A non-profit organization based in Washington D.C. “Healthy Babies, Bright Futures” recently released a research report showing that arsenic was found in all 145 rice samples purchased from stores across the United States. More than a quarter of the samples contained arsenic levels exceeding the action level set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for infant cereal products.
“Healthy Babies, Bright Futures” is dedicated to reducing infants’ exposure to toxic chemicals.
“We found four toxic heavy metals in rice – arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury,” the new report stated, “While each contaminant has different health impacts, they may pose serious risks such as cancer, developmental damage (including decreased IQ), and accumulate in the body over time.”
“Arsenic had the highest levels, followed by cadmium,” the report added.
The research covered samples from ten grains and over one hundred brands, all sourced from stores in 20 major metropolitan areas across the United States, from Seattle to Los Angeles, from New York to Miami.
The report indicated that new tests conducted on 145 rice samples from national retailers showed that rice sold in the U.S. remains widely contaminated with arsenic. Additionally, except for one sample, all other samples tested positive for cadmium, with some samples showing higher cadmium levels.
Michael Klein, spokesperson for the USA Rice Federation, told Fox News Digital that rice grown in the U.S. has the “lowest inorganic arsenic content in the world.”
“U.S. rice farmers and rice companies are dedicated to providing healthy, high-quality, nutritious food,” Klein stated.
“We understand that arsenic in food is a concern for many consumers, and you may have questions,” he said. “While we do not believe trace amounts of arsenic in rice pose a problem for public health safety, we will continue to work with the FDA to ensure that the U.S. rice supply meets established thresholds.”
Research data shows that brown rice grown in the southeastern United States has the highest average heavy metal content. The data also reveals that the heavy metal content, mainly arsenic, in white rice grown in the Southeast is consistently higher than rice grown in California. Overall, jasmine rice from Thailand, basmati rice from India, and rice grown in California have lower heavy metal content compared to other varieties tested.
However, the study indicated that basmati rice from India and arborio rice from Italy have the highest average cadmium content.
The research also showed that lead and mercury levels were the lowest. Klein stated that the U.S. rice industry does not deny the presence of arsenic in rice, as almost everything grown in the ground contains arsenic. Klein referred to the new report’s data as misleading.
Jane Houlihan, research director at “Healthy Babies, Bright Futures,” told Fox News Digital, “We hope families can take simple, practical steps now to reduce arsenic exposure, such as adding more water while cooking rice and draining excess water, switching to alternative grains like quinoa or barley, and choosing low-arsenic rice, such as rice grown in California, jasmine rice from Thailand, or basmati rice from India.”
“We also urge the FDA to establish enforceable limits on arsenic content in all rice (not just infant foods) to better protect children and families nationwide,” Houlihan added.