Arsenic In Your Food?

The definition of Arsenic from Dictionary.com is “a grayish-white element having a metallic luster, vaporizing when heated, and forming poisonous compounds.” With this being said, why is this in our food supply?

Consumer Reports did some research and has found Arsenic in Apple and Grape Juices. Now they have tested over 200 samples of a variety of rice products and have found an alarming amount of Arsenic in these as well. They found Arsenic in both forms being Inorganic, which is carcinogenic, and organic which is less toxic but still dangerous.

I understand that Arsenic is found naturally in our soil, so therefore we are going to get it in our food supply. But it needs to be strictly regulated!!! The Environmental Protection Agency says that there is no “safe” level of inorganic arsenic but there are no federal regulations or limits on most foods. So my question is, since we know arsenic is a poison why are we not regulating the amounts in food that we are selling to the public?

The Arsenic was even found in Gerber’s Infant Rice Cereal. This is the first thing that infants consume as “real food” and yet there is poison in it? Has anyone ever realized why there is more cancer and other diseases now than there were back in the old days?? Maybe our food supply has something to do with it huh? That is just my opinion anyways. With Gerber’s Rice Cereal they have found inorganic levels 5 times more than in Gerber’s Oatmeal Cereal.

The rice growers in the United States say that this subject is blown out of proportion and that there is no real danger with the levels of Arsenic. They say there is no hard evidence that these products have caused cancer or other diseases. But honestly, isn’t it just common sense? Why would we wait for a 10 year Epidemiologic Study to prove this? Why not do something to prevent these adverse events from happening?! Studies have begun and that is a good thing don’t get me wrong, but something needs to be done before it becomes too late for people. One study was done that said by eating just one half cup of rice the urinary arsenic level was increased substantially. People who eat rice on a regular basis have a higher arsenic level in there body than somebody that only eats it once in a while.

My advice would be to stay away from rice products as much as you can until it is regulated. It is said to consume every once in a while and not to eat it every day. For me, I think I will stay away from all rice products for a while. For more information and to see the full article where I have taken this information from please go to: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/11/arsenic-in-your-food/index.htm