Consumer Reports released a study this week regarding an investigation into arsenic levels in rice. After testing more than 60 rice products, the organization found there were “worrisome” levels of arsenic in all products.
Rice is the number one food source of arsenic in human diets, reportedly containing five times more than oatmeal.
Arsenic is an element found in nature and in man-made products, including various types of pesticides, according to My Health News Daily.
Because it is in the soil, plants absorb arsenic when they grow, which explains how it gets into our food products.
Because Consumer Reports detected “worrisome” levels of arsenic have been detected in our foods, experts are warning consumers to take caution, especially warning parents not to give more than one serving per day of infant rice cereal to their children.
Following the Consumer Reports investigation, which rested 60 rice products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is conducting its own full study and has already tested more than 200 rice products. Various products have included rice cereals and beverages, and the FDA has already found traces of arsenic in all products. In total, more than 1,000 products will be tested over the course of a year. (more…)
