Arsenic contamination of baby rice cereals

Yet another USA baby cereal recall has been issued on account of excessive arsenic levels. This follows the shocking findings of an investigation earlier this year which found that arsenic levels in eight brands of US baby foods exceeded the regulatory limit.

Arsenic can cause serious health effects in infants, including suppressed cognitive development, stunted growth and cancer. Rice and rice-based products are often affected by arsenic contamination, as rice has an unusual efficiency for absorbing arsenic compared to other crops.

The European Commission and FDA set a maximum level of 100 ppb for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereals. Although the Regulation relating to maximum levels of metals in foodstuffs (No. 588 of 2018) sets maximum levels for arsenic in polished (white) and husked (brown) rice, South African regulations do not define a maximum limit for arsenic in rice-based infant foods specifically. This is concerning, as rice-based baby cereals are a highly popular infant foodstuff due to their low allergic potential and high palatability. Given this state of affairs, the health of this vulnerable population group – whose food choices are usually not their own – may be at risk.

For more information on arsenic contamination in rice, listen to our recent SAAFoST presentation by Shannon Russouw.

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