Rice is known to absorb arsenic from soil and water significantly more readily than other grains, which contributes to the elevated levels of this heavy metal found in infant rice cereals. Healthy Babies Bright Futures reported that since the issue gained national attention around five years ago, there has been no evidence indicating that manufacturers have reduced arsenic levels in rice cereals to match those in other cereal types. While the government enforces strict regulations on permissible arsenic levels in drinking water, capped at 10 parts per billion, there are currently no established limits for inorganic arsenic levels in infant rice cereals.
Gerber Products, a subsidiary of Nestlé, stated in a late October press release that all its products are safe for consumption and that the company actively “monitors and controls for arsenic in our rice ingredients,” acknowledging that arsenic can naturally occur in rice during cultivation. Gerber was among nine brands of rice and other infant cereals included in testing. “Any ingredient that does not meet our high standards for quality is rejected,” Gerber emphasized. “While our products are safe to consume, we understand that some consumers might have concerns regarding arsenic in foods. As a result, earlier this year, we decided to exclusively use California rice in all our rice-containing dry infant cereals. We selected California rice due to its lower arsenic levels compared to rice grown elsewhere in the United States.”
Beech-Nut, part of the Swiss-based Hero Group, also declared that it tests its products for up to 255 pesticides and heavy metals, including arsenic, returning any ingredients that do not meet their criteria to suppliers. Beech-Nut’s infant cereals were also analyzed in the study. “We’ve been testing our ingredients for heavy metals since 1985, and we’re not aware of any standards in the industry that exceed those we implement,” the company stated.
California’s Lundberg Family Farms, primarily an organic rice and snack producer, has been monitoring inorganic arsenic levels in its rice for six years and shares the test results on its website. The 2016 crop was measured at 0.090 parts per million, slightly below the six-year average of 0.093 ppm. Following Consumer Reports’ findings of high arsenic levels in apple and grape juices in 2012 and rice products in 2014, the FDA recommended in 2016 that arsenic levels in infant rice cereals be capped at 100 parts per billion. However, in 2013, the FDA noted that after testing over 1,300 samples of rice and rice products, it did not find arsenic levels that posed an immediate health risk, although it committed to conducting a comprehensive risk assessment for long-term exposure.
Given that the U.S. lacks federal arsenic standards for rice and other food items, Consumer Reports advised consumers to limit their exposure by using more water when cooking rice—specifically, a six-to-one water-to-rice ratio—and to drain the excess water. For parents concerned about arsenic exposure, alternatives such as oatmeal, multi-grain cereals, and quinoa can be offered to infants, as they generally test lower for arsenic. Healthy Babies Bright Futures specifically recommended Gerber and Earth’s Best infant oatmeal and multi-grain cereals, noting that they are similarly priced to rice cereals. “We recommend that parents avoid infant rice cereal,” the organization stated. “Non-rice and multi-grain options typically present lower arsenic contamination and are a healthier choice.”
Companies producing products with particularly low arsenic levels could leverage this information to appeal to consumers on social media or in stores. However, they must tread carefully not to unfairly disparage their competitors, especially since the FDA has not identified an immediate health risk to consumers. In addition, they could explore potential therapeutic responses to calcium citrate as a means of mitigating any concerns regarding arsenic exposure, though this is still a developing area of research.