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Arsenic in Organic Brown Rice Syrup. Who’s to Blame?

February 22, 2012 By: Anna21 Comments

Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Rice and Arsenic. When Did Eating Healthy Become Unhealthy?

Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Rice and Arsenic. When Did Eating Healthy Become Unhealthy?

A recent Dartmouth study revealed certain products containing organic brown rice syrup as a major ingredient contained high levels of cancer causing inorganic arsenic.  The products tested were toddler formula, cereal bars, and high performance energy products.

Despite this recent study, inorganic arsenic in rice is not a new subject.  Past studies reported similar findings.  Yet, neither agricultural or regulatory measures have been introduced to reduce exposure.  There is just so much more to this story than a plea for governmental intervention.

Note, throughout the article organic brown rice syrup will be abbreviated as “OBRS.”  Further note, the study refers to  infant formula.  Deborah Kotz  of the Boston.com clarified that the products tested were toddler not infant formulas.  Brian Jackson, lead author of the study confirmed her statements.

The Study’s Findings

First things first.  Let’s examine the study to see why it is alarming so many people, especially young parents.  The Dartmouth team bought the following products from a local store:

  • 3 brown rice syrups
  • 17 infant formulas, in which 2 contained organic brown rice syrup as an ingredient
  •  29 cereal bars in which 13 contained OBRS
  • 3 flavors of high energy performance products.

They found the following results:

  • Organic toddler formulas which  contained OBRS as a primary ingredient contained an arsenic concentrations 6 times the level of the EPA safe water limits. (Now can you understand why parents would be upset.)
  • The arsenic level of formula containing OBRS  was 20 times higher than those formulas which didn’t contain OBRS.
  • Cereal Bars and energy products with OBRS contained higher levels of arsenic then their non-OBRS counterparts.

What is Inorganic Arsenic?

Before I could understand the study, I had to wrap my head around what was inorganic arsenic, where did it come from, and what should we do about?

So what is inorganic arsenic?   Inorganic arsenic is found in the soils that were contaminated by arsenic based pesticides,  industrial districts or mining areas, municipal waste, or contaminated water. [source.]

Arsenic based pesticides were used to control boll weevils from damaging cotton crops in the south central United States.  Rice paddies have replaced cotton fields; however, the pesticide residue remains.  Thank goodness, arsenic based pesticides have been banned; unfortunately, the damage is done.

Rice is primarily grown in the South.  In 2007, a report noted that approximately 80% of all rice grown in the United States was in the South.  50% of rice production was grown in Arkansas.  The balance is grown in California.

 Why Rice?

But I still couldn’t understand why rice and arsenic were having such a troublesome relationship as compared to other plants.    John Duxbury, Professor of Soil Science and International Agriculture at Cornell University explains via email,

 “[r]ice has high levels of arsenic compared to other cereals because it is mostly grown in flooded soils, i.e. rice paddies.  Flooded soil becomes reduced (in the chemical sense), which means that iron oxides to which arsenic is primarily absorbed are reduced to soluble iron forms and arsenic is released into the solution and thus becomes available for uptake by rice,”

In fact if you are thinking only brown rice is effected, think again.  A 2007 study conducted by Professor Andrew Meharg and team, concluded a specialty white rice in Louisiana had the highest inorganic arsenic levels of the 134 different white and brown rice samples.   Conversely, California’s rice had the lowest amount of inorganic arsenic of the samples.

But Why Brown Rice Sryup?

But why organic brown rice syrup? According to Professor Meharg, OBRS is so concentrated that it would render higher levels of inorganic arsenic.  Jackson indicated by email that he didn’t think that it mattered whether they studied organic versus non-organic brown rice syrup.  Brown rice syrup was the culprit.

What is the Affect of Arsenic Exposure:

Inorganic arsenic is a human carcinogen. [source.]  Meharg’s 2007 study reports that arsenic

“has also been shown to have an impact on fertility; to increase the risk of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, vascular disease, and birth defects; and to impair children’s development by reducing intellectual function (2, 3). Additionally, there is new evidence to suggest in utero and early childhood exposure can result in a marked increase in mortality from lung cancer and bronchiectasis (4).”

He further explained that people who are gluten free, babies, Asians, Hispanics, and African Americans are more at risk.  This group consumes more rice products than the average person.   It would seem obvious that eating products with OBRS as a primary ingredient would be even more risky.

Right now there are no FDA or EU regulations regarding allowable arsenic levels in rice or rice by products like OBRS.  So, what are we supposed to do?  Read part II of my article discusses guidelines to wade through the rice patties.

Update: 2/24/2012:  Please sign my petition to reduce arsenic in rice at Change.org to wake up the FDA and EU.  Please share with your family and friends on Facebook, Twitter, and via email.  Here is the shorten url:  http://chn.ge/zyKERf  (Just cut and paste.)

Join the Conversation?

  • Given this news, how will you alter your rice and/or brown rice syrup consumption?
  • Do you give your child products that contain brown rice syrup?
  • Do you consume energy products with brown rice syrup?
  • How do you feel about the lack of regulation of arsenic?

Similar Posts:

  • Arsenic in Rice. How Many Studies Do We Need for the FDA to Act?
  • Arsenic in Organic Brown Rice Syrup and Rice. How to Eat Rice Safely
  • Current Rice Production is Unsustainable. Lotus Foods Shows a New Way
  • Diet Restrictions Made Easier with Sugar, GF, & Dairy Free Products
  • Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats: Gluten, Dairy, & Refined Sugar Free

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About Anna

Anna Hackman is the editor of Green Talk, and owner of The Naked Botanical and a avid (okay obsessed) gardener. She also loves video and podcasting and hosts Green Talk TV and Green Talk Radio. Her most important role is being a mother of four boys.

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Comments

  1. 1

    Tiffany says

    February 22, 2012 at 6:28 pm

    Excellent article Anna! I kind of ignored this issue because we are grain free and thus rice and rice syrup free but this was very interesting nonetheless. There are numerous reasons out there to avoid grains and rice anyway but this is yet another.

    Reply
    • 2

      Anna@Green Talk says

      February 22, 2012 at 9:54 pm

      It’s scary out there. Is there anything safe to eat anymore? Anna

      Reply
  2. 3

    Maggie says

    February 22, 2012 at 7:01 pm

    I believe that arsenic in the soil also mimics silica – rice takes in silica to help it remain standing upright. This is likely another reason why rice is so highly loaded with arsenic compared to other grains or fruits/veggies

    Reply
    • 4

      Anna@Green Talk says

      February 22, 2012 at 9:55 pm

      Maggie, you are correct. I learned that too. Thanks for adding it in the comments. Anna

      Reply
  3. 5

    Brenna @ Almost All The Truth says

    February 22, 2012 at 9:49 pm

    This is so interesting to me. We don’t eat a lot of processed foods that have OBRS, but we do eat rice. I think this is probably most surprising to those who were choosing it as a good sweetener alternative and are now seeing there could be serious health problems associated with it.

    Reply
    • 6

      Anna@Green Talk says

      February 22, 2012 at 9:56 pm

      Brenna, you will see in part 2 that there are ways for the agricultural society can change their ways. Anna

      Reply
  4. 7

    Caroline72 says

    March 12, 2012 at 5:27 pm

    Thanks for sharing this ideas with us, I’m always be in green and healthy way of living than link with chemical especially when it comes to our main source of living which is “rice’….

    Reply
  5. 8

    Danika @ Your Organic Life says

    September 19, 2012 at 11:22 am

    Excellent information Anna! People don’t realize all the products brown rice is in. So many green smoothie & raw food advocates use brown rice protein. Celiacs and others who are gluten-free also need to be careful, as to all parents with small babies who are considering using rice cereal.

    And, the reason organic rice is affected also is because to get organic certification your fields only need to be free of synthetic pesticides & herbicides for 2 years. However, the arsenic-based pesticides & herbicides were sprayed approximately 100 years ago.

    Reply
    • 9

      Anna@Green Talk says

      September 19, 2012 at 11:38 am

      I so agree. I tried to contact all the gluten free, autism, and green societies to jump on my rice petition but no one seemed concerned. Rice is everywhere. The sad thing is it is a solvable problem according to my experts.

      Reply
  6. 10

    Lynn says

    September 19, 2012 at 12:26 pm

    I don’t know where I’ve been hiding that I hadn’t read about this. The thing is that I’m guessing (not sure of course) that this situation isn’t just one that affects rice, but other crops as well. It’s not only spraying today that is a problem, but what is in the soil from years ago that remains to poison our foods today as Danika points out. Unbelievable that you can’t get any of the organizations to come on board.

    Reply
    • 11

      Anna@Green Talk says

      September 19, 2012 at 12:59 pm

      Thank goodness Consumer Union also did a recent study so there is now more muscle in the fight. Please spread the petition. http://chn.ge/xJGMe5

      Reply
  7. 12

    T says

    September 24, 2012 at 3:38 pm

    Important: Inorganic Arsenic is still being added to our soils in the form of veterinary drugs and herbicides, according to a piece on Huffington Post:
    “Then FDA and EPA should address the sources of arsenic in food. Arsenic-containing herbicides can still be used on cotton; EPA should phase out this use since the arsenic can get into water and soil. Arsenic-containing drugs can be given to healthy chickens, turkeys, and pigs to promote growth and prevent diseases–FDA should prohibit this practice. And because of this drug use, relatively high levels of arsenic may end up in poultry manure, which can be used on rice fields as fertilizer, contaminating the crop. Until FDA prohibits feeding arsenic-containing drugs to chickens, rice farmers should not use poultry manure on fields.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....97182.html
    I suggest that your petition be modified to address the need for change in our livestock practices and herbicide laws, and the need to ban the use of animal manure from animals fed arsenic. And as a side point, what the heck else is being put in our animal feed???!!! It should be food, and food only, not synthetic chemicals!

    Reply
    • 13

      Anna@Green Talk says

      September 24, 2012 at 3:56 pm

      T, when I started the petition, Food Water Watch had a petition on arsenic and chicken. I didn’t want to duplicate their efforts. I mention the use of arsenic in chicken manure in my latest article and linked to the ABC Consumer Report that talks about all forms of arsenic getting into the soil. I would really appreciate you spreading the word about the petition. Most people don’t know about it or think it doesn’t affect them.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Arsenic in Organic Brown Rice Syrup and Rice. How to Eat Rice Safely | Green Talk® says:
    February 23, 2012 at 3:27 pm

    […] to recap, in my previous article, I discussed the recent Dartmouth study which revealed that high levels of inorganic arsenic were present in organic brown rice […]

    Reply
  2. Blog stalking « in fine balance says:
    February 27, 2012 at 10:59 pm

    […] sure you have heard enough about the arsenic in the baby formulas, but here is the link if you missed the news.  I’m still debating about what to do with the […]

    Reply
  3. Arsenic and Old Rice: A Comedy of Errors (that isn't very funny) says:
    March 14, 2012 at 10:07 am

    […] rice syrup becomes toxic because it is so concentrated. I urge you to read Anna’s findings in her first post on the study and get some tips on avoiding arsenic in your rice. Read enough already? Sign the petition […]

    Reply
  4. What You Should Know About Arsenic in Organic Rice says:
    March 21, 2012 at 9:26 am

    […] Anna Hackman Recently I wrote about a Dartmouth study which revealed that high levels of inorganic arsenic were present in organic brown rice […]

    Reply
  5. Get Arsenic Out Of Rice! Now! says:
    March 26, 2012 at 6:01 am

    […] from all kinds of environmental assaults. So imagine how she felt when she found out that there is arsenic in rice and rice products? What she found out in her research was alarming. And she was angry and started a petition on […]

    Reply
  6. What Can You Do About Arsenic in Organic Rice? - Green Living Ideas says:
    April 18, 2012 at 6:00 am

    […] Blogger Anna Hackman of Green Talk was outraged by this discovery, and spearheaded a Change.org petition to set arsenic limits for […]

    Reply
  7. Current Rice Production is Unsustainable. Lotus Foods Shows a New Way | Green Talk® says:
    January 27, 2013 at 3:03 am

    […] February and September, 2012 separate studies came out warning about arsenic levels in rice. (See here and here.) Sadly nothing has changed since then despite my arsenic experts made it very clear that […]

    Reply
  8. All the Drama on the Internets Episode #3 - Conscientious Confusion says:
    January 21, 2014 at 4:37 pm

    […] the story a while back about how brown rice syrup used in toddler formula contained arsenic – great article about arsenic in rice at that time by Anna at Green Talk. Now Consumer Reports has confirmed that there are really high levels of arsenic in both white and […]

    Reply

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