FDA: Arsenic in rice OK

Levels of arsenic in U.S. rice and rice products are too low to harm short-term health, though the effects of long-term consumption remain unclear, a federal report finds.

Separate studies have found concerning levels of inorganic arsenic—the kind produced by industrial burning or via pesticide use—in rice and rice products such as infant formula and cereal bars, according to CBS News. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently conducted its own research, analyzing 1,300 samples of rice and related products, finding levels of the chemical too low to pose an immediate health risk, though arsenic is a known human carcinogen.

The agency said further research is necessary to determine whether eating rice over a long period of time increases the risk of cancer or other health complications.