FDA probes arsenic presence in rice from India, other nations

The US health watchdog FDA is conducting a detailed inspection of the arsenic level in rice being sold in the American market, including those of basmati variety imported from India.
While an analytical study of more than 1,300 samples of rice and rice products, including basmati from India, did not show any alarming levels of arsenic presence, the FDA will now conduct a "comprehensive risk assessment" study to determine the long-term impact of the arsenic found in rice.
Arsenic is a chemical element present in the environment from both natural and human sources and its inorganic forms have been closely associated with long-term health effects such as higher rates of skin, bladder and lung cancers.

While most crops don't readily take up much arsenic from the ground, rice is different because it takes up arsenic from soil and water more readily than other grains.
In a latest consumer update, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) said it has "increased its testing of rice and rice products" to determine the level and types of arsenic found in these products, usually a life-long dietary staple.
The regulator said its next step will be "to conduct a risk assessment", wherein it would analyse the health risk associated with eating rice and rice products to determine the steps required to minimise the risks for consumers, including vulnerable groups like children and pregnant women.

The draft risk assessment will be made available for public comment following peer review, it said.

Agency scientists have so far determined that amount of detectable arsenic is too low in rice and rice product samples to cause any "immediate or short-term" adverse effects.
US rice imports have been increasing in the last 25 years. Most US rice imports are aromatic varieties from Asia--jasmine from Thailand and basmati from India, the world's largest producer of the aromatic grain.
Total US rice imports for 2012/13 was projected at 19.5 million cwt (centum weight). Indian basmati is one of the most expensive rice in the US as it commands 2-3 times higher price than American domestic long-grain rice.

The results of the analytical study of about 1,100 samples of rice and rice products were released last week, while a preliminary set of results for nearly 200 samples were released in September 2012.
The study of more than 1,300 samples of rice and rice products, which included more than 30 from India, found 0.1-7.2 micrograms of inorganic arsenic per serving in them.
The study of samples from India showed that fully cooked basmati contained up to 0.9 units of inorganic arsenic per serving, boil-in-bag variety had 2.3 units, aged variety had up to 3.9 units, white variety had up to 3.9 units and the brown variety had up to 6 units of arsenic presence.