New research findings suggest that brown rice, often considered nutritionally superior to white rice due to its higher fiber, vitamin, and mineral content, may pose health risks because of elevated levels of inorganic arsenic.
High levels of inorganic arsenic, a Group 1 carcinogen, were detected in brown rice.
A research team from Michigan State University in the United States analyzed various studies comparing brown and white rice arsenic exposure. The analysis revealed that the bran layer in brown rice contains significantly higher concentrations of inorganic arsenic.
According to the findings, brown rice contained approximately 24% more total arsenic and about 40% more inorganic arsenic than white rice. In some cases, the arsenic concentration in brown rice was up to 10 times higher than in white rice.
Inorganic arsenic is a heavy metal classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), under the World Health Organization (WHO). While the human body rapidly excretes organic arsenic, inorganic arsenic—commonly found in pesticides and herbicides—can increase cancer risk when consumed in large amounts or accumulated over long periods.
Arsenic tends to accumulate in the outer layers of rice grains, which is why brown rice, which includes the bran, contains higher levels of arsenic.
The researchers specifically warned that children under five, who consume more food relative to their body weight than adults, are at greater risk when consuming brown rice. In fact, infants aged 6 to 24 months who regularly consumed brown rice were estimated to have double the arsenic exposure compared to those who ate white rice.
The research team clarified that the findings are not a directive to avoid brown rice entirely, but rather a call for parents and caregivers of young children to exercise caution and informed judgment.
Fortune: “Both white and brown rice found to contain concerning levels of arsenic”
Fortune also noted that warnings about arsenic levels in brown rice have been raised for several years. In 2014, Consumer Reports analyzed data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and found both white and brown rice contained troubling levels of arsenic.
Tasha Stoiber, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), emailed Fortune to say that arsenic contamination in rice was first discovered over twenty years ago. She noted that high arsenic levels continue to be found in rice, rice flour, rice bran, and rice-based sweeteners.
She added that arsenic is also present in other foods and beverages, including seafood, mushrooms, infant formula, and protein powders. The larger issue, she argued, is that governments are not taking active steps to reduce arsenic levels in food. While the FDA has set a limit of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for arsenic in apple juice, there is currently no legal limit for arsenic in rice-based foods, even though some rice products contain more arsenic than apple juice.
Without strong government regulation, experts recommend ways to reduce arsenic content in rice. One effective method is thoroughly washing rice multiple times until the water clears. Soaking rice in sufficient water and discarding it before cooking it in fresh water can also help reduce arsenic levels.
