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Inorganic arsenic levels in baby rice are of concern

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

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  • Andrew A. Meharg
  • Guoxin Sun
  • Paul Williams
  • Eureka Adomako
  • Claire Deacon
  • Yong-Guan Zhu
  • Joerg Feldmann
  • Andrea Raab
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<mark>Journal publication date</mark>2008
<mark>Journal</mark>Environmental Pollution
Issue number3
Volume152
Number of pages4
Pages (from-to)746-749
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

Inorganic arsenic is a chronic exposure carcinogen. Analysis of UK baby rice revealed a median inorganic arsenic content (n = 17) of 0.11 mg/kg. By plotting inorganic arsenic against total arsenic, it was found that inorganic concentrations increased linearly up to 0.25 mg/kg total arsenic, then plateaued at 0.16 mg/kg at higher total arsenic concentrations. Inorganic arsenic intake by babies (4–12 months) was considered with respect to current dietary ingestion regulations. It was found that 35% of the baby rice samples analysed would be illegal for sale in China which has regulatory limit of 0.15 mg/kg inorganic arsenic. EU and US food regulations on arsenic are non-existent. When baby inorganic arsenic intake from rice was considered, median consumption (expressed as μg/kg/d) was higher than drinking water maximum exposures predicted for adults in these regions when water intake was expressed on a bodyweight basis.