FDA to propose limits on inorganic arsenic in baby rice cereals.
In 2016, the FDA completed a study and found evidence showing that exposure to food containing arsenic puts infants and children at a high risk for poor performance on cognition tests, and learning difficulties.
Inorganic arsenic is found in a multitude of foods, including fruits, vegetables, and grains. When it comes to rice, which is a staple in an infant's diet after 8 months of age, studies have shown that it absorbs more inorganic arsenic than most foods do.
This has prompted the FDA to propose an action limit of 100 parts per billion, or lower in foods containing inorganic arsenic.
The FDA tested 76 samples of baby rice cereal and found that 50% of the cereals tested near the proposed limit. More than 3/4 of the total samples tested at 110ppb.
Urvashi Rangan PhD, executive director of the Consumer Reports Food Safety and Sustainability Center, believes that the proposed limit doesn't go far enough.
My Two Cents
While I am not a parent, I do feel that we should be feeding ourselves, and our loved ones, food that is free of ingredients that cannot be pronounced, and we should be mindful about foods that contains arsenic. We should be eating as clean as possible. I agree with Dr. Rangan. I do not think the FDA's proposed limit is enough. It needs to be A LOT lower.
