Signes-Pastor et al. 2017 — Inorganic arsenic in rice-based infant products, infants tracked across weaning
Signes-Pastor et al. measured iAs in 73 rice-based products for infants and young children purchased in Spain (and some from UK and Italy), including infant rice cereals, rice cakes, rice crackers, and rice-based porridges, and followed 79 infants through weaning to assess dietary iAs exposure. Products were purchased from commercial outlets in Spain. The central regulatory finding is that iAs concentrations in many products exceeded the EU maximum level of 100 µg/kg (as-consumed for infant cereals), with some products substantially above that limit. The dietary exposure modeling showed that infants consuming rice-based weaning foods as primary cereals had iAs intakes exceeding health-based guidance values, particularly for low-body-weight infants in the 4–6 month age window.
Key numbers
- 73 rice-based infant/toddler products tested
- Infant rice cereals (dry powder): mean iAs approximately 115–180 µg/kg depending on product type; range approximately 50–300 µg/kg
- Rice cakes: mean iAs approximately 90–160 µg/kg as-sold
- EU maximum level (Regulation 2015/1006 for infant rice cereals): 100 µg/kg as-consumed (prepared); many samples exceeded when prepared at standard dilution
- 79 infants followed through weaning (Spain); iAs dietary exposure modeled from product consumption records
- Infants consuming rice-based first foods as primary cereal: daily iAs intake estimated to exceed health benchmarks in a significant proportion of cases
- Measurement by HPLC-ICP-MS
Methods (brief)
HPLC-ICP-MS for iAs speciation; products sourced from Spanish commercial outlets; 79-infant dietary tracking cohort; EU regulatory context (Regulation 2015/1006); exposure modeling using age-specific body weights and observed consumption patterns.
Implications
Certification: Directly supports the regulatory case for strict iAs limits in rice-based infant products. Products available in EU commerce routinely exceeded the EU limit; Spanish market is not an outlier. Courses: Core case study for the infant/rice-cereal/iAs nexus — quantitative exposure data tied to weaning behavior patterns. App: Rice-based infant cereal is flagged as highest iAs risk category for infants 0–12 months.