Arsenic in Rice: Brown vs. White, What FDA Testing Found and What to Do
Brown rice has more fiber than white rice, and it also has more arsenic. In FDA’s own measurements, average inorganic arsenic came to 154 ppb in brown rice and 92 ppb in white rice.
Organic vs. inorganic: a label that misleads
In FDA’s terms, organic arsenic molecules contain carbon, inorganic ones do not, and the word has nothing to do with organically grown food. That difference matters most. The American Academy of Pediatrics describes inorganic arsenic as the toxic form and organic arsenic as relatively non-toxic. That is why AAP says a urine test has to be “speciated,” meaning split by form, before anyone reads the result. AAP also classifies arsenic as a carcinogen, with chronic exposure raising bladder, lung and skin cancer risk.
Most of the arsenic in rice is the harmful kind. A 2024 PMC review reports that more than 90% of the arsenic in rice grains in areas endemic for arsenic is in the inorganic form.
Why does rice take up more arsenic than wheat?
The short answer is flooding. FDA says rice runs higher than other cereal crops such as wheat and barley because it takes up arsenic from soil and water and is typically grown under flooded conditions. The chemistry works like this: in flooded paddies, As(V) is easily reduced to As(III), which is more mobile. The rice plant then efficiently transports As(III) to xylem sap, resulting in high levels in the grain. FDA’s Total Diet Study tracks the average American diet on an ongoing basis. It found that total arsenic tends to be higher in rice and rice products than in other foods.
There’s also a regulatory gap. EPA caps total arsenic in drinking water at 10 ppb, but no such limit exists for food or other beverages. A 2017 study cited in that review concluded that rice may account for as much inorganic arsenic exposure as drinking water in some U.S. populations.
Does it matter where rice is grown?
It does. A study of more than 204 rice samples sold in the U.S. found that rice from certain Southern states, which make up over 47% of the market, had the highest arsenic compared with rice imported from Asia or grown in California. For comparison, the European Union sets maximum inorganic arsenic levels for rice and rice products at 0.10–0.30 mg/kg under EU Regulation No. 2023/915.
Brown rice vs. white rice arsenic, head to head
The difference comes from the bran. Inorganic arsenic sits in the bran and germ, which milling removes to make white rice. A Consumer Reports analysis of FDA data on 656 rice products, cited in the PMC review, found brown rice had 80 percent more inorganic arsenic on average than white rice of the same type.
| Dimension | White rice | Brown rice |
|---|---|---|
| Avg. inorganic arsenic (FDA) | 92 ppb | 154 ppb |
| Avg. inorganic, infant dry cereal | 104 ppb | 119 ppb |
| Consumer Reports, same type | Baseline | 80% more inorganic |
| Total arsenic rank | White rice has the lowest total arsenic content among the products tested | Brown rice has the highest total arsenic content among the products tested |
| Cancer-risk cut from 100 ppb cap | 18.8% | 37% |
| Cereal progress toward 100 ppb | Greatest improvement | Improved, but less |
| Type 2 diabetes signal | Reference | 16% lower risk |
The diabetes figure needs a caveat. That study drew on a homogeneous population of European-descent health professionals. The same review says current research fails to provide solid evidence for the health benefits of consuming brown rice over white rice. Brown rice’s health reputation is stronger than the evidence behind it.
What FDA testing found in infant rice cereal
FDA set an action level of 100 µg/kg, or 100 ppb, in its Guidance for Industry on inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereals. It applies to all types of infant rice cereal, including white-rice, brown-rice, organically grown and conventionally grown. Manufacturers have improved over time. In 2018, 76% of samples were at or below 100 ppb, compared with 47% in 2014 and 36% in 2011–2013.
| FDA sampling | Infant rice cereal samples at or below 100 ppb (fda.gov) |
|---|---|
| 2011–2013 | 36% |
| 2014 | 47% |
| 2018 | 76% |
Infants are the focus for good reason. Toddlers eat as much as threefold more rice than adults relative to body weight. U.S. survey data put mean first-year intake of dry rice cereal at 4.8 g/d, versus 2.8 g/d for oatmeal. FDA notes that infants and children may be particularly susceptible to adverse neurodevelopmental effects.
Does cooking rice in extra water and draining it help?
AAP advises families to rinse rice before cooking and cook it in plenty of water, as you would pasta. None of the sources here gives a percentage for how much arsenic this removes, so treat it as a sensible habit, not a measured fix. AAP also recommends avoiding foods made with “rice syrup” when possible. Rice snacks can add up fast. In European data reviewed by the PMC paper, people eating one rice cake a day took in four times as much inorganic arsenic from that product alone as the total intake across all respondents.
Recommendation: match the grain to the eater
Infants: Use a mix of grains. AAP says iron-fortified rice cereal need not be the first grain; oat, barley and multigrain cereals are options, and FDA says other iron-fortified infant cereals including oat, barley, and multigrain can be a first or early infant cereal.
Young children: A 2024 study of rice products sold in Poland suggests infants up to one year of age should consume no more than 32.2 g of the studied products per week, and children under three years of age up to 68.7 g. Rotate grains.
Adults who eat rice daily: White rice is the lower-arsenic choice. The review’s adult ceiling is 243 g per week. If you prefer brown rice, cook it in plenty of water and eat other grains too. The evidence for its benefits doesn’t yet clearly outweigh the extra arsenic.
Pregnant women: FDA advises eating a variety of grains.
Households on wells: Get the water tested for arsenic.
Sources
- fda.gov – “[PDF] Inorganic Arsenic in Rice Cereals for Infants: Action Level - FDA”
- aap.org – “Arsenic Exposure” (2024)
- pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – “Arsenic in Rice and Rice-Based Products with Regard to Consumer Health” (2024)
- pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – “Arsenic in brown rice: do the benefits outweigh the risks?” (2023)
- fda.gov – “Supporting Document for Action Level for Inorganic Arsenic in Rice Cereals for Infants | FDA” (2025)
- fda.gov – “FDA Issues Final Guidance for Industry on Action Level for Inorganic Arsenic in Infant Rice Cereals | FDA” (2024)