US rice found to have high levels of arsenic, cadmium

New testing reveals that virtually all rice sold in the U.S. contains arsenic and cadmium, with one-fourth of samples exceeding federal safety limits established for infant rice cereal.

Key findings: Tests of 145 rice samples from retailers nationwide detected arsenic — a highly toxic metalloid — in 100% of samples, with more than one in four exceeding the FDA’s 100 parts-per-billion limit set for infant rice cereal in 2021. California-grown rice had the lowest overall heavy metal content at 65 parts per billion, while U.S.-grown brown rice contained the highest at 151 parts per billion.

Cadmium, a highly toxic heavy metal, was also found in all but one sample, with higher concentrations in Indian basmati and Italian Arborio varieties. Tests of 66 samples of alternative grains like barley, couscous, farro and quinoa showed significantly lower levels of these toxic metals, with overall levels three times lower than rice.

Dangers: Jane Houlihan, the national director of science and health at Healthy Babies, Bright Futures — which produced the report — said parents should not have to worry that a common first food such as rice could pose hidden risks. “Even at low levels, both arsenic and cadmium have been linked to serious health harms, including diabetes, developmental delays, reproductive toxicity and heart disease,” she told CNN.

What you can do: Rice accounts for 54.5% of arsenic exposure in diets of Asian children between 18 and 24 months, the tests found. To reduce exposure by up to 60%, families are encouraged to cook rice like pasta, using six to 10 cups of water per cup of rice and draining the excess before eating. Simply rinsing rice before cooking does not work, but soaking rice for a half hour or overnight before cooking further reduces contamination levels. ‘

Parents can also choose lower-risk varieties like California-grown, Thai jasmine or Indian basmati rice and incorporate alternative grains with lower metal content. Additionally, consuming foods rich in B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, iron and zinc can help reduce the body’s absorption of contaminants or speed up their excretion.

The findings come as research shows climate change could worsen the problem, with a Columbia University-led study finding that projected 2050 temperature and CO₂ levels could significantly increase inorganic arsenic in rice.