11th november daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

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DAILYCompiled GLOBAL E-NEWSLETTER & Edited by Riceplus Magazine November 11, 2014 Volume 4,Issue xi

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DAILY GLOBAL E-NEWSLETTER News Headlines…   

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Geographical location could market your product Year of reckoning: paddy prices fall as Iran goes slow on imports Vietnam Eyes Water-Saving Tech For Rice Farms Vietnam's Mekong delta sees sharp rise in rice exports Thai govt urged to help ease rice glut Punjab procures over 111 lakh tonnes paddy Vietnam's Mekong delta sees sharp rise in rice exports Short duration rice to mitigate monga in northern Bangladesh Article:Arsenic Is In Rice - Should you worry?

News Detail...

Geographical location could market your product

By Dorothy M. Tuma Posted Tuesday, November 11 2014 at 02:00 ―These pineapples are from Bugerere, this coffee is from the slopes of Mt Elgon and these oranges are from Soroti!‖ A market vendor successfully gets you to shop at her stall by announcing that every item she carries is from the part of the country where it is believed to grow best.

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Does anyone outside Uganda make the same associations between Ugandan produce and Ugandan locations? Linking unique products to the geographic area where they grow and /or are manufactured is a strategy that may be used to successfully position a product and differentiate it from competitors.

Adding value Product names linked to geographic locations are a form of valuable intellectual property known as a geographical indication (GI). Do you and/or the farmers in your area grow high quality products that show truly unique features owing to the soil and climate in the area? If yes, all of you could be missing out on the additional value that a GI adds to a product.Basmati Rice, Darjeeling Tea, Rooibos Tea and Scotch Whiskey are examples of how other countries have successfully used geographical indications to create successful products that are sold all over the world. Basmati Rice for instance, only grows in a specific geographic area of India and Pakistan in the Himalayan Mountain foothills.

It is described as a top quality, slender, aromatic, long grained, nutty tasting and delicately textured rice. Those unique product features are a result of the soils and climate on the Himalayan foothills. Rice grown anywhere else does not fit the description and can never be called basmati rice. This puts basmati rice in an enviable position.Could Bugerere pineapples, Mt. Elgon coffee and Soroti oranges be examples of Ugandan items with unique features, not found anywhere else in the world? Could the pineapples be for instance,

the juiciest in the world and have the highest concentrations of Vitamin C and Potassium ever recorded anywhere?

Geographical location If yes, Uganda is ignoring the opportunity to use geographic location to both promote and protect its unique items. Pineapple growers are letting the opportunity that GI represents pass them by.Suppose it was established that Bugerere pineapples – or any other items were indeed of the highest quality and were like no other product in that category anywhere in the world due to soil and climate conditions in that part of Uganda; what should be done to secure a GI? Pineapple farmers in Bugerere would need to: 1. Organise themselves into a society, cooperative or association.

2. Determine the association rules, regulations and standards.

3. Develop long and short term strategies and plans for the management of Bugerere pineapples.

4. Approach the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (http://www.ursb.go.ug/) for further guidance.

If you farm in an area that is known for growing the best of a particular crop contact URSB for more detailed information on GIs. You could be missing out on an opportunity to help increase farmer competitiveness.

E-mail: dorothy_tuma@dmtconsultants.net

Year of reckoning: paddy prices fall as Iran goes slow on imports Khanna/ Panipath | Posted: November 11, 2014 1:07 am imports. Lower demand from Iran, plus our

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farmers growing more basmati this time, is what is depressing prices,‖ Anil Kumar Mittal, chairman of KRBL, India’s largest rice miller and exporter, told The Indian Express.India’s basmati paddy production this year is seen at 12 million tonnes (mt), up from the 8.5 mt-9 mt of 2013-14.

The 12 mt includes 5 mt of Pusa-1121 and 2.5 mt of Pusa-1509, a newly bred IARI variety. ―12 mt paddy works out to 8 mt of rice. If you take 4 mt exports and another 1.8 mt-2 mt domestic consumption, there will still be a surplus of 2 mt,‖ observed a trade source.―The bull run in basmati is clearly over. The price correction that is happening now is only a reflection of that,‖ points out Ashok Gulati, former chairman, Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices.R S Seshadri, general secretary of the All India Rice Exporters’ Association, believes farmers in Punjab and Haryana will continue to plant basmati even next year. ―With Pusa-1121, a farmer can harvest 1820 quintals of paddy per acre, which goes up to 23-24 quintals for Pusa-1509.

now increasingly Pusa-1509‖, says Vijay Arora, a leading artiya at Madlauda’s new grain market.Seshadri projects basmati’s share even in Punjab to cross 50 per cent in the next 3-4 years. ―It is a good thing, as basmati needs less water, and the government should focus on rice procurement more from Chhattisgarh and eastern India.‖

Vietnam Eyes Water-Saving Tech For Rice Farms

By Science and Network |Editorials

Development

November 11, 2014 Although alternate wetting and drying technology can reduce water usage and greenhouse gas emissions, getting rice farmers to adopt this practice could be difficult.

On the other hand, yields in non-basmati parmal varieties, which are procured for the public distribution system and attract a minimum support price of Rs 1,400 per quintal, are only 30 quintals. Even if basmati prices drop to Rs 2,000/quintal, farm economics will still favour it over parmal paddy,‖ he adds.

The shift to basmati is perceptible from paddy acreage data. Basmati varieties are estimated to have accounted for 8.2 lakh hectares or 72 per cent of Haryana’s total paddy area this year. The corresponding coverage was 8.66 lakh hectares or 31 per cent for Punjab.―No farmer here grows parmal. The only paddy that comes to our mandi is basmati, especially Pusa-1121 and

AsianScientist (Nov. 11, 2014) – Agriculture experts say application of alternate wetting and drying (AWD) technology in Vietnam’s rice farms, one of South-East Asia’s largest rice-producing countries, holds great promise in cutting water use and greenhouse

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gas emissions from rice cultivation without sacrificing yield output.Vietnam along with Bangladesh and Colombia recently partnered with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) to introduce the largescale application of AWD, also known as controlled irrigation in which farmers periodically drain rice paddies rather than keeping them perpetually flooded.

The number of non-flooded days can range from one to ten days. The technology can reduce water use by 25 percent and estimated to cut methane from flooded rice field by 50 percent.But getting farmers to adopt it will be a struggle, Nguyen Hong Son, vice-president of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences, tells SciDev.Net during an interview at the Fourth International Rice Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, held from October 27 to November 1, 2014. ―It’s something that will give the farmers complications in application,‖ he notes. ―It’s really hard for them to understand the benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We will try to convince them of the benefits of AWD since it can also help them save money in irrigation.‖Aside from economic savings through lower water consumption and pumping costs, there is also evidence that AWD can help crops perform better and improve soil conditions so that machines can operate more efficiently in the fields, says Björn Ole Sander, who is coordinating the effort.But AWD is not without controversy. Adopting

the irrigation method will increase nitrous oxide emissions, which Sander himself acknowledges will be anywhere from 20 to 100 percent. Still, given that paddy rice does not produce much nitrous oxide to begin with, the decrease in methane, which the crop produces in heaps, will more than offset any increase in nitrous oxide, says Sander. ―We still have a huge overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions,‖ he adds.The planned wide-scale adoption of AWD is in line with the Vietnamese government’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions especially in the agricultural sector, which is predicted to account for almost 73 percent of emissions in the country by 2030, according to a UN fact sheet produced in 2013.The first phase to expand AWD in Vietnam as well as in Bangladesh and Colombia will run for the next 18 months and will involve preliminary research in each of the participating countries to identify the best areas where AWD can be applied, possible barriers and the needs for investment.Representatives from the CCAC will soon hold roundtable working groups with various national stakeholders, including scientists.

A central information kiosk containing extensive information on rice management and greenhouse gas emissions will be hosted by the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute, which along with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture in Colombia, will provide technical advice and services.

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Vietnam's Mekong delta sees sharp rise in rice exports

year.Generally, more than 50 percent of the country's paddy and 90 percent of the nation's rice exports come from the delta.

Vietnam's Mekong delta sees sharp rise in rice exports

Thai govt urged to help ease rice glut

HO CHI MINH CITY, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -High-quality rice exports from Vietnam's southern Mekong delta sharply increased in the first 10 months of this year, up 44 percent year on year, according to the local Southwest Steering Committee.

Local VietnamNet news portal reported on Tuesday, quoting data from the steering committee as saying that the region exported over 2.7 million tons of high-quality rice, worth 2.32 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 52 percent of the total rice export volume during the reviewed period.According to the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), the average prices of Vietnamese rice exports in the first 10 months has declined, however, thanks to the increasing output of highquality paddy harvested from the region, the export revenues have been maintained.The average export price reached 455.26 U.S. dollars per ton in the first nine months, up 3.6 percent year on year.Rice supplies for exports from the Mekong delta are abundant.Total paddy output from the recent winter-spring, summer-autumn and autumnwinter crops reached 24.3 million tons, of which, over 70 percent are high-quality, fragrant paddy that meet criteria for exports.

In addition, the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute in recent years has produced dozens of cross-bred rice strains with high quality and output, supporting the farmers in their intensive rice farming in specific locations.Vietnam's Mekong delta comprises 12 provinces and Can Tho City.Currently, about four million hectares of land in the region are used for rice cultivation during three crops per

Farmers harvest rice in a field in Thailand's southern Narathiwat province. (Photo: AFP/File)

BANGKOK: The Thai rice industry is still dealing with the impact of the now-defunct state rice subsidy scheme. That policy has left Thailand with tonnes of rice, and experts are calling on the government to formulate a long-term policy to help ease the glut in the sector.As a result of the previous government's rice subsidy scheme, Prayuth Chan-ocha's administration is now sitting on some 18 million tonnes of milled rice.

Thai exporters say the stockpile is hurting the Thai rice trade in both the short- and long-term.Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of Thai Rice Exporters Association, said: "In the eyes of the buying countries, they will look at Thai stock and say, 'wow, there are still plenty of rice in Thailand'. We are the exporting country, so psychologically, they (import countries) won't see the price going up."

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Global rice prices have dropped 18 percent this year to its lowest in four years. The price of Thai rice has dropped even more down by 30 percent from before the implementation of the rice subsidy scheme.

That means lower returns from the government's attempts to accelerate rice sale from its stock.Dr Nipon Poapongsakorn, Distinguished Fellow at Thailand Development Research Institute, said: "We cannot get enough revenue from the selling of our stockpile of rice. And if we want to sell it now, the price will drop even further, because the world market knows that we have a large amount of stockpile of rice on hand.

Published: November 11, 2014

"At the end of the day, that means lower returns for farmers, prompting Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to introduce a one-time cash handout. His administration is doling out more than US$1.2b to about 4 million farming households.Professor Medhi Krongkaew from the National Institute of Development Administration's School of Development Economics, said: "This policy is only for short term, aimed at helping farmers cope with the drop in the price of rice.

Vietnam's Mekong delta sees sharp rise in rice exports

The government is still in the process of finding a long-term approach, which is not apparent yet."But there is yet another problem. The government claims that 90 percent of the rice in state stockpiles has deteriorated. The full audit will be released in coming days. But one thing that is sure is that less rice sold means a large dent to farmers' rice bowls.

Punjab procures over 111 lakh tonnes paddy

Chandigarh, Nov 11 (IANS) — Over 111 lakh tonnes of paddy has been procured in Punjab this season, food and supplies department officials said Tuesday.Ludhiana district was leading in paddy procurement with over 14.13 lakh tonnes being procured there. Sangrur and Moga followed with 13.66 and 11.07 lakh tonnes.The Punjab government has set up 1,806 purchase centres across the state. Procurement started Oct 1.Over 98.4 percent of the paddy has been procured by government agencies.

IANS 2014-11-11 18:02:13

Vietnam's Mekong delta sees sharp rise in rice exports HO CHI MINH CITY, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -High-quality rice exports from Vietnam's southern Mekong delta sharply increased in the first 10 months of this year, up 44 percent year on year, according to the local Southwest Steering Committee.

Local VietnamNet news portal reported on Tuesday, quoting data from the steering committee as saying that the region exported over 2.7 million tons of high-quality rice, worth 2.32 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 52 percent of the total rice export volume during the reviewed period.

According to the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), the average prices of Vietnamese rice exports in the first 10 months has declined, however, thanks to the increasing output of high-quality paddy harvested from the region, the export revenues have been maintained.

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The average export price reached 455.26 U.S. dollars per ton in the first nine months, up 3.6 percent year on year.Rice supplies for exports from the Mekong delta are abundant.Total paddy output from the recent winter-spring, summer-autumn and autumnwinter crops reached 24.3 million tons, of which, over 70 percent are high-quality, fragrant paddy that meet criteria for exports.

known human carcinogen, contaminates many otherwise healthy foods that contain rice.

EWG scientists have concluded that consumers should shop vigilantly, choosing foods selectively to lower their chances of consuming excessive arsenic.

That’s why EWG’s Food Scores flags arsenic as a ―concern‖ in rice-based products.

In addition, the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute in recent years has produced dozens of cross-bred rice strains with high quality and output, supporting the farmers in their intensive rice farming in specific locations.Vietnam's Mekong delta comprises 12 provinces and Can Tho City.Currently, about four million hectares of land in the region are used for rice cultivation during three crops per year.

According to our detailed assessment and research, there is no simple way to determine how much rice-based food you can safely eat.

All the arsenic in your diet adds to your lifetime risk of developing cancer.

Generally, more than 50 percent of the country's paddy and 90 percent of the nation's rice exports come from the delta.

By Sonya Lunder, Senior Analyst

However this factor must be weighed against the nutritional qualities of foods you might eat in the place of rice. Rice is an affordable grain that figures in the daily fare of millions of Americans, particularly Asian and Latino families, vegetarians and people on a glutenfree diet. Rice flour, bran and syrup are added to many processed foods like crackers, pasta and granola bars. Infants and children are commonly fed rice-based cereals...

Short duration rice to mitigate monga in northern Bangladesh M G Neogi

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2014 In EWG’s view, the answer is yes.

Federal government scientists and regulators and food industry officials are scrambling to respond to emerging evidence that arsenic, a

'Monga', the Bengali term, was used to describe famine-like situation in northern Bangladesh in which the poor suffered acute deprivation caused by their lack of purchasing power arising from seasonal scarcity of gainful employment. This acute seasonal distress had been recurrent phenomena each year as an inherent feature of northern Bangladesh, especially greater

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Rangpur district. Evidences indicate that the people of northern Bangladesh were faced severe food insecurity every year compared to the people of other parts of the country at two particular times of the year.

In two periods of each year (between the month of mid-September to mid-November and mid-March to April), the rural poor who rely mostly on farm work, suffer severe seasonal hardship when household food availability and farm employment dry up.

Mid-March to April lean season also brings hardship, but this is now less severe due to recent crop diversification in the northern region. Maize, potato, winter vegetables, wheat, mustard etc., are now being cultivated by the farmers, spreading the seasonal load of work and food supply.

Since long, the most serious lean season had been the period from mid-September to midNovember (bangla months of ashwin-kartik) each year, when many people got affected by monga. Hence, the rural poor living in these months passed days and even months with very little work and therefore income.

As a traditional practice, in northern Bangladesh, almost hundred per cent farmers cultivated aman (monsoon) rice crop. Most of the farmers cultivated this long duration rice variety which required 145-160 days (BR11, swarna, etc.). Farmers prepared the seedbed and sow seeds of these varieties in late June and prepared the fields in July for transplanting the seedlings in late July, and then conduct maintenance operations in August and early September.

After that, there was a little farming field

operations required from late September to early November and this was the main cause of monga. Since aman rice crop cultivation is universal, around 70 per cent of daylaborers and hardcore poor households are fully dependent on employment at various stages of amaon cultivation. Hence, there were few alternative job opportunities during late September to early November.

It is observed that farmers are now following diversified crops in the rabi/winter season, and thus the hardship in April (Chaitra-Baishakh) has lessened but not in the aman season.

It may be pointed that the opportunity for crop diversification in monsoon period is also very less due to heavy rainfall during these months. This causes joblessness in agricultural works during late September to early November, where no work is required until harvesting in late November and December.

On the other hand, farmers are facing serious problems to cultivate winter crops in right time (i.e., in November). Normally, in high and medium-high land farmers go for wheat/potato/mustard/winter vegetables/maize cultivation after harvesting of the aman crop. The proper time to cultivate these winter crops in northern Bangladesh is in November. But due to the presence of aman crops in most of the lands in November, farmers have no scope to avail the right time to cultivate such winter crops.

This delayed cultivation hampers the normal yield and also increases the production cost of different winter crops. It may also be

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mentioned that if farmers were able to cultivate potato/wheat in right time (in November), they could have got more yield and also minimised production cost by reducing the use of pesticides, especially for potato. It may also be noted that wheat yield is reduced by at least 1 per cent for delayed plantation each day in early December.

To overcome the above situation, in 2003, a renowned NGO in northern Bangladesh RDRS along with Irrigation and Water Management Division of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) under PETRRAICM project come-up with a short duration rice variety BRRI dhan33 which was released by the National seed board of the government in 1997.

They tested the variety in the field in order to harvest rice in lean period. The variety was ripped in lean period (Awshin-Kartik), but huge amounts of crops were damaged by rats, insects and birds, as there were no other crops available in the field at that time.

Based on this learning, in 2004, RDRS established a research programme at RDRS Rangpur Farm under its supervision, where BRRI dhan33 was cultivated in the aman season using both direct and transplanted methods. The results were encouraging. The yield under direct seeding condition was 4.1 ton/ha and it was possible to harvest within 100 days of seeding.

Under transplanted condition, the yield was 3.8 ton/ha and was possible to harvest within 120 days of seeding. It was realised that the short duration rice variety should be

cultivated in a block system with involvement of many farmers at community level, so that farmers are able to protect crops from birds, insects and rats in a combined way.

In 2005, a PhD research programme was established by M. G. Neogi at RDRS Rangpur under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Abul Khair, Department of Botany of Jahangirnagar University and came up with very positive research findings. It is mentionable that it was the first formal research finding on introduction of short duration rice to mitigate monga. Side by side, RDRS extended the technology in 18 farmers' fields the same year and received an average yield of 4 ton/ha and the crops were harvested in early October.

Based on the previous two years research findings, RDRS in 2006, extended the technology in 1271 hectares of land through 22 local partner NGO's. Also with financial support from RIB along with training from BRRI Rangpur, around one hundred acres of land were cultivated by BRRI dhan33 where RDRS, BRDB, TMSS and USS were the key partner NGOs. In 2007, the above technology was introduced jointly by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and RDRS in 1,820 hectares of land owned by 5,928 farmers through 25 local partner NGOs. Also a number of other organisations came forward to introduce the same technology.

In 2008, following a wide coverage by electronic and print media, the then

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Caretaker Government took the lead role to extend the same technology to 40,000 hectares of land under GO/NGO collaboration to ensure food security in lean period. In the same year, RDRS extended the technology to 2,500 hectares of land through 25 local partner NGOs. RDRS also piloted a new short duration rice variety (BINA dhan7), developed by the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA).

RDRS extended Binadhan-7 rice variety the following year, which was highly accepted by farmers for its short duration nature and also for higher yield. In the same year, RDRS also piloted another short duration rice variety (BUdhan1), which was developed by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU).

In 2010, RDRS extended BUdhan1 rice variety in farmers' fields along with BSMRAU and Agres Foundation with support from Kristi Gobeshona Foundation (KGF). The said variety was also highly accepted by farmers' for its short duration nature, long and medium size grain quality and higher yields.

This year, RDRS is extending both BINA dhan7and BUdhan1 rice varieties in order to increase access to rice crop during lean period by marginal farmers and daylabourers. In this way, farmers of northern Bangladesh accepted the technology and are practising the same in their crop fields and getting advantages to harvest the crop in October and overcoming monga. By this

time, a number of short duration rice varieties like BRRI dhan56, 57, 62, Binadhan-12, etc., has been released and these varieties are becoming popular in northern Bangladesh.

Yield of short duration rice is slightly low due to early maturity compared to normal harvest of long duration rice variety. But the net profit of these short duration rice varieties was found higher than the traditional long duration variety due to low production cost and higher market prices.

Also to minimise the yield gap, the spacing to transplant short duration rice varieties should be reduced compared to long duration rice variety which will help increase optimum yield.

As a result of the Programmes, around 60 day-laborers may be occupied per hectare for harvest and post-harvest operations in lean period. After harvesting of short duration rice in lean period, it is now possible to cultivate winter crops in right time, which increases yield and reduces production cost. After harvesting of potato, farmers may go for mungbean cultivation (still it is not very popular) as an additional crop, which may not only help increase production and income but also increase household nutrition and improve soil health.

Dr. M. G. Neogi is consultant International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

mgneogi@gmail.com

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Article

Arsenic Is In Rice - Should you worry?

In EWG’s view, the answer is yes. Federal government scientists and regulators and food industry officials are scrambling to respond to emerging evidence that arsenic, a known human carcinogen, contaminates many otherwise healthy foods that contain rice. EWG scientists have concluded that consumers should shop vigilantly, choosing foods selectively to lower their chances of consuming excessive arsenic.

That’s why EWG’s Food Scoresflags arsenic as a ―concern‖ in rice-based products.According to our detailed assessment and research, there is no simple way to determine how much rice-based food you can safely eat. All the arsenic in your diet adds to your lifetime risk of developing cancer. However this factor must be weighed against the nutritional qualities of foods you might eat in the place of rice. Rice is an affordable grain that figures in the daily fare of millions of Americans, particularly Asian and Latino families, vegetarians and people on a gluten-free diet.

Rice flour, bran and syrup are added to many processed foods like crackers, pasta and granola bars. Infants and children are commonly fed rice-based cereals.

Why vary your diet?

The bottom line: EWG recommends that you limit consumption of rice and rice-based food when possible and instead eat a varied diet of healthy lower-arsenic grains and sweeteners.

The scientific findings about arsenic in rice pose a dilemma for consumers, food companies and regulators. Many people cannot easily stop eating rice without unintended and unwanted consequences. In these situations, health concerns about arsenic must be weighed against the alternatives.

A person who swaps homemade beans and rice or stir-fried tofu, vegetables and rice for a fast food burger could wind up with a meal with fewer nutrients, and more fat, salt and added sugar.

EWG’s Food Scores database attaches ―moderate‖ ingredient concern to arsenic in rice and rice-based processed foods that contain more arsenic in a single serving than is legal in a glass of water. These include breakfast cereals, pasta, crackers and ricebased beverages. We assign a lower ―ingredient concern‖ score in categories where rice-based ingredients are not the primary components of the particular product. In such products, we expect arsenic concentrations to be lower.

How heavy metals get into food Heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium and lead are naturally present in water and soil. In some places, intense concentrations exist as a result of industrial pollution and decades of agricultural use of lead- and arsenic-based pesticides. Cadmium is a contaminant in phosphorous-based fertilizers (WHO 2010).

Cadmium concentrations are lower in organically-grown fruits, vegetables and grains (Baranski 2014).For decades, the Food and Drug Administration has been

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monitoring levels of heavy metals in the food supply. It has sometimes detected high levels of arsenic, cadmium, and lead in fruits, vegetables and grains. Arsenic levels are consistently elevated in rice and foods made with rice flour, bran and rice-based sweeteners. Carrots, mushrooms, peanuts, seaweed, fruit juices and wine occasionally have high arsenic concentrations (FDA 2011).

The FDA has taken action to reduce concentrations of lead in food (FDA 2011).

(Read more about other heavy metals in foods here.) However, the agency has done less to address arsenic risks.

Many authorities single out rice as a special problem because of its propensity to harbor arsenic. While all plants can absorb some arsenic, rice plants, due to their physiology and growing conditions, accumulate 10 times more arsenic than other grain crops (Sohn 2014). Agricultural scientists have bred some varieties of rice to thrive in soils that are high in arsenic. These varieties are among the few crops that can grow in highly contaminated fields.

Americans get more arsenic from food than polluted water Scientists have long known that people who drink arsenic-contaminated water have higher rates of lung, skin and bladder cancers. For that reason, federal and state governments have invested millions of dollars in reducing arsenic concentrations in drinking water.

Yet in recent years, researchers have developed evidence that most Americans are

more exposed to arsenic in their diets than by contaminated water.

In 2010 scientists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency conducted a mathematical modeling exercise based on arsenic levels in food and water and calculated that a typical American ingested twice as much inorganic arsenic from food as from water (Xue 2010). They estimated that infants and children had more intense exposures to arsenic than adults, due to children’s small size and relative hunger.

Ground-breaking scientific discoveries pinpoint arsenic in rice In 2011 Diane Gilbert-Diamond and her colleagues at Dartmouth medical school discovered that pregnant women who ate as little as a half cup of rice had just as much arsenic in their urine as those who had imbibed an entire liter of water contaminated with 10 parts per billion of arsenic, the maximum concentration allowed under the federal Safe Water Drinking Act (Gilbert-Diamond 2011).

In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, the Dartmouth scientists expressed surprise at this result: they had set out to examine arsenic exposures for 229 pregnant women in New Hampshire, where drinking water often contains high concentrations of the toxic chemical.

Their findings suggested that arsenic was a problem not only for people with significant contamination in their drinking water but also for millions more Americans who routinely consumed rice-based foods. This

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realization spurred the Dartmouth researchers to broaden their focus and examine rice and other dietary sources of arsenic.

In 2012, the independent, highly regarded Consumer Reports research organization made public tests indicating that arsenic concentrations commonly exceeded 100 parts per billion in rice, rice flour, crackers, pasta, hot and cold breakfast cereals and infant cereal (Consumer Reports 2012).

Arsenic levels in rice milk often surpassed 10 parts per billion, the maximum allowed in drinking water. Consumer Reports also measured cadmium and lead levels in the rice samples but concluded that these contaminants posed less threat to human health than arsenic. Rice generally contains less lead than arsenic. Cadmium levels in rice are similar to or lower than arsenic levels in rice, but the consensus among scientists is that cadmium is a less potent toxicant.

FDA, international bodies study arsenic in rice Last year, the FDA published tests of more than 1,300 samples of rice-based foods. Its findings were in line with those of Consumer Reports (FDA 2013a). On its website, the FDA downplayed the possible health consequences of its findings, saying the arsenic levels it measured were ―too low to cause any immediate or short-term adverse health effects‖ (FDA 2013b).

The agency’s statement postponed a final judgment on the obvious question: do rice-

based foods raise people’s risks of cancer? The FDA pledged to publish its assessment of the cancer risks posed by arsenic contamination of rice-based foods by the end of this year. After that assessment circulated, the agency said it would consider ―voluntary or mandatory limits or other steps that may be needed to reduce consumer exposure to arsenic in rice and rice products‖ (FDA 2013c). In the meantime, it cautioned consumers not to eat excessive quantities of rice, instead choosing a balanced and varied diet to ―minimize potential adverse consequences from consuming an excess of any one food‖ (FDA 2013c).

Last July, CODEX, a joint commission of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization, adopted a new standard for acceptable arsenic levels in rice: it recommended that governments allow no more than 200 parts of arsenic per billion in white or ―polished‖ rice and no more than 400 parts per billion in brown rice (FAO/WHO 2014).

The European Food Safety Authority has discussed a more restrictive limit of 100 parts per billion of arsenic in foods marketed for infants and children, becaue children are thought to be more sensitive to arsenic than adults, but it has not come to a final determination.

The CODEX recommendations were not meant to imply that 200 or 400 parts per billion of arsenic in rice were safe. Rather, the international body aimed to encourage regulators of individual governments to ban rice with higher concentrations of arsenic

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from the market.

Andrew Meharg, a professor of plant and soil sciences at Queen's University Belfast and recognized international expert on the problem of arsenic in the food supply, urged regulators to lower the bar to 50 parts of arsenic per billion for foods made for infants and children and 100 parts per billion in rice sold to the general public. He contended that arsenic concentrations greater than 100 parts per billion in food posed an unacceptably high risk of cancer.

Will regulators crack down on rice-based foods?

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The U.S. and other countries have been slow to take action to reduce arsenic concentrations in foods. The FDA recently set a non-binding ―action level‖ of 10 parts per billion for arsenic in apple juice, the same as drinking water. But the FDA has not set legally enforceable maximum levels of arsenic for many other rice-based foods that have higher concentrations of arsenic.

There are a few things government agencies should do: Set maximum allowable levels for arsenic in processed foods like baby food, crackers, pastas and breakfast cereals where manufacturers can use other ingredients as substitutes for rice flour, bran or syrup.

Press the food industry to adopt alternatives to rice flour, bran and syrup in processed foods.

Set maximum levels for arsenic and other heavy metals in other foods. Identify the origin of foods with high concentrations of heavy metals, and shift these contaminated farmlands into the production of non-food crops.

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Fund research into techniques and technologies that reduce arsenic uptake by plants like rice. Growing rice in dry instead of water-saturated soils could decrease the amount of arsenic that migrates into the grains. New varieties of rice could be bred to take up less arsenic from soil and water.

Provide consumers with information about health risks associated with arsenic in foods like rice and the nutritional tradeoffs to consider when deciding how frequently to eat arsenic-contaminated foods.

Until governments act, EWG encourages you to reduce your, and your family’s exposure to arsenic. Here’s what you can do: -- Limit your rice consumption.

Organically-grown and conventional rice both contain arsenic. But arsenic concentrations in rice appear to vary based on the variety and the region where it is grown.

White rice -- particularly basmati, jasmine and pre-cooked ―instant‖ rice -- tends to have lower concentrations of arsenic than brown rice because arsenic accumulates in rice bran. Rice varieties grown in California or imported from Southeast Asia are often lower in arsenic than rice grown in other parts of the U.S. Consumer Reports suggested that adults eat no more than one to three servings of rice or rice-based foods per week, depending on the food type. It recommended that children eat a maximum of 1.25 servings of rice, rice pasta, rice breakfast cereal or rice pasta per week or one small serving of rice-based infant cereal per day. Consumer Reports urged parents not to give children younger

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than five rice-based beverages regularly.

-- Rinse rice and cook rice in extra water.

Rinsing rice before cooking may reduce arsenic content to some extent. Some research indicates that the amount of arsenic in rice can be cut by as much as 40 percent if the rice is boiled in a large volume of water like pasta and excess water discarded. Here's a recipe. Cooking rice like pasta is a good option for brown rice, whose superior nutritional benefits must be balanced against higher arsenic content.

-- Do not give infants rice cereal as their first solid food.

Parents were once advised to start infants on fortified rice cereals, touted as nonallergenic and nutritive, but nutritional guidance is shifting. With some exceptions, parents are no longer encouraged to delay introducing other, potentially allergenic foods. Soft fruits, vegetables or even meats are great first sources of complementary nutrients for a breast- or formula-fed baby. Try bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes and squash.

-- Choose other grains.

Powdered cereals are convenient and often used to thicken baby purees, but Consumer Reports found significant quantities of arsenic in all three brands of infant rice cereals tested. Look for non-rice whole grain or oat cereals, or make your own by pureeing grains in a food processor before or after cooking them.

The American Academy of Pediatrics convened an Expert Work Group on Arsenic in Rice with a mandate to

examine the safety of rice-based foods for infants and children. The Work Group recently concluded that oats are a preferred grain for infants and children who require thickened foods due to special medical needs like reflux (AAP 2014).

-- Buy processed foods that don’t contain rice.

Look for alternatives to rice-based processed foods such as breakfast cereals, rice flour, rice pasta, cakes and crackers. Consumer demand for gluten-free alternatives to wheat-based processed foods has spurred a proliferation of rice-based products, but they're not the only option. Low-arsenic grains include barley, faro, couscous and bulgur wheat. To avoid gluten, consider amaranth, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, oats, cornmeal, grits and polenta. Read labels carefully and investigate products with these alternative grains. Some flour mixes for baking contain no rice or gluten.

-- Limit consumption of products whose labels list rice syrup as a sweetener.

Energy and cereal bars and other processed foods sweetened with brown rice syrup can contain elevated arsenic levels (FDA 2013; Jackson 2012). Such products are often aimed at the "natural" foods market. But ―natural‖ does not mean ―safe.‖ Read labels and use EWG’s Food Scores database and app to avoid rice syrup sweetener in foods you eat frequently.

-- Do not use rice milk as a dairy substitute for cow's milk.

Great Britain's Food Safety Authority cautions parents to avoid rice milk as a dairy alternative for toddlers from age

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one to four and a half. Consumer Reports tested samples of two common brands of rice milk and found arsenic levels ranging from 17 to 70 parts per billion -- all exceeding the federal drinking water maximum of 10 parts per billion.

-- Do not give children non-dairy drinks that list rice syrup as a sweetener.

At least two brands of hemp milk contain brown rice syrup. In many cases, dairysensitive children can be given water and other dietary sources of calcium instead of a highly processed dairy substitute.

-- Check your drinking water.

Arsenic taints drinking water in many parts of the U.S. Read the Consumer Confidence Report that your water utility is required to send you once a year, and check EWG's Tap Water Database to see if arsenic has been detected in your water. Use EWG’s Water Filter Buying Guide to find filters certified to remove arsenic from your water. If you drink well water, contact your local health department to find out if arsenic could be a problem, or get your well tested. Testing is not expensive, and it's worth the investment.

Conclusion: Rice is a specifically risky crop. Eating less rice and foods with rice-based ingredients will decrease the amount of arsenic in your body.

Lead and cadmium risks are distributed more broadly across the food supply. To lower Americans’ exposures to these contaminants, governments must take a number of actions, including crop monitoring programs to single out foods that

are particularly contaminated, and soil testing to find highly polluted fields and orchards where these crops were grown.

The FDA should investigate agricultural practices that add heavy metals to cropland, including the use of sewage sludge as fertilizer. The FDA and other government health agencies should clearly communicate risks to consumers so they can make informed choices about how often they eat specific foods likely to be contaminated.

References: AAP. 2014. AAP group offers advice to reduce infants’ exposure to arsenic in rice.

American Academy of Pediatrics Arsenic in Rice Expert Work Group. AAP News.

35(11):13.http://aapnews.aappublications.or g/content/35/11/13.1.full.pdf+html Baransky M, Srednicka-Tober D, Volakakis N, et al. 2014. Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: a systematic literature review and meta-analyses. British Journal of Nutrition 112:794-841. http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php ?file=%2FBJN%2FBJN112_05%2FS00071 14514001366a.pdf Consumer Reports. 2012. Arsenic in your food: Our findings show a real need for federal standards for this toxin. Consumer Reports Magazine.

November, 2012. http://consumerreports.org/cro/magazi ne/2012/11/arsenic-in-your-food/index.htm Consumer Reports. 2013. Arsenic in rice test data prompt FDA to recommend diversifying grains in diet. September 6, 2013. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/n ews/2013/09/arsenic-in-rice-test-dataprompt-fda-to-recommend-diversifying-

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grains-in-diet/index.htm EFSA. 2009. Scientific Opinion on Arsenic in Food. European Food Safety Authority Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM).

EFSA Journal 7(1): 1351. http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajour nal/pub/1351.htm Last updated: 9/27/2010.

EPA. 2012. Arsenic Compounds (107-02-8).

Hazard Summary – Created in April 1992; Revised in December 2102.http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/ar senic.html Last updated: 10/18/2013.

FAO/WHO. 2014. Report of the Eighth Session of the CODEX Committee on Contaminants in Food. Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, Codex Alimentarius Commission. 37th Session Geneva, Switzerland, 14-18 July 2014.http://www.codexalimentarius.org/dow nload/report/906/REP14_CFe.pdf FDA. 2011. Total Diet Study. Data Summaries 1991-2011. Food and Drug Administration.http://www.fda.gov/Food/Fo odScienceResearch/TotalDietStudy/default. htm FDA. 2013a. Arsenic in Rice and Rice Products.

Food and Drug Administrationhttp://www.fda.gov/Food/Fo odborneIllnessContaminants/Metals/ucm319 870.htm Last updated 9/12/2013 FDA. 2013b. FDA Statement on Testing and Analysis of Arsenic in Rice and Rice Products. Food and Drug Administration.

September 6, 2013.http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIll nessContaminants/Metals/ucm367263.htm FDA. 2013c. Questions & Answers: Arsenic in Rice and Rice Products. Food and Drug Administrationhttp://www.fda.gov/Food/Fo

odborneIllnessContaminants/Metals/ucm319 948.htm Last updated 8/4/2014 Gilbert-Diamond D, Cottingham KL, Gruber JF, et al. 2011. Rice consumption contributes to arsenic exposure in US women. Proc Natl Acad Sci 108(51):2065660. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl es/PMC3251121/ Jackson BP, Taylor VF, Karagas MR, et al.

2012. Arsenic, organic foods, and brown rice syrup.

Environmental Health Perspectives 120(5): 6236. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles /PMC3251121/ NAS. 2001. Arsenic in Drinking Water, 2001 Update. National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council.

National Academies Press. http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?is bn=0309063337 Sohn E. 2014. Contamination: The toxic side of rice. Nature 514:S62 WHO. 2010. Exposure to Cadmium: A Major Public Health Concern. World Health Organization.

Geneva, Switzerland. http://www.who.int/ipcs/features/cadmium.p df Xue J, Zartarian V, Wang S-W, Liu SV, Georgopoulos P. 2010. Probabilistic Modeling of Dietary Arsenic Exposure and Dose and Evaluation with 2003–2004 NHANES Data.

Environ Health Perspectives (118)3: 345-51 Source with thanks: http://www.ewg.org/foodscores/content/arse nic-contamination-in-rice Accessed

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