Su et al. 2023 — Arsenic in brown rice: do the benefits outweigh the risks?
This mini-review synthesizes the evidence on inorganic arsenic (iAs) concentrations in brown rice versus white rice and related products, framing the question of whether brown rice’s nutritional advantages offset its higher arsenic burden relative to white rice. The paper draws primarily on FDA monitoring data and prior occurrence surveys, and concludes that brown rice contains approximately 80% more iAs than white rice, raising concerns for populations with high consumption, particularly infants and young children.
Key numbers
From FDA data cited in the paper:
- White rice: mean iAs 92 ppb (µg/kg)
- Brown rice: mean iAs 154 ppb (µg/kg)
- Infant white rice cereal: mean iAs 104 ppb (µg/kg)
- Infant brown rice cereal: mean iAs 119 ppb (µg/kg)
Brown rice thus carries approximately 80% more iAs than white rice under FDA monitoring. US Southern states rice consistently shows higher iAs than Asian or California-grown rice. All values are for dry-weight basis as measured by FDA analytical program; speciation confirmed as iAs by HPLC-ICP-MS per FDA methodology.
FDA action level for iAs in infant rice cereal: 100 ppb (finalized 2023); the values above for infant white rice cereal (104 ppb) and infant brown rice cereal (119 ppb) straddle or exceed this threshold.
Methods (brief)
Narrative mini-review, no new primary measurements. Relies on FDA Total Diet Study and FDA targeted monitoring data with HPLC-ICP-MS speciation. All arsenic values are inorganic arsenic (iAs), not total arsenic (tAs); the speciation distinction is explicitly maintained throughout the paper.
Implications
Certification: The 80% iAs differential between brown and white rice is directly relevant to ingredient-level risk scoring and to formula ingredient selection for infant products. Infant rice cereal values bracketing the FDA 100 ppb action level provide a direct literature anchor for HMT&C threshold discussions. Courses: Illustrates the rice-processing effect (bran retention in brown rice concentrates arsenic relative to polished white rice) with quantitative comparisons. App: Supports a brown-rice vs. white-rice risk differential in ingredient-level scoring.