Scientists fret over arsenic levels in British baby rice

PARIS (AFP) — Levels of arsenic in rice formula for babies are worryingly high, according to an investigation published Wednesday into products widely sold in British stores.

Scientists voiced their concern after testing 17 samples of three common brands of baby rice.

They said the results exposed a bad loophole in safety regulations in the European Union (EU) and the United States, too.

The arsenic they tested for was inorganic, meaning that it had no carbon content and thus most likely came from a geological source.

Arsenic occurs naturally in some soils and is a groundwater problem in numerous countries, notably Bangladesh. Rice plants, which are immersed in water, are especially susceptible to absorbing the arsenic as they grow.

The University of Aberdeen investigators in Scotland found arsenic levels ranging from 0.06 to 0.16 milligrams per kilo in the samples of baby rice, with an average of 11 mg/kilo per ...