About
Rice is the edible seed of the cereal grass Oryza sativa, cultivated across Asia and consumed worldwide as a primary dietary staple providing carbohydrates, protein, B-vitamins, and minerals. It is used as a whole grain, milled flour, starch, bran extract, and processed ingredient across a broad range of food products including infant cereals, baked goods, and beverages.
Safety summary
Rice is broadly safe for the general population and is not restricted as a food additive in any major jurisdiction. However, rice accumulates inorganic arsenic from soil and water more readily than other cereal crops due to flooded cultivation conditions, making it a major dietary source of inorganic arsenic. Infants, young children, and pregnant women face heightened risk from this contamination, which has been linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, increased cancer risk, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes with long-term exposure. No traditional Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) is established for rice itself; however, the FDA has set an action level of 100 µg/kg (100 ppb) for inorganic arsenic specifically in infant rice cereals, and EFSA has concluded that dietary exposure to inorganic arsenic should be reduced.
Regulatory landscape
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Rice is approved for consumption in the EU. EFSA concluded that dietary exposure to inorganic arsenic should be reduced; rice and grain-based products have been identified by EFSA as the primary contributors to inorganic arsenic exposure for both adults and infants, prompting EU-level contaminant monitoring and reduction efforts. No EU-specific maximum limit for arsenic in standard milled rice has been retrieved from direct EFSA sources within available search results.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Rice is regulated under FSSAI Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, Chapter 2.4 (Cereals and Cereal Products), with standards for moisture content, broken grains, insecticide residues, and microbiological limits. Separate gazette notification (August 2020, effective July 2021) formalised quality and safety standards for rice varieties including brown and milled rice. FSSAI also mandates optional fortification of rice with iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 under Fortification Regulations (2016). Basmati rice has its own dedicated identity and quality standards (effective August 2023).source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved | Rice is approved as a food with no imposed consumption limits for the general population. FDA has established a specific action level of 100 µg/kg (100 ppb) for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereals to reduce infants' dietary exposure. FDA conducts ongoing monitoring and risk assessments for arsenic in rice and rice products and advises pregnant women and infants to consume a variety of grains. |
Who should approach with care
Research citations
- 1FDA. FDA Issues Final Guidance for Industry on Action Level for Inorganic Arsenic in Infant Rice Cereals. fda.gov
- 2PubMed. Arsenic in Rice and Rice-Based Products with Regard to Consumer Health, 2024. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3PubMed. Arsenic in brown rice: do the benefits outweigh the risks?, 2023. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 4FDA. Supporting Document for Action Level for Inorganic Arsenic in Rice Cereals for Infants, 2020. fda.gov
- 5FDA. Arsenic in Rice and Rice Products Risk Assessment, 2016. fda.gov
- 6FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 – Chapter 2.4: Cereals and Cereal Products, 2011.