FDA Proposes Limit On Arsenic in Baby Rice Cereal – Why Are Already Tiny Limits Further Restricted?

The FDA has recommended the amount of arsenic found in baby rice cereal be further restricted. The element, found in small quantities in rice, has long been identified as a toxic carcinogen. The recommendations has been based on recent health data that indicates that arsenic has a significantly bad influence on the newborn’s cognitive performance and the child could get exposed to learning disabilities as well.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday proposed a limit on the amount of arsenic allowed in infant rice cereal. The inorganic chemical, found mainly in food crops like rice, is very poisonous to children, and cereal is one of the primary sources through which the carcinogen finds its way into the vulnerable bodies of infants.

Despite the fact that FDA’s internal testing has already confirmed that most infant rice cereals currently available in the market already meet, or are very close to meeting, the new recommendations, the move does come after a significant delay, say experts. Nonetheless, after restricting arsenic levels in apple juice several years ago, FDA has shown a positive sign and indicated that the regulator intends to continue bringing down instances of the inorganic chemical in food.

Arsenic in rice: FDA proposes limit on already tiny amount of arsenic in baby rice cereal, @mcjalonick https://t.co/S4Cb5pwTEb

— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) April 1, 2016

Consumer advocates have long insisted that the presence of arsenic in baby food, even in trace amounts, is very harmful to them. There are numerous studies that indicate the persistent consumption of products containing the carcinogen can be harmful, especially to developing children. Incidentally, exposure to naturally occurring arsenic does occur through soil and water, but increasing amounts of the inorganic arsenic is entering food crops because of increasing use of chemical-based or artificial fertilizers and pesticides.

While recommending the new limits of arsenic in baby rice cereal, FDA noted that exposure to inorganic arsenic can cause lower performance on some child developmental tests. The guideline limits the level of inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal to 100-parts-per-billion (ppb). While the recommendation is at par with the limit set by European Commission for rice used in food made for infants and young children, the agency’s draft guidance is voluntary.

Why focus on rice? Traces of arsenic are present in many foods, including grains, fruits, and vegetables, but rice absorbs it more easily than most foods do, reported Today. The rice cereal is one of America’s most common and favorite baby foods, noted the FDA statement. Moreover, rice consumption by infants is quite high, as compared to adults. FDA did observe that infants consume a lot of rice mostly through rice-based cereal. Hence they are at a far elevated risk of arsenic poisoning, which might not be fatal, but would certainly impact cognitive functions in the long run.

“Rice and rice-based food products have higher levels of inorganic arsenic than do other foods tested by FDA, and given their widespread consumption, are a major food source of inorganic arsenic. The proposed limit is a prudent and achievable step.”

Interestingly, many manufacturers of baby cereal appear to have already met the new limits set by FDA. According to FDA’s own admission, internal testing conducted by agency’s labs concluded that close to 80 percent of the companies do offer a reliably safe product that contains less than 100 ppb of arsenic in their cereal, reported NYSE Post. However, the new threshold will serve as a benchmark when manufacturers who flout them are called up for disciplinary or enforcement actions.

FDA to parents: You might want to cut back on your baby's rice cereal intake: https://t.co/9DnSQO2FRy #arsenic pic.twitter.com/QTvMZt727O

— Tom Zeller Jr. (@tomzellerjr) April 1, 2016

While many popular and reputed brands do have in-house parameters that are stricter than FDA’s guidelines, the risk still exists due to other brands, shared Dr. Urvashi Rangan, executive director of ?the Consumer Reports’ ?Food Safety And Sustainability? Center,

“While Consumer Reports is pleased to see that the FDA has finally proposed a limit on arsenic in infant rice cereal, we remain concerned that so many other rice-based products consumed by children and adults remain without any standards at all.”

Interestingly, while the FDA has just released the new guidelines that limit the presence of arsenic to 100 ppb, Consumer Reports had recommended a limit of 90 ppb over three years ago.

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