Heavy Metals Found in Popular Rice Brands Across US Stores

A comprehensive study by Healthy Babies, Bright Futures found toxic heavy metals—including arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury—in 100% of 145 rice samples tested across the United States, with one in four samples exceeding FDA limits for arsenic in infant cereal. Brown rice, especially varieties grown in the Southeast U.S. or labeled as "grown in USA," showed the highest levels of these contaminants, while white rice from California and varieties like Thai jasmine and Indian basmati had comparatively lower levels. Long-term exposure to these metals poses serious health risks such as cancer, developmental harm including IQ loss, and accumulation in the body. The findings have prompted a class action lawsuit against Amazon, alleging it sold rice products with dangerous heavy metal levels without proper warnings, potentially violating consumer protection laws. The rice industry, represented by the USA Rice Federation, contests these claims, asserting that American-grown rice contains the lowest levels of inorganic arsenic worldwide and maintains a commitment to food safety. Additionally, financial markets reacted to the study, with stocks of agricultural companies experiencing declines and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum seeing gains amid a risk-off sentiment driven by food safety concerns.