Rice contains 'worrisome' arsenic levels, says Consumer Reports

[g5000]

Rice contains 'worrisome' arsenic levels, says Consumer Reports - latimes.com

The new findings from a Consumer Reports investigation show “significant” and “worrisome” amounts of inorganic arsenic in nearly every rice product tested. The watchdog group urged consumers to scale back ingestion of rice products and asked the Food and Drug Administration to set limits.

Some infant rice cereals had five times the inorganic arsenic found in alternatives such as oatmeal, according to the group. White rice grown in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas – the source of more than three quarters of domestic rice – had higher levels of arsenic than other samples.

But the average arsenic levels in brown rice were always higher than for the white variety. The element concentrates in the outer layers of the grain, which are polished off to produce white rice.

Eating just over half a cup of cooked rice a day resulted in a jump in urinary arsenic levels

Hmmm...

Here is the Consumer Reports chart of the various types and brands of rice they tested, and the amounts of arsenic they found in each: Arsenic in Your Food | Consumer Reports Investigation

Here is the chart of an earlier test in which they found arsenic in apple and grape juice: http://news.consumerreports.org/Consumer Reports Arsenic Test Results January 2012.pdf


Eat, drink, and be merry!

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[whitehall]

Is it something new or has rice always contained high levels of arsenic? Oriental cultures have thrived on rice since the beginning of time.

 

[Katzndogz]

Arsenic is naturally occurring like anthrax or hanta virus. But when the government wants to attack an industry, they will drag out dozens of ridiculous reports to tell you how dangerous it is. Maybe we should eat less rice so rice can be used for biofuel.

 

[whitehall]

Arsenic is naturally occurring like anthrax or hanta virus. But when the government wants to attack an industry, they will drag out dozens of ridiculous reports to tell you how dangerous it is. Maybe we should eat less rice so rice can be used for biofuel.

I call it "bigfoot" science. Watch enough slanted pop-culture science and you might think bigfoot walks among us and Americans secretly influence global weather with energy decadence. When the entire media turns into left wing pop-culture tabloid mush it's possible to convince a generation of union educated people of anything including the theory that ancient aliens built the Pyramids and rice will kill you.

 

[rdean]

They must have given her one of those "invasive" ultrasound tests.

 

[laughinReaper]

I'll worry when Asians start dropping dead from it.

 

[g5000]

I'll worry when Asians start dropping dead from it.

The report says Asians had much higher levels of arsenic in their bodies.

•People who ate rice had arsenic levels that were 44 percent greater than those who had not, according to our analysis of federal health data. And certain ethnic groups were more highly affected, including Mexicans, other Hispanics, and a broad category that includes Asians.

Arsenic in Your Food | Consumer Reports Investigation

 

[eflatminor]

...and asked the Food and Drug Administration to set limits.

Clearly the problem is we just don't have enough government regulations...