Study links rice cereal fed to babies to high levels of inorganic arsenic in urine

The first solid food that most babies get to eat is rice cereal, but several studies have found traces of arsenic in rice-based food products.

According to a new study, babies fed with rice cereals and other rice-based food products were likely to have higher concentrations of inorganic arsenic in their urine as compared to babies who were not.

Epidemiologist Maragaret Karagas and colleagues from Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine studied the association between between rice containing products and levels of arsenic in 759 infants.

The study revealed that at 12 months, infants who ate rice or foods mixed with rice had higher concentrations of inorganic arsenic compared with those who did not.

Furthermore, urinary arsenic concentrations were found to be twice as high among infants who consumed white or brown rice as against babies who were not given rice.

Infants who were given rice cereals had the highest concentration of inorganic arsenic.

Compared with organic arsenic, or arsenic in combination with carbon and other elements, inorganic arsenic, or arsenic with no carbon present, was more toxic. The compound had in fact, been included in the World Health Organization's carcinogen list.

According to studies, inorganic arsenic might have neurotoxic effects and could be very harmful to the immune system. Also high exposure to this chemical particularly among developing infants could be dangerous.

Arsenic occurs naturally and is found in soil and water. Rice grains were especially adept at concentrating both organic and inorganic arsenic levels, raising concerns that rice products might result in infants being exposed to elevated amounts of arsenic.

According to Dr Lolita McDavid, a paediatrician and medical director for Child Advocacy and Protection at UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, rice cereal was used to teach children, 4 to 6 months old, how to eat, but parents were concerned about arsenic could use other kinds of food as well.

"The reason most of us start with rice cereal, it's very, very rare to find a child who can't tolerate rice," McDavid explained. "You don't have to have any cereal. You can just start the baby with [pureed] fruits and vegetables" when they're older, she added, ABC News reported.