Study: High Arsenic Levels Found in Organic Baby Formula, Cereal Bars
1 Comment | Written on February 17, 2012 at 1:00 pm, by Lesley Kennedy
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A new study out from Dartmouth University has found high levels of arsenic in a number of organic foods, ranging from cereal bars and energy shot drinks to, most startlingly, baby formula.
As the Today show reports, researchers tested upwards of 17 brands of baby formula, 29 cereal bars and three energy shot drinks. They found that those listing organic brown rice syrup as a primary ingredient contained levels of arsenic that often far exceeded federal limits set for arsenic in drinking water, including two brands of organic baby formula, which exceeded the limit a shocking 20 times over. There is currently no federal limit set for arsenic in food.
“These results are extremely scary,” one researcher at Columbia University who was not affiliated with the study told Today. “I’m very concerned about the idea of babies on formula that is laced with arsenic.”
Indeed, arsenic has been linked to cancer, chronic diseases and developmental effects. The research is raising more than a few eyebrows, especially since organic brown rice syrup subs for high fructose corn syrup in many organic products. As Dr. Mehmet Oz noted on the Today show, rice is particularly susceptible to arsenic contamination, even when grown organically. Arsenic from pesticides can remain in soil for years, even long after the fields have been converted to organic farming, and rice is prone to leach those chemicals from the soil.
So what should you do? The study didn’t name names; no brands were identified. But you’ll want to check the labels on what you eat and be wary of anything that contains organic brown rice syrup. Brian Jackson, a research associate professor at Dartmouth who was the lead author of the study, told NPR: “For people who just occasionally eat cereal bars, I don’t see a problem. But for the toddler formula, until we know what a safe arsenic concentration is, I’d recommend discontinuing that formula.”
Jackson also advises gluten-free eaters try to eat other grains in addition to rice-based options, and he called on the federal government to take more action.
“There is a data base for exposure to arsenic in drinking water,” Jackson tells Today. “But there’s nothing out there on food. It’s time we looked at this and ask whether we need guidelines for arsenic exposure in food.”
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Food News | Tags: Asian Cuisine, Breakfast and Brunch, Healthy Cooking, Quick and Easy, Rice
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One Response to “Study: High Arsenic Levels Found in Organic Baby Formula, Cereal Bars”
just another reason to breast feed:)