Jackson et al. 2012 — Arsenic in Organic Brown Rice Syrup
This landmark 2012 study established that organic brown rice syrup (OBRS), widely used as a sweetener in health-food products and toddler formulas, introduces substantial inorganic arsenic. HPLC-ICP-MS speciation; dry weight unless noted.
Key numbers
Organic brown rice syrup (tAs, ng/g dry weight):
| Sample | tAs (ng/g dw) | iAs (% of total) | DMA (% of total) |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBRS A lot 1 | 78 ± 6 | 84% | 12% |
| OBRS A lot 2 | 94 ± 8 | 89% | 7% |
| OBRS B | 136 ± 3 | ~80% est. | — |
| OBRS C | 406 ± 6 | 51% | 46% |
Toddler infant formulas with OBRS (reconstituted, µg/L):
| Formula type | iAs (µg/L) | DMA (µg/L) |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy-based with OBRS | 8–9 | 19–26 |
| Soy-based with OBRS | 15–25 | 34–40 |
Formulas without OBRS: tAs 2–12 ng/g (much lower).
Cereal bars containing OBRS (ng/g dry weight): Range 23–128 ng/g tAs; >50% iAs in 11 of 12 speciated bars; individual bar iAs up to 4 µg per bar.
Energy products with OBRS (ng/g dry weight): 84–171 ng/g tAs; one product 100% iAs; iAs per 30-g serving: 2.5–2.7 µg.
Methods
HPLC-ICP-MS speciation for As species. Dry weight except reconstituted formulas (µg/L). 15 infant formulas, 2 toddler formulas with OBRS, 29 cereal bars, 3 energy products. University of New Hampshire/Dartmouth.
Key finding: OBRS is predominantly iAs (51–89%), unlike whole brown rice where organic arsenic forms are more balanced. The syrup concentrates the inorganic fraction.
Implications
Certification: Toddler formulas with OBRS (soy-based) reconstituted to 15–25 µg/L iAs — substantially above current FDA guidance of 10 µg/L for drinking water and high relative to the 100 ppb (µg/kg) FDA action level for infant rice cereal. OBRS in infant food should be flagged as a source-specific risk driver.
App: Flag “brown rice syrup,” “organic brown rice syrup,” “rice syrup” in ingredient lists as a marker for elevated iAs, especially in toddler formulas and cereal bars.