Inorganic arsenic is a carcinogen - an agent that is directly involved in causing cancer in humans. In food carcinogens are highly regulated normally (as in the case of lead), but with arsenic this is not so under EU law.

Inorganic arsenic is found in the environment, and unfortunately the rice plant  is unusual for a cereal in that it readily absorbs the substance from the soil. 

Last month the journal ‘Environmental Pollution' published the results of research at Aberdeen University, which showed that more than one third of the selection of supermarket pure baby rice brands tested, contained levels of arsenic which would be illegal in many countries. According to the researchers, a child eating three servings a day of the rice with the highest levels would have up to six times the maximum safe level of inorganic arsenic under EU water regulations.

Professor Andy Meharg, who led the study which tested three dried supermarket brands , says the issue could be addressed quickly:

‘Recent studies have shown that inorganic arsenic exposure during early childhood is of particular concern. The levels in baby foods could be lowered very easily by simply sourcing the rice grain used from low arsenic grain regions of the world, such as the Himalayas and the Nile Delta. Instantly this could lower the levels four to five fold.'

In fact there are many toxicological effects of arsenic, some of these associated with acute toxicity and some with chronic exposure as with food sources. From exposure in food there is a link with lung and liver cancers, hypertension, diabetes and impaired educational devlopment.

The UK has statutory limits for total arsenic in food. These regulations lay down a general limit of 1mg/kg and separate limits for a number of specific foods. The Food Standards Agency's special Committee for Toxicity in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) has advised that since inorganic arsenic is a carcinogen, exposures should be as low as ‘reasonably practicable'.

Indeed the Food Standards Agency itself has conducted a number of tests for arsenic, but unlike Profeor Meharg, feels that the current levels are acceptable:

‘The low levels of arsenic in weaning products are not a cause for concern. Our advice on weaning is to feed your baby family foods - just mash, sieve or puree a small amount.'.

Yet the FSA goes on to point out that further tests are being carried out on the subject and indeed the it will be raising the issue with the European Commission.

In China, a country where the majority of the population relies on rice as their staple diet, the safety limit of inorganic arsenic contamination is 0.15mg/kg for rice - that's 0.85mg/kg lower than that permitted in the UK.

Scientists at Aberdeen are so concerned with levels of inorganic arsenic in parts of Asia that they have agreed to take part in an international project aimed at reducing levels.

Inorganic arsenic occurs naturally in the soil, but the problem there is made worse  by irrigation with contaminated groundwater, pollution from base and precious metal mining and the use of municipal solid waste as fertiliser. 

The University staff will join colleagues in other parts of the UK, India, Bangladesh and China to find types of rice which have lower take-up levels of inorganic arsenic.  The project is one of twelve being funded with £7million from Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and Department for International Development.

The team of scientists have also carried out research on other rice products including American long grain rice and rice milk, a substitute for cow's milk. In trials these showed contamination of inorganic arsenic that is incompatible with levels allowed in US or EU drinking water.

Professor Meharg himself refuses to let his family eat rice products from rice farmed in those areas such as the 'south central' belt of the USA - Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.He is not popular with the US Rice Federation.

Yamily Zavala, a Research Assiciate at Cornell University, agrees that levels of inorganic arsenic are on the increase in the States and around the world, but he has also identified two types. American rice contains more ‘methylated arsenic', the a toxic form of the metal, whereas rice grown in Europe and Asia contains the more toxic, inorganic arsenic.

Professor Meharg is not willing to release the names of the supermarket brands tested, since he says the problem is generic,and he doesn't want any particular company using the fact that they weren't involved to make the assertion that their brand is ‘safe'. He says that of all the brands analysed he does not consider any to be ‘safe'.

Statement from Hipp Organic

‘HiPP only uses European growing areas, where all crop growing is regularly checked by our employees.

HiPP only uses the highest quality raw materials for our baby foods.   All the ingredients for our baby foods are grown and reared without the use of harmful chemicals and to ensure their purity, they are also thoroughly tested at every stage of production.  

The raw rice we use is cleaned several times and the husks and shells are removed.  Through the process of peeling, the potential content of arsenic decreases dramatically.  HiPP do not use any unpeeled rice.

HiPP continually analyses arsenic levels both before taking delivery of the rice and throughout the whole processing procedure and we can therefore be sure that HiPP products containing rice are safe to be consumed by babies.'

The British Retail Consortium Says:

‘Supermarkets take food safety very seriously and are confident of the risk assessment carried out by the Food Standards Agency on this issue."

For information of the FSA assessment, please look at: www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2008/apr/arsenic