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Arsenic and Rice Safety

Yes, there is arsenic in rice. While that sounds scary, know that it is also found in many other foods.

Arsenic is in the soil, air and water and as crops grow, they absorb arsenic along with other nutrients. That is how it gets into food and it cannot be completely eliminated. Rice is a unique crop in that it grows in water. Arsenic has two chemical forms, organic and inorganic with the latter being of greater concern.

Rice is a food staple in many countries and is a common “first food” for infants. Based on infant body weight, they consume about three times more rice than adults. There are concerns about inorganic arsenic causing potential developmental problems and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

The FDA recommends feeding babies iron-fortified cereal, usually infant rice. They also recommend feeding a variety of infant cereals including oat, barley and multigrain.

Always consult with your healthcare provider for more information.

For more information, see https://bit.ly/33zomFR and https://bit.ly/2EdWoGp.

 

About Karen Blakeslee

The Rapid Response Center was formed in 1995 as a resource for Kansas State University Research & Extension Agents. Resource topics included Food Science, Human Nutrition, Food Service, Textiles, Home Care and other consumer topics. Since that time, the Center has grown to be of valuable assistance to Kansas State University Extension Specialists in those areas.

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