Rice is known to absorb arsenic from soil and water more efficiently than other grains, which contributes to the elevated levels of this heavy metal found in infant rice cereals. According to Healthy Babies Bright Futures, despite significant media coverage on this issue over the past five years, there is no evidence that manufacturers have successfully reduced arsenic levels in rice cereals to match those found in other cereal varieties. While the government strictly regulates permissible arsenic levels in drinking water at 10 parts per billion, there are currently no established regulations for inorganic arsenic levels in infant rice cereals.
Gerber Products, a subsidiary of Nestlé, stated in a news release in late October that all its products are safe for consumption and that the company “monitors and controls for arsenic in our rice ingredients,” acknowledging that arsenic can occur naturally during rice cultivation. Gerber was among nine brands of rice and other infant cereals included in the testing. “Any ingredient that does not meet our high standards for quality is rejected,” Gerber emphasized. “Although our products are safe to consume, we understand that some consumers may be concerned about arsenic in food. As a result, earlier this year, we decided to exclusively use California rice in all of 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-based Hero Group, mentioned that it tests its products for up to 255 pesticides and heavy metals, including arsenic, and will return non-compliant ingredients to suppliers. Beech-Nut infant cereals were also part of the study. “We’ve been testing our ingredients for heavy metals since 1985, and we are not aware of any industry standards that exceed those we implement,” the company stated.
Lundberg Family Farms, a California-based grower and producer of primarily organic rice and snack products, has been testing inorganic arsenic levels in its rice for the past six years. The company publishes its 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’ studies highlighting elevated 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 limited to 100 parts per billion. However, the FDA also stated in 2013 that after testing over 1,300 rice and rice product samples, it did not find arsenic levels high enough to present an immediate health risk, although the agency planned to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment for long-term implications.
Since 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 a six-to-one ratio of water to rice—and draining off the excess. For concerned parents, offering babies products made from other grains that have lower arsenic levels, such as oatmeal, multi-grain cereals, and quinoa, is also advisable. Healthy Babies Bright Futures endorsed Gerber and Earth’s Best infant oatmeal and multi-grain cereals, noting that they are comparably priced to rice cereals. “We recommend that parents avoid infant rice cereal,” the group advised. “Non-rice and multi-grain alternatives consistently show lower arsenic contamination and are a healthier choice.”
Companies producing products with notably low arsenic levels might highlight this on social media or in stores; however, they must tread carefully not to unfairly criticize their competitors, especially since the FDA has not identified an immediate health risk to consumers. In this context, the calcium citrate effects in alternative grains could further reassure parents looking for safer options for their infants.