Arsenic in Argentinean polished rice: Situation overview and regulatory framework

JUAN OTEIZA; PATRICIA BARRIL; CESAR QUINTEROS ; ROMINA BEFANI; A. FERNADEZ CIRELLI; NATALIA ECHEGARAY; CAROLINA MURAD; ARIEL BUERO

FOOD CONTROL

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2020 vol. 109 p. 1 - 5

0956-7135

The Codex Alimentarius has established a 200μg kg−1limit of iAs in polished rice grain, while the ArgentineFood Code, in accordance with the Mercado Común del Sur (Mercosur), has set an advisory level of 300μg kg−1of total As. This study aimed to map the content of arsenic species in polished rice grains of different varietiesand cultivation areas from Argentina. Mean concentrations of total, organic and inorganic As concentrations were303μg kg−1, 222μg kg−1 and 81μg kg−1, respectively. Almost 32% of the Argentinean polished rice samples hadtotal As ≥ 300μg kg−1. However, 4.7% of the samples had iAs ≥200μg kg−1; all of them with total As closed to1000μg kg−1. Samples with iAs ≥200μg kg−1 were obtained from the South of the province of Corrientes. Competent regulatory bodies should consider a reform of the maximum limits of As in polished rice.