cooking methods that would significantly reduce arsenic. And if you're eating white rice versus brown rice, then that rice has much less arsenic than the brown rice.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our cookbook and recipe newsletter, Cook This, here .
National Post
22-06-2025
- Health
- National Post
Does rice contain arsenic? Yes, here's how you can reduce the risk
Arsenic in rice isn't a new concern, but a recent report published by Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF) brought the issue back into the spotlight. The study found arsenic in all 145 rice samples bought at stores across the United States. More than a quarter surpassed 100 parts per billion (ppb) of inorganic arsenic, the Canadian and American federal limits for infant rice cereal. Article content Article content Article content Article content 'With all things to do with food safety, it comes down to reducing the risk of exposure,' says Lawrence Goodridge, a professor at the University of Guelph's Department of Food Science and director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety, who wasn't involved in the HBBF report. 'People can reduce their risk by consuming less of those foods.' Article content Arsenic was 'the poison of choice in Victorian times,' says Keith Warriner, a professor at the University of Guelph's Department of Food Science, who wasn't involved in the HBBF report. It's also ubiquitous. 'The reality is, arsenic is everywhere. So it's not a case where you can avoid it.' Article content Warriner underscores that people shouldn't stop eating rice altogether because of arsenic. After all, it's a staple of many cuisines with cultural significance and health benefits. 'It's a concern to have, but it's not 'I'm going to give up rice' because there are things we can do to minimize.' Article content Article content Here are ways to reduce the risk, from the rice you buy and how you cook it to diversifying your diet with grains lower in heavy metals such as arsenic. Article content Article content The more toxic of its chemical forms, inorganic arsenic is considered a carcinogen and is naturally present in soil and groundwater. Article content Long-term exposure has been associated with an increased risk of health problems, including cancer, cardiovascular disease and skin lesions. When exposure happens in utero or during childhood, it 'may affect development and increase the risk of cancer in adulthood,' according to Health Canada. Article content Babies and young children are 'the real concern,' says Goodridge. The toxicity accumulates more easily because they're smaller and their body weight is lower. Article content 'Infant rice products can be a source of significant exposure,' he adds. 'It doesn't mean you can't give it to your kids, but limit it. It shouldn't be the primary grain cereal that they're fed. It shouldn't be the primary milk that they're given.'
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lead, arsenic found in popular rice brands: Study
(NewsNation) — Popular rice brands across the United States might contain highly toxic metals, one study has found. A study conducted by Healthy Babies, Bright Future found that out of 145 rice samples nationwide, 100% of them contained arsenic. According to the organization, more than one in four exceeded the FDA's action level for infant cereal. How to keep your dogs safe during summer heat 'No such limit exists for rice itself — the bags and boxes of rice served at family meals — despite it being widely consumed by infants and toddlers,' the report stated. 'Additionally, cadmium was found in all but one sample, with some showing elevated levels.' This would mean that any parents who are making baby food at home that includes homemade rice cereal could risk exposing their children to unsafe levels of arsenic. Overall, the report found four toxic metals in these rice products: Arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury. HBBF reported that these chemicals can lead to cancer, IQ loss and other health effects. The World Health Organization has said that long-term exposure to arsenic that is in our food and water can cause skin lesions and cancer. Breast cancer vaccine moving to critical phase The reports found arsenic at the highest levels, with cadmium following behind. In a rice that was seasoned with saffron, tests allegedly showed lead levels that were way higher than in other samples. Brown rice that was grown in the Southeast or labeled as 'grown in the USA' had the highest average levels of these toxic metals, according to the study. The tests also found that white rice grown in the Southeast had, on average, a higher level of these heavy metals (particularly arsenic) than rice grown in California. Thai jasmine rice and Indian basmati rice overall contained lower levels of these heavy metals than other rice varieties. Can you lower blood pressure with dark chocolate and tea? However, basmati rice from India (and arborio rice from Italy) showed the highest average levels of cadmium, according to the test results. HBBF's study tested 10 different forms of grain and over 100 brands from stores in 20 metropolitan areas. Some of those areas included Seattle, New York, Miami and Los Angeles. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
03-06-2025
- General
- The Hill
Lead, arsenic found in popular rice brands: Study
(NewsNation) — Popular rice brands across the United States might contain highly toxic metals, one study has found. A study conducted by Healthy Babies, Bright Future found that out of 145 rice samples nationwide, 100% of them contained arsenic. According to the organization, more than one in four exceeded the FDA's action level for infant cereal. 'No such limit exists for rice itself — the bags and boxes of rice served at family meals — despite it being widely consumed by infants and toddlers,' the report stated. 'Additionally, cadmium was found in all but one sample, with some showing elevated levels.' This would mean that any parents who are making baby food at home that includes homemade rice cereal could risk exposing their children to unsafe levels of arsenic. Overall, the report found four toxic metals in these rice products: Arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury. HBBF reported that these chemicals can lead to cancer, IQ loss and other health effects. The World Health Organization has said that long-term exposure to arsenic that is in our food and water can cause skin lesions and cancer. The reports found arsenic at the highest levels, with cadmium following behind. In a rice that was seasoned with saffron, tests allegedly showed lead levels that were way higher than in other samples. Brown rice that was grown in the Southeast or labeled as 'grown in the USA' had the highest average levels of these toxic metals, according to the study. The tests also found that white rice grown in the Southeast had, on average, a higher level of these heavy metals (particularly arsenic) than rice grown in California. Thai jasmine rice and Indian basmati rice overall contained lower levels of these heavy metals than other rice varieties. However, basmati rice from India (and arborio rice from Italy) showed the highest average levels of cadmium, according to the test results. HBBF's study tested 10 different forms of grain and over 100 brands from stores in 20 metropolitan areas. Some of those areas included Seattle, New York, Miami and Los Angeles.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dangerous levels of arsenic found in US rice: What families need to know now
The Brief 100% of rice samples tested contained arsenic; over 25% exceeded infant safety limits Cadmium, another toxic metal, was found in all but one sample California-grown rice had the lowest levels of heavy metal contamination LOS ANGELES - A new nationwide investigation by Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF) has uncovered widespread contamination in store-bought rice sold in the United States, raising concerns about arsenic and cadmium exposure—especially among infants, toddlers, and pregnant people. The 2025 report, "What's in Your Family's Rice?," found arsenic in every single rice sample tested, with more than 1 in 4 samples exceeding the FDA's safety limit for infant rice cereal. Cadmium, another harmful heavy metal, was detected in all but one of the 145 rice samples tested. Both arsenic and cadmium are linked to serious long-term health risks, including neurodevelopmental harm, cancer, kidney damage, and reduced IQ in children. By the numbers HBBF's independent lab tests revealed that contamination levels varied based on the type of rice and where it was grown—not the brand. U.S.-grown brown rice had the highest contamination, with 151 parts per billion (ppb) of heavy metals, including 129 ppb of arsenic. White rice from the U.S. Southeast, often labeled simply as "USA," measured 118 ppb in total. Arborio rice from Italy, commonly used for risotto, measured 142 ppb total (101 ppb arsenic). California-grown sushi and Calrose rice had the lowest contamination, at 65 ppb total (55 ppb arsenic). Although the FDA set a 100 ppb arsenic limit for infant rice cereal, no such limit exists for regular rice products—despite their widespread use in family meals. Why you should care According to the report, rice is a significant dietary source of arsenic for children under 2—accounting for an average of 7.5% of total arsenic exposure. That number jumps to 14% for Hispanic and Latino children, and over 30% for Asian American infants, due to higher rice consumption in these communities. The report warns that early-life exposure to these contaminants is especially dangerous during pregnancy and infancy, when the brain is most vulnerable. Arsenic and cadmium can cross the placenta and have been linked to reduced IQ, learning difficulties, and behavioral issues later in life. What you can do The report highlights several safer options for families: California-grown sushi rice or Calrose rice Basmati rice from India Jasmine rice from Thailand Precooked products like instant rice, parboiled rice, and ready-to-heat rice may carry additional risks due to toxins created during processing or chemicals leached from plastic packaging. Instead of focusing on brands, families are advised to look at country of origin and rice variety. Not all packaging lists the origin, so consumers may need to do extra research. HBBF offers practical tips to significantly reduce arsenic exposure at home: Soak rice for 30 minutes or overnight, then drain Cook rice in extra water (6 to 10 cups of water per 1 cup of rice), then drain like pasta Avoid just rinsing—it does little to reduce arsenic Add iron-rich foods, since boiling and draining may reduce added iron in fortified rice Other protective nutrients—like vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium, zinc, and protein—can help block or reduce the absorption of heavy metals. These are found in foods like leafy greens, beans, yogurt, strawberries, citrus fruits, and lean meats. The other side The lab also tested nine ancient grains—such as quinoa, barley, millet, buckwheat, and farro—and found they contained 28 times less arsenic than rice, on average. While some had slightly more cadmium, the overall heavy metal load was three times lower than rice. Families looking to rotate grains or reduce rice intake may find these alternatives helpful for reducing long-term exposure. What's next HBBF calls on the FDA and industry to take urgent action, including: Setting enforceable limits for arsenic and cadmium in all rice—not just baby food Encouraging clear labeling for products that meet infant safety standards Requiring regular testing and public posting of heavy metal levels in rice products The report emphasizes that these are achievable goals with powerful health benefits, especially for communities most affected by high rice consumption. "Parents shouldn't have to worry that a common first food like rice could carry hidden risks," said Jane Houlihan, HBBF's National Director of Science and Health. "This study is a wake-up call—but it's also full of hope. With just a few changes in the kitchen and stronger rules from the FDA, we can dramatically lower children's exposure to harmful metals." The Source This article is based entirely on the 2025 report "What's in Your Family's Rice?" by Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF). All data, quotes, and recommendations are sourced directly from the report and its publicly available consumer guides, which include laboratory results, exposure analysis, and cooking safety tips. The full report is available on the HBBF website.
