Beech-Nut Nutrition is suspending production of a rice-based baby cereal because it can’t find supplies of rice flour free of arsenic, according to an FDA announcement.
The situation started when Alaska state inspectors found elevated levels of arsenic in Beech-Nut Stage 1 Single-Grain Rice Cereal. Beech-Nut issued a voluntary recall of one lot of the product and followed up by announcing that it is pulling the product from the market entirely.
Arsenic is a chronic problem in rice products, because rice is prone to absorb it from soil and, especially, irrigation water. Even if rice flour tests below the FDA threshold for arsenic of 100 parts per billion, products made with it are liable to exceed that limit.
“In addition to issuing the voluntary recall, Beech-Nut has also decided to exit the market for Beech-Nut branded Single Grain Rice Cereal,” the FDA said in a statement. “Beech-Nut is concerned about the ability to consistently obtain rice flour well-below the FDA guidance level and Beech-Nut specifications for naturally occurring inorganic arsenic.”
The baby food industry has faced criticism for years over the presence of arsenic and other heavy metals in their products. The situation has come to a head recently, with processors including Beech-Nut being sued, while laws are being proposed to set acceptable levels in baby food for lead, mercury and cadmium.
