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    From: Sam Wylde III [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
    Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2012 8:03 PM
    To: [log in to unmask]
    Subject: Arsenic Questions, 03/06/12

    Hi Jean:

     

    I purchase most of my bread from Ener-G and it is brown rice based.
According to my research brown rice contains more arsenic than white rice -
do you ever check for arsenic in your products? 

     

    Yes we check for arsenic levels as do our suppliers.   We usually check
rice bran because that is where rice concentrates arsenic. 

     

    Inorganic arsenic is more toxic than organic arsenic, and to the best of
my knowledge all plants contain some arsenic. Looking at total arsenic to
determine toxicity isn't scientifically realistic.  Regulations tend to do
this because it is very difficult to separate organic arsenic from inorganic
arsenic. Often arsenic is accumulated in the outer parts of plants as
protection against fungi.  For example potatoes collect it in the potato
skin and rice collects it in its rice bran. However, if the water/soil is
low in arsenic their won't be much arsenic anywhere in the plant(s).
Environmental conditions have a large impact on the amount of arsenic.   

     

    The USA has some arsenic level restrictions for some specific foods.
Below is one of the regulations.    If you are interested in knowing what
other foods/ingredients have restrictions I can send you them.  They are in
CFR21 and widely scattered throughout.

     

    "§ 556.60 Arsenic.

    Tolerances for total residues of combined

    arsenic (calculated as As) in food

    are established as follows:

    (a) In edible tissues and in eggs of

    chickens and turkeys:

    (1) 0.5 part per million in uncooked

    muscle tissue.

    (2) 2 parts per million in uncooked

    edible by-products.

    (3) 0.5 part per million in eggs.

    (b) In edible tissues of swine:

    (1) 2 parts per million in uncooked

    liver and kidney.

    (2) 0.5 part per million in uncooked

    muscle tissue and by-products other

    than liver and kidney."

     

    Arsenic is often measured in ppb (parts per billion).   China is the
only Country with a standard inorganic arsenic limit for all foods.  "Only
China has set regulatory limit with arsenic allowed in levels up to 150
parts per billion (ppb)."  Food Production Daily.com. Feb. 23, 2012.   To
convert US regulations of ppm to ppb multiply the ppm by 1000.   Thus .5ppm
= 500ppb.

     

    Unfortunately, determining if arsenic is organic or inorganic requires
considerable expertise and sophisticated equipment and is more expensive
than simply determining arsenic levels.  

     

    I also wonder where you purchase your rice from and if it is grown in
fields with water - seems like I remember reading you can grow rice without
a lot of water.  

     

    California mostly.  Rice has been bred through centuries to be resistant
to drowning. It is grown in flooded paddies because most of the weeds drown.
It can be grown as dry rice.  We only use paddy rice. A problem with dry
rice is a possibility of wheat contamination.  Wheat/rye/barley are not
resistant to drowning, therefore paddy rice is very safe for Celiacs.
Wheat/Rice Combine Harvesters are readily available.
http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/rice-combine-harvester.html. 

     

    I know there is no government level for arsenic in rice but I think you
need to cover some of these types of question on your website.

     

    Agreed. I like answering these kinds of questions.  My problem is lack
of time.  If you can be very specific in your questions it will help me
answer you more quickly. 

     

    As a celiac I consume a lot of rice products and would like to receive
all the information I need to maintain a healthy and safe diet.

     

    Ask me any questions about rice or other ingredients.   

     

     

    Sam

    President

    Ener-G

     

     


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