Background
Rice snacks and cereals are popular ingredients in baby food because they are hypoallergenic and easy to digest.
A 2019 study, by Healthy Babies Bright Futures, found that 95% of the rice snacks marketed for babies contained heavy metals, including arsenic. When ingested at high levels, arsenic can cause developmental delays in infants.
The study prompted a change in FDA standards for regulating arsenic levels in food products. These stricter standards were adopted in 2020.
More information about arsenic
There are two different forms of arsenic. Organic arsenic compounds contain carbon atoms. Inorganic arsenic compounds do not.
Of these two substances, inorganic arsenic is more toxic to humans and a known carcinogen. Both forms of arsenic enter water and soil through agricultural irrigation.
Food crops, including rice, absorb arsenic from water during the growth process. Rice is an ingredient of special concern because it tends to absorb more arsenic than other crops. Arsenic can also be found in fruit juices and well water.
Limiting arsenic exposure for infants
The FDA recommends that parents limit infant consumption of rice cereals.
Choose snacks that are made with quinoa, oats, barley, whole wheat, and multi-grains. Providing a variety of healthy, nutrient-rich food can decrease exposure to toxic heavy metals and contaminants found in some goods. Limit juice consumption and provide whole fruit to further reduce infants’ arsenic intake.
Consult a pediatrician for more diet advice.
