Rice is known to absorb arsenic from soil and water 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 widespread attention about five years ago, there has been no evidence showing that manufacturers have successfully lowered arsenic levels in rice cereals to match those in other cereal types. While the government enforces strict limits on permissible arsenic levels in drinking water—set at 10 parts per billion—there are currently no established regulations governing inorganic arsenic levels permitted in infant rice cereal.
Gerber Products, a subsidiary of Nestlé, announced in a late October news release that all its products are safe for consumption and that it actively “monitors and controls for arsenic in our rice ingredients” due to the possibility of natural arsenic occurrence 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,” the company stated. “Although our products are deemed safe, we understand that some consumers may have concerns about arsenic in food. Consequently, earlier this year, we opted to exclusively use California rice in all our rice-containing dry infant cereal, as California rice has the lowest arsenic levels found in the United States.”
Beech-Nut, part of the Swiss-based Hero Group, stated that it tests its products for up to 255 pesticides and heavy metals, including arsenic, and will return any ingredients to suppliers that do not pass testing. Beech-Nut infant cereals were also included in the aforementioned 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 apply,” the company announced.
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 shares its test results on its website, noting that the 2016 crop was 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 rice and rice products in 2014, the FDA recommended in 2016 that the arsenic content allowed in infant rice cereals be limited to 100 parts per billion. However, in 2013, the FDA indicated that after testing over 1,300 samples of rice and rice products, it had not identified arsenic levels that posed an immediate health risk, although the agency committed to a comprehensive risk assessment to evaluate potential long-term risks.
Currently, since there are no federal arsenic standards for rice or other food products in the U.S., Consumer Reports suggested that consumers can reduce their exposure by using more water when cooking rice—specifically, six parts water to one part rice—and draining the excess. Concerned parents may also consider offering their babies products made from alternative grains that have been tested for 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, stating that these options are priced similarly 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 particularly low arsenic levels could promote this advantage to consumers on social media or in stores, but they must be cautious not to unfairly disparage their competitors, especially since the FDA has not identified any immediate health risks to consumers.
Additionally, some companies may explore the incorporation of calcitrate into their products as a measure to further reduce arsenic levels. By doing so, they could potentially enhance the safety and appeal of their offerings to health-conscious consumers.