Arsenic in Rice – What to Watch Out for in Infants and Young Children

In large quantities, inorganic arsenic can cause cancer. Since it is often found in rice, caution is advised. But you don’t have to do without rice entirely.

The essentials in brief:

• Rice is often contaminated with arsenic, which can cause cancer
• Special maximum levels apply to foods used for infants and young children, which are significantly lower than for other rice products.
• Pay particular attention to variety in grain types at meals

Rice is often contaminated with inorganic arsenic and can cause cancer in large quantities. However, blood vessels and nerves can also be damaged if small amounts of inorganic arsenic are regularly ingested. Cardiovascular diseases can also be promoted.

People who eat a lot of rice are affected by levels of arsenic that are problematic for their health. Babies and small children are particularly affected because many of them eat baby food that contains rice and small children in particular often eat the particularly contaminated rice cakes.

A safe daily intake (acceptable daily intake, ADI) could not be determined so far. The occurrence of inorganic arsenic in food is therefore undesirable in any amount, but cannot be completely avoided since the element is a natural component of the soil and is absorbed by plants.

In particular, rice and rice products such as rice cakes or rice porridge for small children can contain relatively high levels of inorganic arsenic. For this reason, new maximum levels for inorganic arsenic in rice, rice biscuits, rice cakes, rice crackers and rice cakes have been in force in the European Union since January 1, 2016 .

Special requirements apply to rice used in the manufacture of foods for infants and young children. The maximum levels for these foods are significantly lower than those for other rice products. Studies from 2015 of rice cakes for children have shown that these maximum levels are also observed.

Nevertheless, the offspring, who regularly get lots of rice cakes, rice porridge or rice milk (also organic goods), could be overly stressed. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment therefore recommends that parents do not feed their infants and young children exclusively rice-based drinks such as rice milk or complementary foods such as rice porridge. Such products should be consumed in moderation, alternating with foods from other cereals.

The legislator is therefore now required to supplement the specified maximum values ​​or to prescribe and/or formulate recommendations for the consumption of rice products. Until then, the consumer centers are asking manufacturers to voluntarily provide their rice products with appropriate information for small children.

But there is no reason to avoid rice altogether. Rice products such as waffles, crackers or rice flakes that are not produced specifically for infants and young children can also be eaten by older children and adults from time to time. For the very little ones, however, it is not advisable. Because the country of origin of the rice does not have to be stated on the packaging. Asian rice is usually more contaminated with arsenic than European rice.

For consumers suffering from celiac disease, other gluten-free grains such as corn, millet, buckwheat, amaranth or quinoa are available as alternatives for the menu.