Rice cereal is a common “starter” food for infants, but rice has higher levels of inorganic arsenic, a potential health risk, than other grains. As a safeguard, the FDA proposed a limit of no more than 100 parts per billion (ppb) of inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal. The standard is similar to a level set by the EU. The FDA says its tests found half of infant rice cereals already meet the proposed level and 30 percent were at or below 110 ppb.
In its announcement, the FDA said it expected food makers could start complying with the proposed standard by buying rice with lower levels of inorganic arsenic, which has been linked to difficulties in neurological development and a slightly higher risk of cancer. “The proposed limit is a prudent and achievable step to reduce exposure to arsenic among infants,” said the agency. Research indicates people consume the most rice, relative to body weight, at approximately 8 months of age.