Below are three key facts for infant formula manufacturers to keep in mind about rice and arsenic:. Additionally, rice is typically grown in flood conditions, and groundwater during flooding typically contains an elevated level of arsenic.
Though arsenic cannot be completely removed from rice, it is expected that what trace levels remain during or after processing will be reduced further prior to consumption through rinsing and cooking. FDA issued a draft guidance on arsenic in baby food in April , but has not yet finalized an action level or set any final rules regarding arsenic in rice-based infant formula.
The proposed action level is ppb. As part of the draft guidance, FDA encouraged comments from the industry on the feasibility of achieving this level and how it might affect the availability of rice-based infant formula in the market.
Since April , there has been no indication of a finalization of requirements by FDA, but there have been reports of products in the marketplace containing higher than ppb of arsenic, as well as an outcry for FDA to reevaluate the toxicity associated with a ppb dose. Unfortunately, the form by far most prevalent in rice, and therefore infant formula products, is inorganic arsenic.
Products were revealed to include arsenic, lead, cadmium and acrylamide in a test carried out by The Clean Label Project , a non-profit organisation that advocates consumer transparency. They used Nielsen data to analyse different snacks, cereals, formulas and drinks that had been purchased in the last five months. Out of the products analysed, researchers found that 65 per cent contained arsenic, 58 per cent contained cadmium, 36 per cent contained lead and 10 per cent contained acrylamide. While the amounts of each chemical varied with each product, some contained up to parts of arsenic per billion.
The study also found that baby foods today had 70 per cent more acrylamide than the average French fry, a chemical which has been linked to brain damage and reproductive challenges. The report named and shamed some major baby food retailers, including Enfamil, Plum Organics and Sprout, who they deemed as some of the worst offenders for containing harmful chemicals.
Given the scale of the problem of water contamination, IBFAN emphasizes that water sources used to prepare formulas for feeding infants and young children must also be tested for arsenic levels.
Most important is the fact that breastfeeding may protect babies from arsenic exposure. The study Breast-feeding protects against arsenic exposure in Bangladeshi infants concludes : « Very little arsenic is excreted in breastmilk, even in women with high exposure from drinking water. Thus, exclusive breastfeeding protects the infant from exposure to arsenic. This is one more cogent reason to protect, promote and support optimal breastfeeding. Arsenic contamination of tap water used to prepare formula There is a double risk of arsenic exposure arising both from the arsenic contamination of formulas and the water used to prepare formula feeds.
Breastfeeding protects infants from exposure to arsenic Most important is the fact that breastfeeding may protect babies from arsenic exposure.
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