Inorganic arsenic in rice and rice products in New Zealand and Australia

Abstract

A total of 200 rice and rice products from New Zealand and Australia were purchased from retail outlets during 2017 for inorganic arsenic analysis by ICP-MS. The survey of foods placed a particular emphasis on products marketed specifically for infants and young. A total of 159 samples (80%) gave positive results for inorganic arsenic, with a mean concentration of 0.06 mg/kg and a range of <0.01-0.14 mg/kg. Two products marketed for infants and young children age-cohort had the highest concentrations of inorganic arsenic. Both exceeded the EU maximum level for rice destined for the production of food for infants and young children of 0.1 mg/kg. The mean concentration of inorganic arsenic for only raw rice samples was 0.07 mg/kg, with a range of <0.02-0.12 mg/kg. In general, the concentration of inorganic arsenic in rice and rice products from New Zealand and Australia was low compared to concentrations reported from comparable studies overseas.