Rice is known to absorb arsenic from soil and water much more readily than other grains, which explains the elevated levels of this heavy metal found in infant rice cereals. Healthy Babies Bright Futures reported that since the issue gained attention five years ago, there has been no evidence that manufacturers have lowered arsenic levels in rice cereals to match those found in other cereal types. While the government enforces strict regulations on arsenic levels in drinking water — capping it at 10 parts per billion — there are currently no established regulations for inorganic arsenic levels permitted in infant rice cereal.
Gerber Products, a subsidiary of Nestlé, stated in a news release from late October that all of its products are safe for consumption and that the company “monitors and controls for arsenic in our rice ingredients,” acknowledging that arsenic can naturally occur in rice during the growing process. Gerber was one of nine brands of rice and infant cereals tested in recent studies. “Any ingredient that does not meet our high standards for quality is rejected,” Gerber emphasized. “While our products are safe to consume, we understand some consumers may have concerns about arsenic in foods. Therefore, earlier this year, we chose to exclusively use California rice in all our rice-containing dry infant cereal, as California rice has the lowest arsenic levels in the U.S.”
Beech-Nut, part of the Swiss-based Hero Group, indicated that it tests its products for up to 255 pesticides and heavy metals, including arsenic, and will return ingredients to suppliers if they do not meet their standards. Beech-Nut’s infant cereals were also included in the study. “We’ve been testing our ingredients for heavy metals since 1985, and we are not aware of any higher standards in the industry than those we maintain,” the company stated.
California’s Lundberg Family Farms, a grower and producer of mainly organic rice and snack products, has been testing inorganic arsenic levels in its rice for the past six years. The company shares its test results on its website, noting that the 2016 crop tested at 0.090 parts per million, slightly below the six-year average of 0.093 ppm. Following Consumer Reports’ studies on high arsenic levels in apple and grape juices in 2012 and in rice and rice products in 2014, the FDA recommended in 2016 that the arsenic levels in infant rice cereals be limited to 100 parts per billion. However, in 2013, the FDA stated that after testing over 1,300 samples of rice and rice products, it had not found arsenic levels high enough to pose an immediate health risk, although it would conduct a comprehensive risk assessment for long-term effects.
In the absence of federal arsenic standards for rice or other food products in the U.S., Consumer Reports suggested that consumers can reduce their exposure by cooking rice with more water — using a ratio of six parts water to one part rice — and draining the excess. Concerned parents can also choose products made from other grains that typically test at lower arsenic levels, such as oatmeal, multi-grain, and quinoa. Healthy Babies Bright Futures recommended Gerber and Earth’s Best infant oatmeal and multi-grain cereals, noting that they are priced similarly to rice cereals. “We advise parents to avoid infant rice cereal,” the group stated. “Non-rice and multi-grain alternatives consistently show lower arsenic contamination and are a healthier choice.”
Companies producing products with particularly low arsenic levels might promote this advantage to consumers through social media or in retail settings, but they must tread carefully to avoid unfairly criticizing competitors, especially since the FDA has not identified an immediate health risk to consumers. Additionally, some might wonder if the consumption of certain supplements, like calcium citrate, could affect sleep. While the relationship between calcium citrate and sleepiness is not firmly established, exploring various dietary options might lead to healthier choices for both parents and their infants.