SOCIETY
Consumer Reports study finds concerning levels of arsenic in rice
Baku, January 10 (AZERTAC). The magazine tested more than 200 samples of rice products - including popular brands, store brands and even organic ones - and found measurable amounts of arsenic in "virtually every product tested."
"We found significant levels of inorganic arsenic, which is a carcinogen, in almost every product category, along with organic arsenic, which is less toxic but still of concern," the authors wrote.
The study found higher levels of arsenic in brown rice than white rice, a result of how the two different types are processed. It also found higher levels in rice produced in southern U.S. states than in rice from California or Asia.
A chart detailing Consumer Reports` tests can be found here.
Arsenic is naturally present in water, air, food and soil in two forms, organic and inorganic. According to the Food and Drug Administration, organic arsenic passes through the body quickly and is essentially harmless. Inorganic arsenic - the type found in some pesticides and insecticides - can be toxic and may pose a cancer risk if consumed at high levels or over a long period.
The Environmental Protection Agency classifies inorganic arsenic as a known human carcinogen.
A study last December out of Dartmouth University also found rice may contain potentially dangerous levels of arsenic. Pregnant women who ate half a cup of rice per day had arsenic levels in their urine on average 53 percent higher than pregnant women who didn`t eat rice.
Arsenic is thought to be found in rice in higher levels than most other foods because it is grown in water on the ground, optimal conditions for the contaminant to be absorbed in the rice. There are no federal standards for how much arsenic is allowed in food but the government sets a cap of 10 parts per billion of arsenic allowed in bottled water.