Arsenic In Rice

[Yuuna]

I have read, just recently, about arsenic being found in rice. The problem is supposed to be worse in brown, which my family eat. I read also that arsenic was found in baby rice... This has shocked me and increased my distrust of the food industry. Have any of you heard about this? This is apparently a worldwide problem. I've read suggestions on how to reduce arsenic intake by food preparation with others writing to simply reduce or eliminate rice from your diet. My family eat a lot of rice so I am quite concerned...

Here are some links: http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2012/09/getting-arsenic-out-your-and-your-kids-diet

http://consumerreports.org/cro/arsenicinfood.htm

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2008/04April/Pages/Arsenicinbabyrice.aspx

It seems that organic and non organic rice is affected.

[StraferJack]

Is it a problem really tho?

"the food industry" hasn't suddenly started injecting arsenic into rice - we are just finding out something about that has existed in rice for how long? And how many people eat rice? And what problems are we seeing because of it?

More research will be done and more info will come out. In the meantime I'm looking around me and not seeing and rice eaters dropping dead or developing health problems

[Yuuna]

I didn't write that it was an epidemic however I do believe it is a problem if people who eat it regularly build up arsenic in their body. There could be long term health effects. Actually it's meant to be due to the rice fields originally being used to grow cotton that was sprayed with inorganic arsenic; which is a problem. Some brown rice tested had 50 times the recommended allowance. I think it depends how often you eat it I suppose. I think not everyone is aware of this, you write as if people normally look closely into food and nutrition. I personally think it a necessity these days in the UK, though I know many who are most uninterested.

[StraferJack]

". I think not everyone is aware of this, you write as if people normally look closely into food and nutrition"

My point entirely - whole vast continents, billions of people for whom rice is their staple diet. I think we would have observed some of the scarier potential side effects by now?

[etta166]

I think you might be each other's ultimate troll pairing. I can see this discussion raging, with each side entrenching further. I'm going to follow with interest. It might be alsmost as good as the recent MMR thread...

[newtoedf]

I read about it a while ago, there's some american research on it which suggested it was not likely to be a significant issue in rice in US and Europe but was an issue in some parts of China. It's a while since I read the literature but it was not particularly alarming. It did recommend cooking the rice in lots of water so that you have to drain it after it is cooked rather than all the water being absorbed. Sorry - this would be more helpful if I had the links but the main point is - it didn't seem too much to worry about.

[TE44]

StraferJack Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Is it a problem really tho?

>

> "the food industry" hasn't suddenly started

> injecting arsenic into rice - we are just finding

> out something about that has existed in rice for

> how long? And how many people eat rice? And what

> problems are we seeing because of it?

>

> More research will be done and more info will come

> out. In the meantime I'm looking around me and not

> seeing and rice eaters dropping dead or developing

> health problems

Last year the FDA was sued by Food and Water Watch for refusing

to answer a freedom of information act for records on arsenic in poultry food.

Ths action by FAWW along with other groups over time saw the Fda banning 3 of th 4

Foods containing arsenic.

I find it worrying that drug companies have played a big part in

Raising the levels of arsenic in food and water.

[StraferJack]

None of that makes any sense te44. Which companies are doing what now?

[ianr]

A degree of reassurance for right-pondians: "Twelve years after the European Union banned roxarsone, five years after it emerged as an obvious public-health menace in the scientific literature, US farmers were still applying 2 million pounds of it to chicken feed each year at the time of Pfizer's decision, Food and Water Watch estimates." http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2011/06/arsenic-chicken-fda-roxarsone-pfizer [2011]

That was before the recent USA ban, reported at http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/pressreleases/fda-finally-bans-most-arsenic-from-animal-feed/.

[TE44]

SJ sorry i limit myself on phone, do not have a computer, takes long on phone.

I cannot seperate my thoughts about this issue from a bigger picture. Many big pharmaceuticals

make pesticides and although many have been banned in the western world there are still made and sold

in poorer countries. It would be easier for you if you're

interested to research yourself, but here is a recent link to three

large companies who have filed a lawsuit against a county trying to protect

there children from pesticides banned elsewhere.

http://sustainablepulse.com/2014/01/12/global-chemical-companies-face-backlash-kauai-pesticide-lawsuit/#.UuhRaqMRdfD

Medicine and poison don't feel right to me

[root]

How did this go from arsenic levels in rice to arsenic in chicken feed in the US to not feeling right about the same organisations manufacturing both medicinals and other chemical products. I am increasingly convinced that I am spotting a niche market in East Dulwich for tin foil hats.

[TE44]

http://mobile.globalmeatnews.com/Industry-Markets/US-bans-arsenic-drugs-for-pig-and-poultry-feed#.Uukad6MRdfA

The connection isn't rocket science, its arsenic getting into the food chain, i believe Yuuna asked for opinions.

Novartis drug company are in the process of swapping there animal health products with Merck. (makers of mmr)

So no worries root, its all in safe hands. Those pesky organisations that pestered the fda to ban most of arsenic

products don't feel the same way.The only way to decide how you feel about things that matter to you is by looking at

information, then people make there own connectionss.

http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-08/novartis-said-to-be-in-talks-with-merck-on-5-bln-swap.html

oops edited cause wrong link

[StraferJack]

How do you, like, get through a day TE

reading your posts is beginning to sound like the forum equivalent of Chicken Licken.

The sky isn't falling down

"swapping there animal health products with Merck. (makers of mmr)

So no worries root, its all in safe hands. "

and what does that mean? You are now dragging in discredited MMR junk into the argument as well?

"aahhhhit's not REALLY discredited - read THIS link and THAT link and.." dear god shoot me now

[root]

StraferJack Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> How do you, like, get through a day TE

>

Or the night .. in case you forgot about the Ghosts of East Dulwhich thread ...

[newtoedf]

Oh wow, just read the MMR thread... Astonished that it even exists at all