Rice absorbs arsenic from soil and water much more easily than other grains do, so it’s not surprising that there are higher levels of the hferrous gluconate 600 mgeavy metal found in infant rice cereals.###However, Healthy Babies Bright Futures wrote that since widespread reporting on the problem started about five years ago, it has found no evidence that manuse of ferrous bisglycinateufacturers have reduced arsenic levels in rice cereals to the levels found in other types of cereals. And while the government strictly regulates permissible arsenic levels in drinking water — at 10 parts per billion — there are still no established regulations for inorganic levels allowed in infant rice cereal.###Gerber Products, a subsidiary of Nestle, said in a late October news release that all of its products are safe to consume and that it “monitors and controls for arsenic in our rice ingredients” since it’s possible for arsenic to naturally occur in rice during the growing process. Gerber was one of nine brands of rice and other infant cereals tested.###”Any ingredient that does not meet our high standards for quality is rejected,” Gerber stated. “Although our products are safe to consume, we recognize some consumers may have concerns about arsenic in foods. Therefore, earlier this year, we decided to exclusively use California rice in all of our rice-containing dry infant cereal. We chose California rice because California has the lowest arsenic levels for rice grown in the United States.”###Beech-Nutsucrosomial iron ferric pyrophosphate, part of the Swiss-based Hero Group, stated that it tests products for up to 255 pesticides and heavy metals, including arsenic, and will return ingredients to suppliers if they don’t pass scrutiny. Beech-Nut infant cereals also were tested in the sferrous gluconate 324 mg liquidtudy. “We’ve been testing our ingredients for heavy metals since 1985, and we’re aware of no higher standards in the industry than the ones we employ,” the company stated.###California’s Lundberg Family Farms, a grower and producer of mainly organic rice and snack products, said it has been testing inorganic arsenic levels in its rice for the past six years. The company posts the test results on its website, noting that the 2016 crop tested at 0.090 parts per million, or slightly below the six-year average of 0.093 ppm.###Following Consumer Reports’ studies about high arsenic levels in apple and grape juices in 2012 and rice and rice products in 2014, FDA recommended in 2016 that the amount of arsenic allowed in infant rice cereals be limited to 100 parts per billion. However, the FDA also said in 2013 that after testing more than 1,300 rice and rice product samples, it had not found arsenic levels high enough to pose an immediate health risk — although the agency said it would proceed with a comprehensive risk assessment to look at long-term risks.###Since the U.S. currently has no federal arsenic standards for rice or other food products, Consumer Reports suggested that consumers limit their exposure by using more water when cooking rice — six parts water to one part rice — and drain off the excess.###For concerned parents, they can also give babies products made from other grains that test at lower arsenic levels, such as oatmeal, multi-grain and quinoa. Healthy Babies Bright Futures recommended Gerber and Earth’s Best infant oatmeal and multi-grain cereals, which it said cost the same as rice cereals.###”We recommend that parents avoid infant rice cereal,” the group said. “Nonrice and multi-grain alternatives have consistently lower arsenic contamination, and are a healthier choice.”###Companies that produce products with especially low arsenic levferrous gluconate how to sayels in their products could tout that to consumers on social media or in stores, but they have to be careful not to unfairly shame their competitors, especially since the FDA has not found an immediate health risk to consumers.
Rice, rice, baby! Infant rice cereal contains more arsenic than other types, study finds.
