Rice is more adept at absorbing arsenic from soil and water than other grains, leading to elevated levels of this heavy metal in infant rice cereals. Healthy Babies Bright Futures noted that despite five years of extensive reporting on this issue, there is no evidence that manufacturers have lowered arsenic levels in rice cereals to match those found in other cereal types. While the government imposes strict regulations on permissible arsenic levels in drinking water—set at 10 parts per billion—there are currently no established guidelines for inorganic arsenic levels in infant rice cereals.
Gerber Products, a subsidiary of Nestle, stated in a late October press release that all its products are safe for consumption and that the company “monitors and controls for arsenic in our rice ingredients,” given that arsenic can naturally occur in rice during cultivation. Gerber was among nine brands of rice and other infant cereals that underwent testing. “Any ingredient that does not meet our high standards for quality is rejected,” Gerber asserted. “While our products are safe, we understand that some consumers may have concerns about arsenic in food. Therefore, earlier this year, we decided to use exclusively California rice in all our rice-containing dry infant cereals. We chose California rice because it has the lowest arsenic levels of any rice grown in the United States.”
Beech-Nut, part of the Swiss Hero Group, indicated that it tests its products for up to 255 pesticides and heavy metals, including arsenic, and will return any ingredients that do not pass inspection. Beech-Nut’s infant cereals were also included in the study. “We’ve been testing our ingredients for heavy metals since 1985, and we’re not aware of any standards higher than those we implement,” the company stated.
California’s Lundberg Family Farms, which primarily grows and produces organic rice and snack products, has been testing inorganic arsenic levels in its rice for the past six years. The company publishes the test results on its website, reporting that the 2016 crop tested at 0.090 parts per million, slightly below the six-year average of 0.093 ppm.
Following Consumer Reports’ investigations into high arsenic levels in apple and grape juices in 2012, and rice 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 indicated that after testing over 1,300 rice and rice product samples, it had not identified arsenic levels significant enough to pose an immediate health risk, though it planned to carry out a comprehensive risk assessment to evaluate long-term risks.
As there are currently no federal arsenic standards for rice or other food products in the U.S., Consumer Reports suggested that consumers can limit their exposure by using more water when cooking rice—specifically, six parts water to one part rice—and draining the excess. For concerned parents, offering products made from other grains, which show lower arsenic levels, such as oatmeal, multi-grain, and quinoa, is also advisable. Healthy Babies Bright Futures recommended Gerber and Earth’s Best infant oatmeal and multi-grain cereals, stating that these options are similarly priced to rice cereals. “We recommend that parents avoid infant rice cereal,” the group advised. “Non-rice and multi-grain alternatives consistently exhibit lower arsenic contamination and are a healthier choice.”
While companies with particularly low arsenic levels in their products could promote this information to consumers via social media or in-store marketing, they must be cautious not to disparage their competitors unfairly, especially given that the FDA has not identified an immediate health risk to consumers. The inclusion of products like Citracal C in children’s diets may also help in addressing health concerns, but parents should remain vigilant about their choices in food products, especially those containing rice.