Arsenic Exposure from Food: How It Gets There,

Why We Should Care, How to Reduce Exposure

Urvashi Rangan, PhD

Executive Director
Consumer Reports’ Food Safety & Sustainability Center
What Is Arsenic?

  Arsenic is a metalloid found in the earth’s crust

  Geographical differences in arsenic levels present in earth and water

  Inorganic arsenic is potent and known human carcinogen—skin, lung, bladder

  Some organic forms also considered probable carcinogens

  Serious noncancer risks—immunotoxic

  Two chemistry families of arsenic compounds: inorganic and organic (e.g., DMA, MMA)

  Quantified risk assessments of arsenic have focused on carcinogenicity of inorganic

forms (other forms and toxicities of arsenic not well quantified)

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How Arsenic Can Enter Our Food Chain

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Arsenic in Water

  Reducing arsenic exposure in water has been focus of global and national attention

  US drinking water standard lowered to 10 ppb from 50 ppb in 2005 (EPA had proposed
drop to 5 ppb)

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Arsenic in Food

  FDA Total Diet Study has measured total arsenic (all forms) levels in several foods from
1991 to present. Combined with other research on speciation (measuring organic and
inorganic forms) including ours:

Food Arsenic profile

Fish Arsenobetaine—considered least toxic of all forms
Rice Inorganic and organic arsenic. Water, fertilizers, soil
can all impact levels.
Chicken/poultry Inorganic and organic arsenic results from feeding
animals arsenical drugs and contaminates manure
fertilizers
Apple, pear, and grape juice Mostly inorganic arsenic due to old pesticide use

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What We Tested and Found

  Consumer Reports tested apple and grape juice and a year later, rice and rice products
(2011-2012)

  Variable but concerning levels of arsenic

  Cancer risk assessments based on inorganic arsenic

  Short-term solutions for consumers

  Longer-term solutions—standards for arsenic in food, bans on inputs of arsenic into

food supply

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Serving Sizes for Rice Products Based on Risk Assessment

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Advice for Public

  Infants and children are more vulnerable to the effects of arsenic

  No rice milk for children 5 and under

  Vary grains for infants early—oatmeal, wheat, etc.

  Moderate consumption of apple, pear, and grape juice and rice/rice products (AAP)

  Organic poultry cannot be fed arsenical drugs

  Reducing exposure = reducing risk

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For More Information

  www.consumerreports.org

  This work has been done by the Consumer Reports’ Food Safety and Sustainability
Center which is made possible by grants and donations

  Visit www.greenerchoices.org to learn more about what we do