New research highlights significantly elevated arsenic levels in brown rice, posing heightened risk to infants and toddlers.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Brown rice, long considered a healthier grain due to its higher nutrient content, may carry a dangerous hidden cost—especially for young children. A new study from Michigan State University confirms that brown rice contains nearly 40% more toxic inorganic arsenic than white rice. Published in the journal Risk Analysis, the research reveals that the arsenic concentrates in the outer bran layer of brown rice, the very component touted for delivering extra vitamins and fiber.
“Rice bran and brown rice are shown to have a higher arsenic content and inorganic arsenic concentration than the grain endosperm or white rice,” the researchers reported, underscoring an often-overlooked tradeoff in modern health trends. While brown rice is praised for its whole-grain benefits, it may be quietly exposing children to carcinogenic metals.
The researchers emphasized that children under the age of five, especially those between 6 and 24 months, are most at risk. Their small size and higher food intake per body weight mean their exposure to arsenic from rice-based foods can easily exceed established safety thresholds. The study found toddlers consuming brown rice regularly could intake up to 0.295 micrograms of inorganic arsenic per kilogram of body weight—far surpassing the 0.21 microgram threshold advised by international safety authorities.
Rice’s ability to absorb arsenic from its environment plays a major role in the contamination. Grown in flooded paddies, rice plants take up arsenic at rates up to ten times higher than other grains. These dissolved arsenic compounds accumulate in the bran, which is removed when producing white rice. That difference, researchers say, accounts for the disparity in toxicity between the two varieties.
According to the study, brown rice averages 154 parts per billion (ppb) in total arsenic, with roughly 70% in the toxic inorganic form. White rice, by contrast, averages about 92 ppb. Alarmingly, rice bran itself—used in health foods and baby cereals—was found to contain arsenic at levels ten times higher than refined white rice. The implications are serious: products like brown rice syrup, once used in organic infant formula, have previously shown up to 30 times more arsenic than formulas without it.
Inorganic arsenic is a known carcinogen, linked to bladder, lung, and skin cancers, as well as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and developmental disorders. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) caps arsenic in drinking water at 10 ppb, yet no enforceable limits exist for food. While the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has adopted the 0.21 µg/kg body weight per day limit, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has only proposed—without enforcement—a 100 ppb threshold for infant rice cereal.
Parents striving to feed their children nutritious meals may unwittingly be exposing them to long-term toxic risks. The authors caution that arsenic’s bioaccumulative properties mean even small, repeated exposures can build up over time. Chronic low-level ingestion in early childhood has been associated with neurological damage, reinforcing calls for stricter oversight and clearer labeling.
Arsenic is not unique to rice; other common foods including apple and grape juices also carry contamination risks due to legacy pesticides. Seafood contains primarily organic arsenic—considered less harmful but still a concern. Nonetheless, rice and rice products remain the most significant contributors to dietary arsenic exposure, especially in children’s diets.
As researchers put it, the prevailing focus on nutritional content alone is insufficient: “Our analysis shows that not only is this focus on nutritional content limited, but it also agrees with other studies that find elevated risks of arsenic exposure to children.”
The findings renew calls for parents, pediatricians, and policymakers to reconsider the balance between nutrition and food safety. While brown rice may offer more vitamins, it also brings with it a toxic element that growing bodies are ill-equipped to handle.