Rice milk unsafe for small children due to arsenic contamination

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After an official study of 60 rice milk products, all of which contained traces of arsenic, the UK Food Standards Agency, while stressing that "There is no immediate risk to children who have been consuming rice drinks and it is unlikely there would have been any long-term harmful effects," has warned parents not to give rice milk to young children.

The contamination is associated with a pesticide used in the past. Although the arsenic levels are considered safe for adults, children and toddlers are at greater risk in relation to their size. As well as being a known poison, arsenic is associated with the development of certain cancers.

The European Food Safety Authority is reviewing the current legal limit of arsenic in foods.

In 2007 Aberdeen University researchers found arsenic contamination in both rice and rice milk and that one in five samples of American long-grain rice in British shops contained potentially harmful levels of arsenic. Their research leader said the FSA now needs to look at arsenic contamination of other types of rice, particularly baby rice.

Reference

Margaret Wilde http://aboutsalt.blogspot.com/

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Posted May 24th, 2009 by Margaret Wilde