Food safety is a term you are likely familiar with. Food safety pertains to the safe handling, preparation and storage of food to prevent usually unintentional food borne illness or harm to consumers. This includes environmental impacts. Food defence is a term we don’t hear often and is the intentional contamination of food products through biological, chemical, physical or radiological means. Then there are the grey areas in between. There are many topics within the food safety/food defence realm to which some will be addressed in future posts.
Today we look at arsenic in rice.
“Arsenic is an element in the earth’s crust that’s naturally found in the air, water and soil, so the fact that it is in rice isn’t entirely alarming. Arsenic can however also be a result of human activity, such as mining or the use of certain pesticides.
There are two types of arsenic: organic (in the biological sense) and inorganic. Inorganic arsenic is the kind that’s dangerous and is associated with adverse health effects ― and it’s the kind that’s present in rice, which is why you might want to moderate your rice intake.” (from Huffington Post)
What???
This is not a new discovery but is being tested more and more as the impact of arsenic is negative and wide ranging. The FDA now regulates the amount of inorganic arsenic allowable in infant formula (a popular non-dairy/non-soy formula option for many parents). There are no such regulations for human consumption beyond this.
Rice is very absorbent and often grown in rice paddies which are fields of water (see featured image). Therefore the arsenic in the water that has come from the ground is absorbed directly into the rice. Therefore the biggest hit of arsenic goes to those eating paddy grown rice more than once per day, seven days per week. Brown rice and white rice, particularly asian grown, short grain are commonly contaminated. So the worry for asian populations is greatest. But those seeking gluten free diets, whole food plant-based diets (where good carbs are part of the macro nutrient breakdown) and the population in general need to be mindful of intake, preparation and type of rice.
Preparation:
Wash your rice before you cook it. This alone can remove as much as 50-60% of arsenic. Run water over the rice in a colander for a couple of minutes. We are supposed to do this anyway, but most of us don’t. Then use good water to cook in. I do not believe we in BC have arsenic in our tap water. But if you are able to, having a filter on one drinking/cooking water source, use that water. In Asia, which is partially why there aren’t the levels of cancers despite high intake, is the cooking process. We cook rice in just enough water to be fully absorbed when ready (say a 1:2 ratio) which is said to maximize nutrient retention. In Asia the ratio would be 1:6 and once cooked, the excess water is poured out, which takes some of what is in the rice with it. I’d rather see you lose some nutrition in the rice and gain it in additional greens, legumes, onions, mushrooms, and so forth.
Intake:
Rice, particularly whole grain (brown) and other wild and long grain rices, is considered to be a very good carbohydrate required (don’t let the paleos fool you) for optimal health and longevity. The fact that rice continues to be a staple of global societies, including for many in North America and Western Europe, should mean that moderate intake is still fine. By moderate I’d say up to 3 times per week (so you can still have your veggie sushi rolls or plant-based risotto or veggie friend rice) or between 4-5 cups (half that for children). Watch for other rice ingredients and factor these in as well: brown rice syrup (a sugar replacer like agave), rice crackers, rice cereals (including infant rice cereals which most babies start solids on), and rice milk.
Type: Best outlined by this Consumer Reports article:
“In addition to analyzing the FDA data on rice products, scientists at our Food Safety and Sustainability Center tested 128 samples of basmati, jasmine, and sushi rice for arsenic. We combined the data with the results of our 2012 tests and FDA data on arsenic in rice for a total of 697 samples of rice. We also looked at the inorganic arsenic levels in 114 samples of nonrice grains. (You can read the details of our testing in our full report.)
Nicer Rices:
Our latest tests determined that the inorganic arsenic content of rice varies greatly depending on the type of rice and where it was grown. White basmati rice from California, India, and Pakistan, and sushi rice from the U.S. on average has half of the inorganic-arsenic amount of most other types of rice.
Our findings led us to treat those specific rices from those areas differently from other types of rice and rices grown in other regions. Based on our data, we calculated that consumers could have about twice as many weekly servings as we previously recommended if that was the only rice or rice product someone ate. For adults, that adds up to 4½ servings per week; children could have 2¾ servings.
All types of rice (except sushi and quick cooking) with a label indicating that it’s from Arkansas, Louisiana, or Texas or just from the U.S. had the highest levels of inorganic arsenic in our tests. For instance, white rices from California have 38 percent less inorganic arsenic than white rices from other parts of the country.
Brown rice has 80 percent more inorganic arsenic on average than white rice of the same type. Arsenic accumulates in the grain’s outer layers, which are removed to make white rice. Brown has more nutrients, though, so you shouldn’t switch entirely to white. Brown basmati from California, India, or Pakistan is the best choice; it has about a third less inorganic arsenic than other brown rices.
Rice that’s grown organically takes up arsenic the same way conventional rice does, so don’t rely on organic to have less arsenic. ” (Consumer Reports)
What about other grains?
Fortunately, other high quality grains are not high in arsenic: millet, amaranth, polenta, buckwheat, quinoa (all gluten free) as well as barley, bulger and faro. Most are just as easy, if not faster, to prepare as rice.
This is a food safety concern. The unintentional harming of a major global food source through environmental impact. Being aware is important and understanding that you can minimize or eliminate your exposure by how you proceed with rice from here on in. Personally, I will still eat some rice. We probably only have rice 2-4 times per month. I will stick to the less contaminated types (which are tastier) and rinse well. I will also try the larger proportion of water for cooking. I will also watch the rice crackers for the kids which is often a lunch bag snack. Those are the main exposures in my household.
