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Arsenic and rice: what you need to know


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by Len Canter, Healthday Reporter

 

(HealthDay)—There's a danger lurking in rice and you won't find it by reading labels. It's the chemical arsenic.

And the threat isn't about immediate poisoning but rather that long-term exposure to small amounts can increase the risk of bladder, lung and skin cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

Arsenic naturally finds its way into our soil and water because it's in the Earth's crust, but it also accumulates from some pesticides and fertilizers.

Rice tends to absorb arsenic more readily than many other plants. Most unfortunate is that brown rice has the highest amounts because the arsenic accumulates in the otherwise healthful outer layers, which are removed to make white rice.

You don't have to eliminate all rice from your diet, but choose it carefully, suggests the watchdog group Consumer Reports. Their testing found that arsenic levels differ depending on the types of rice and where they were cultivated.

Here are some tips to limit your rice intake:

  • Choose white basmati and brown basmati rice cultivated in California, India and Pakistan, and sushi rice cultivated in the United States.
  • Vary your whole grains to minimize arsenic exposure—try whole wheat, amaranth, buckwheat, millet, polenta and grits.
  • Carefully read the labels of all food products: Rice, rice flour or brown rice syrup are in everything from gluten-free foods to teething biscuits.

High concentrations of arsenic in rice-based foods given to babies and children have led to recommendations to not give them rice drinks and to limit the number of servings of rice cereal. According to Consumer Reports, just one serving of rice cakes has close to a child's weekly limit, and one serving of rice cereal and rice pasta could put kids over the maximum amount.

 

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-05-arsenic-rice.html


 

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Kids rice snacks in Australia contain arsenic above EU guidelines: study

by RMIT University

 

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A sample of children's rice snacks found in Australian supermarkets. New research shows rice-based products for children in Australia have concentrations of arsenic that exceed the EU guideline for safe rice consumption for babies and toddlers. Credit: RMIT University

Rice snacks for kids found in Australian supermarkets contain arsenic at levels above European safety guidelines, a new study shows.

The research found 75% of rice-based products tested had concentrations of arsenic that exceeded the EU guideline for safe rice consumption for babies and toddlers.

The study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, found Australian children who eat large amounts of rice-based food may be exposed to dangerous amounts of arsenic.

Senior researcher Associate Professor Suzie Reichman, an environmental toxicologist at RMIT University, said the research used European guidelines because Australia does not have safety standards specifically for children.

"While all the products we tested meet Australian guidelines, these do not reflect the latest scientific understanding on how arsenic affects the body," Reichman said.

"Children are far more vulnerable to the long-term toxic effect of metals like arsenic, but our rice guidelines are based on adults.

"The guidelines are also based on out-of-date dietary habits, when rice was generally eaten less often by Australian families.

"This study shows the need to develop new standards specifically for children and ensure our guidelines are in line with what we now know about safe rice consumption."

Reichman said rice-based products were a popular alternative for the growing number of children with gluten intolerances.

"Rice can be safely eaten as part of a well-rounded, balanced diet, but if it's a child's main source of carbohydrates, that could be a problem," she said.

"As a general rule, we recommend that children under five eat rice in moderation and parents should avoid serving rice at every meal, to minimise the risk of exposure to arsenic."

Minimising arsenic exposure

Arsenic is a naturally occurring metal widely found in air, soil and groundwater that comes in both organic and inorganic forms.

 

Organic arsenic is relatively safe, but inorganic arsenic is a carcinogen linked with cancers of the bladder and skin. Long-term exposure to high amounts of inorganic arsenic is dangerous to human health.

Because rice plants are known to accumulate arsenic more than similar crops, rice safety guidelines aim to minimise potential exposure.

The Australian rice guidelines are for total arsenic (organic and inorganic) and set a maximum level of 1mg/kg. This is more than 3 times higher than the standard for total arsenic set by the World Health Organisation of 0.3mg/kg.

Rather than looking at total arsenic, the European Union guideline for infants and young children focuses specifically on inorganic arsenic and sets a maximum level of 0.1mg/kg.

Product testing

The study tested 39 rice products for babies and toddlers found in Australian supermarkets, including milk formula powder, cereal, crackers and pasta made from brown, white, organic and non-organic rice.

The research found 75% of the products had levels of inorganic arsenic above the EU standard for children.

Among the findings, the study found there was more inorganic arsenic in brown rice crackers than white rice crackers, likely because arsenic is more concentrated in the rice bran that is removed in white rice.

Reichman said the results for brown rice were particularly concerning because it is generally seen by health-conscious parents as a better choice, due to its higher fibre and nutrient contents.

The research was part of a final-year capstone project by Bachelor of Environmental Engineering student, Zhuyun Gu, who is now undertaking a Ph.D. at RMIT.

"The research completed by Zhuyun was of such high standard that it was accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal and highlighted in its special edition focusing on arsenic exposure in the environment and human health," Reichman said.

"This work is an important contribution to our understanding of safety issues around rice in our diets, and supports the need for updating arsenic guidelines in Australia.

"It's a fantastic example of how our students can shape the world by looking at practical problems and searching for real solutions."

'Arsenic concentrations and dietary exposure in rice-based infant food in Australia', has been published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

 

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-kids-rice-snacks-australia-arsenic.html

 

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I lazy liao! :hehe:

 

 

Arsenic is found in nearly all foods and drinks, but is usually only found in small amounts.

In contrast, relatively high levels are found in:

  • Contaminated drinking water: Millions of people around the world are exposed to drinking water that contains high amounts of inorganic arsenic. This is most common in South America and Asia (2, 3Trusted Source).
  • Seafood: Fish, shrimp, shellfish and other seafood may contain significant amounts of organic arsenic, the less toxic form. However, mussels and certain types of seaweed may contain inorganic arsenic as well (4, 5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).
  • Rice and rice-based foods: Rice accumulates more arsenic than other food crops. In fact, it is the single biggest food source of inorganic arsenic, which is the more toxic form (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

High levels of inorganic arsenic have been detected in many rice-based products, such as:

Bottom Line:

Seafood contains arsenic, but mostly the organic form. Rice and rice-based products may contain high levels of the inorganic (more toxic) form.

High doses of arsenic are acutely toxic, causing various adverse symptoms and even death (26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source).

Dietary arsenic is generally present in low amounts, and does not cause any immediate symptoms of poisoning.

However, long-term ingestion of inorganic arsenic may cause various health problems and increase the risk of chronic diseases. These include:

In addition, arsenic is toxic to nerve cells and may affect brain function (36Trusted Source, 37Trusted Source). In children and teenagers, arsenic exposure has been associated with:

Some of these impairments may have taken place before birth. Several studies indicate that high arsenic intake among pregnant women has adverse effects on the fetus, increasing the risk of birth defects and hindering development (43Trusted Source).

Bottom Line:

The toxic symptoms of dietary arsenic usually take a long time to develop. Long-term ingestion may increase the risk of various health problems, including cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and decreased intelligence.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/arsenic-in-rice

 

 

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https://blogs-images.forbes.com/daniellegould/files/2012/10/Consumer-Reports-Arsenic-in-Food-Limit-Exposure1-12.jpeg  Consumer-Reports-Arsenic-in-Food-Limit-Exposure1-12.jpeg.9ae84d13bbdcfa8549a51f4b84f6d9d3.jpeg

 

Scientists Say This New Rice-Cooking Hack Removes Arsenic But Keeps The Nutrients

 
3 NOVEMBER 2020

Rice is one of the most widely consumed foods in the world. It's also very high in arsenic compared to most other foods, absorbing about 10 times as much toxic inorganic arsenic as other cereal crops.

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https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-say-this-rice-cooking-hack-removes-arsenic-but-keeps-the-nutrients

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