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Arsenic in Rice

Arsenic Main Page

The FDA has collected and tested rice for total arsenic for about 20 years. On September 19, 2012, the FDA released the first analytical results of nearly 200 samples of rice and rice products tested for both total and inorganic arsenic. The FDA is collecting and analyzing more than 1,000 additional rice and rice product samples, and will post additional data as results become available.

Samples included various brands of rice and rice products, such as infant rice cereal, breakfast cereal, rice cakes and rice beverages. FDA scientists tested the samples for total arsenic, inorganic arsenic, and two forms of organic arsenic that may have toxic effects (dimethylarsinic acid, or DMA, and monomethylarsonic acid, or MMA). The sample results also show the amount in micrograms of inorganic arsenic per serving. Serving amounts are based on the Reference Amount Customarily Consumed as defined in the Code of Federal Regulations.

The table FDA released shows the micrograms of inorganic arsenic (iAs) per serving for each sample tested. The summary chart below shows the average amounts of iAs in micrograms per serving for each of the product categories, and the range of the amount of inorganic arsenic in micrograms per serving for each product category.

Rice and Rice Products Sample Analysis - September 2012 
Average Amounts of Inorganic Arsenic by Product Category in mcg per serving

Product
Average Inorganic Arsenic (iAs)
mcg/serving
Range of  iAs 
mcg/serving
Number of Samples
Basmati rice1
3.5
1.2 - 9.0
52
Rice cereals
3.5
1.5 - 9.7
32
Rice Beverages2
3.8
Trace - 4.1
28
Rice cakes
5.4
3.0 - 8.2
32
Rice (non-Basmati)
6.7
2.2 - 11.1
49

1Of the 52 total Basmati rice samples, two were not speciated and one had a value of iAs below the quantitation limit (i.e., "Trace").  These three samples were excluded in calculating the average and range for mcg/serving for Basmati rice.
2Of the 28 total rice beverage samples, 17 were not speciated because the total arsenic results were below the threshold level to require speciation. Of the remaining 11 samples, only three had iAs values above the quantitation limit.  The values from these three samples were the only ones used to calculate the average for mcg/serving for rice beverages.  The result of excluding these low values is that the mean inorganic arsenic/serving is overestimated because inorganic arsenic levels measured were too low to assign a value other than "Trace."

For more information:

  • Questions & Answers: FDA’s Analysis of Arsenic in Rice and Rice Products

  • Consumer Update: FDA Looks for Answers on Arsenic in Rice

  • Full Analytical Results from Rice/Rice Product Sampling - September 2012 

  • Summary Analytical Results from Rice/Rice Product Sampling - September 2012 

  • FDA Statement on Arsenic in Brown Rice Syrup February 17, 2012

 

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