FDA 2013 — Inorganic arsenic in rice and rice products, September 2013 sampling
This FDA report presents inorganic arsenic (iAs) analytical results from the agency’s 2012–2013 rice and rice products sampling programme, which together constitute the most comprehensive US market survey of iAs in rice and rice-based foods to date at the time of publication. Results from the September 2012 sampling (200 samples) are included in the September 2013 release. The data cover white rice by origin state (Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Texas) and by variety (basmati, brown, instant, jasmine, parboiled, white long/medium/short grain), and a wide range of rice-based products including infant cereals, toddler cereals, rice cakes, rice protein powders, rice beverages, beer, pasta, cookies, and grain bars. Brown rice consistently showed higher iAs than white rice of the same origin; California origin consistently showed lower iAs than Arkansas, Louisiana, or Texas.
Key numbers
Summary table (iAs as mcg/serving, based on FDA Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed — RACC):
| Product | Average iAs (mcg/serving) | Range (mcg/serving) | n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot/Ready-to-eat Cereal | 3.2 | 0.6–30 | 110 |
| Infant Cereal | 1.8 | 0.6–3.8 | 69 |
| Toddler Cereal | 1.5 | 1.0–2.7 | 16 |
| Rice Protein Powders | 1.9 | 0.1–5.7 | 12 |
| Rice Cakes | 4.3 | 0.7–8.2 | 59 |
| Savory Rice Snacks | 2.2 | 0.4–5.2 | 119 |
| Non-Dairy Rice Drinks | 3.3 | 0.7–11 | 61 |
| Pasta | 6.6 | 3.6–11 | 23 |
| Rice (Basmati) | 3.5 | 0.9–9.0 | 53 |
| Rice (Brown) | 7.2 | 1.5–11 | 99 |
| Rice (Instant) | 2.6 | 1.4–6.0 | 14 |
| Rice (Jasmine) | 3.9 | 1.5–6.8 | 13 |
| Rice (Parboiled) | 5.1 | 3.2–8.6 | 39 |
| Rice (White, long grain) | 4.6 | 1.0–8.8 | 149 |
| Rice (White, medium grain) | 3.6 | 1.8–7.8 | 91 |
| Rice (White, short grain) | 3.5 | 2.3–4.6 | 23 |
| Infant Formula | 0.1 | 0.02–0.1 | 10 |
| Beer | 2.1 | 0.4–9.4 | 65 |
Geographic data for brown rice (mcg iAs/serving): Arkansas 4.8–8.8, California 1.5–11 (mean lower), Louisiana 6.2–11, Texas 5.6–11. Basmati California range: 1.2–4.7 mcg/serving; Basmati India range: 0.9–6.5 mcg/serving. The single highest value in the entire dataset was a rice bran cereal at 30 mcg iAs/serving. LOD and LOQ are included as a separate appendix in the full document (not extracted from pages 1–5; per FDA documentation, speciation was performed when total As exceeded a threshold, and half the total As value was used as the iAs proxy when speciation was not triggered).
Methods (brief)
Market basket surveillance sampling from US retail channels, September 2012 and September 2013. Product categories and serving sizes based on 21 CFR 101.12 RACC. iAs measurement: speciation performed when total As exceeded threshold; for samples below total As threshold, half the total As value was used as iAs proxy for calculating averages (conservative estimate). Full analytical results tables (67 pages) include sample-level data with origin state/country. This is a regulatory data release, not a peer-reviewed publication; methods details are in FDA’s companion technical documents.
Limitations
iAs reported as mcg/serving, not as concentration per weight; serving-size assumptions introduce comparison variability. Non-speciated samples use a surrogate (half total As), which may over- or under-estimate iAs for individual samples. No LOQ-flagged values visible in the summary table; censoring approach not explicitly stated for all subcategories. Temporal scope: 2012–2013 US market; does not reflect current market composition, variety mix, or any post-2013 supply shifts. Does not include ppb (µg/kg dry weight) concentration data in the summary pages; the full analytical results tables (not in pages 1–5) may provide concentration data.
Implications
- Certification: This remains a foundational reference for US-market iAs exposure estimates in rice and rice-based products. Brown rice iAs per serving (average 7.2 mcg) is substantially higher than white rice (3.5–4.6 mcg depending on variety), confirming the bran-concentration effect. California brown rice shows lower iAs than other US states. Rice protein powders average 1.9 mcg/serving (range 0.1–5.7), with the wide range indicating significant batch variance — important for HMT&C protein powder standards.
- Courses: The geographic breakdown by US state (Arkansas/Texas/Louisiana vs California) is a clear illustration of regional iAs variance within a single country; directly applicable to supply-chain sourcing decisions.
- App: Serving-size-based data requires conversion for contamination_profile (concentration-per-weight basis). This source is best used for product-level exposure context rather than ingredient ppb values. Infant and toddler cereals (average 1.5–1.8 mcg iAs/serving, range up to 3.8 mcg) are directly relevant to infant-rice-cereal product page.
- Microbiome: Not applicable.