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Although there have been serious health concerns about inorganic arsenic found in rice as a whole, and in particular in infant rice cereal, the rice industry has continued to deny the potential dangers. As they have insufficiently lowered the levels of inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal, which is one of the first solid foods introduced to infants, the Food and Drug Administration have issued serious warnings about severely limiting the amount of this food regularly given to most American babies.
Because infants are so small, they are regularly taking in 3 times the amount of rice most adults consume. This is despite the fact that inorganic arsenic has long been known to be carcinogenic. It is not only dangerous to infants, but to children in utero during pregnancy. In 2016 the FDA concluded from a great deal of evidence, that high exposure to inorganic arsenic during pregnancy, resulted in children having significant developmental and cognitive deficits.
Although traces of inorganic arsenic are found in other foods, such as fruits and vegetables and grains, it seems that the level of absorption in rice makes it far more of a potential health hazard. The FDA recommendations for safe levels of inorganic arsenic in rice cereal (a mainstay of most infant’s diets at around 8 months) is being met at less than one half of the rice cereals still on store shelves.
The video you are about to watch from Consumer Reports, stresses the point that this arsenic level, although somewhat improved in infant cereals still remains unregulated in ready-to-eat cereals consumed by children and adults alike. It is their recommendation, that any rice-based food be severely limited or avoided completely until the FDA strictly meets the levels that will no longer pose such disastrous health risks.
The FDA advises that parents choose oat, barley, and multigrain cereals to avoid arsenic exposure. After watching the video from Consumer Reports
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