Arsenic in rice is back in the news again.
The latest report is from Consumer Reports’ study that revealed dangerous levels in both rice and products containing rice. The Consumer Reports study joins a long list of several prior studies, including the recent Dartmouth study. Despite all the studies, the FDA and the European Union have failed to act. This inaction prompted a petition calling on the FDA and EU to regulate arsenic in rice and by-products. We are all at risk.
How did arsenic get into rice in the first place? Arsenic is a naturally occurring element in soil. However, inorganic arsenic is found in soils that were contaminated by arsenic based pesticides and fertilizers, industrial districts or mining areas, municipal waste or contaminated water.
Eighty percent of the rice grown in the US is from the south central area on lands that were previously sprayed with arsenic pesticide to reduce cotton boll weevils. In addition, arsenic laden manure has been used as fertilizer. Arsenic remains in the soil. Due to the nature of how rice is grown in flooded waters, it sucks up the arsenic from the soil.
What is the danger? According to the EPA, the ingestion of inorganic arsenic can lead to cancer of the skin, bladder, liver and lung. There are no studies of low levels long term arsenic exposure in food; however studies relating to low level arsenic exposure in water have shown increased likelihood of diabetes 2 and poorer neuropsychological functioning.
According to Michael Harbut, M.D., chief of the environmental cancer program at Karmanos Institute in Detroit, he suspects “there is an awful lot of chronic, low-level arsenic poisoning going on that’s never properly diagnosed.”
Why should YOU be concerned? You might be thinking, “I don’t eat rice so I can’t be affected.” Not true, since many products contain rice and its by-products. Look for rice flour, brown rice syrup and simply rice in crackers, cereal, cereal bars, baby food, gluten free food, energy bars and energy drinks, just for starters. Worse yet, babies eat a lot of rice products such as cereals–and needless to say, they are more sensitive to chemicals like arsenic.
Does it affect all rice? No. However, 76% of all rice grown in the US comes from areas where inorganic arsenic is an issue. However, this takes some legwork to know which rice products are safer than others. And it doesn’t matter if you only eat organic rice since arsenic is already in the soil before rice is planted.
What can you do to reduce arsenic level? Consumer Reports recommends certain guidelines to limit your rice intake. But simply, wash your rice first and cook it in six parts water to one part rice. Read here for more tips, different grains to source and how agricultural changes can reduce the problem.
But we need to change. Sign the petition asking the FDA to regulate arsenic in rice. We should not have to agonize over the ingredients so that we don’t exceed the daily rice limitations recommended by Consumer Reports. Please share the petition with your friends and family (ten per day) right on the petition page. You can also share on Facebook, Twitter, and email. It takes a village.
Anna Hackman is the organizer of the Change.org arsenic in rice petition and thanks everyone who signs and gets the word out about the petition. She is also a sustainability consultant, co-founder of the Green Sisterhood, editor of the green living and business blog Green Talk and an obsessed gardener. But her most important job is being a mom of four boys.
Editor: Malin Bergman
Like elephant food on Facebook.