Arsenic in Food and Dietary Supplements

What You Can Do to Limit Exposure to Arsenic

Arsenic may be present in foods because it is in the environment. The levels of arsenic that are naturally in soil, air, and water are generally low but can vary depending on the environmental makeup of local areas. The levels of arsenic in the environment can also be higher because of past use of arsenic-containing pesticides on food crops and limited current use of those pesticides on non-food crops, and pollution from mining, fracking, and coal-fired power plants.

Arsenic in the environment can be taken up by plants, including fruits, vegetables, and grains, as well as by animals. It is more common in certain foods and foods grown in geographical areas with higher levels of arsenic.

Arsenic is toxic to humans and can affect people of any age or health status. One form of arsenic, inorganic arsenic, is the most potentially harmful. The FDA monitors and regulates levels of arsenic in foods, including dietary supplements, and cosmetics. While it is not possible to prevent or remove arsenic entirely from foods, levels in food can be reduced. By law, food manufacturers have a responsibility to implement controls as needed to significantly minimize or prevent exposure to chemical hazards, including arsenic.

To determine if the level of arsenic in a food is a potential health concern, we consider the toxicity of arsenic and exposure based on the level of arsenic measured in the food and consumption by specific population groups (e.g., very young children). If the agency finds that the level of arsenic in a food causes the food to be unsafe, we take action, which may include working with the manufacturer to resolve the issue and taking steps to prevent the product from entering, or remaining in, the U.S. market.

The FDA’s goal is to limit consumer exposure to arsenic, with a focus on protecting the very young, through developing regulations, action levels, and advice to consumers. The agency considers the health effects of the ‘whole food’, which includes the potential harmful health effects of specific contaminants that may be present, as well as the food’s nutrients that are vital to growth and development for babies and small children and help promote health and prevent disease throughout our lifespan.

For more information about our specific activities to reduce exposure to arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium from foods consumed by babies and young children please visit the FDA’s Closer to Zero page.

Information for Consumers

The FDA’s goal is to limit consumer exposure to arsenic, with a focus on protecting the very young, through developing regulations, action levels, and advice to consumers. Consumers can help protect themselves and their children from arsenic exposure by:

Checking your well water,
Eating a varied and nutritious diet,
Learning about juice recommendations for children, and
Getting strategies for rice and infant rice cereal.

For example, because rice tends to absorb arsenic more readily than other crops, parents are advised to feed infants and toddlers a variety of grains as part of a well-balanced diet. Rice cereal fortified with iron is a good source of nutrients for babies, but it shouldn’t be the only source and does not need to be the first source. Other iron fortified infant cereals include oat, barley and multigrain. In addition to being nutritious, they are similarly effective as rice for infants with esophageal reflux tendencies.

Resources from the FDA

Resources from Other Federal Government Agencies

Health Effects

Arsenic is toxic to humans and can affect people of any age or health status. Current research indicates that inorganic arsenic is more dangerous and the associated health effects from exposure are more severe compared to organic arsenic. Organic arsenic compounds contain arsenic with carbon; and are not related to organic farming practices.

The long-term adverse health effects from consuming food contaminated with arsenic vary depending on the amount consumed, length of time of exposure, age, and other exposures happening at the same time—either to arsenic from other sources, other contaminants, or to beneficial nutrients.
Fetuses, infants, and children are particularly vulnerable to the potential harmful effects from arsenic exposure because of their smaller body sizes, metabolism, and rapid growth.
Exposure to high levels of arsenic during times of active brain development is associated with adverse neurological effects such as learning disabilities, behavior difficulties, and lowered IQ.
For adults, long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic has been associated with skin disorders and increased risks for skin, bladder, and lung cancers.
For people of all ages, short-term exposure to very high amounts of inorganic arsenic can result in nausea, vomiting, bruising, and numbness or burning sensations in the hands and feet.

Some scientific studies have shown that two forms of organic arsenic found in certain foods, dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), may be a health concern. The FDA is monitoring emerging research on possible health risks from these forms of organic arsenic and will continue to monitor both inorganic and organic forms of arsenic in foods.

According to the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common source of high levels of inorganic arsenic is contaminated drinking water. To reduce health risks associated with arsenic exposure from drinking water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has set the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of arsenic in public drinking water at 10 parts per billion (ppb), and the FDA adopted this level for bottled water as well. Because private well water is not routinely tested by government agencies, people who get their water from private wells are advised to test for arsenic (and other contaminants) and contact their state drinking water well program if a problem is suspected.

FDA Monitoring and Testing

The FDA monitors total arsenic levels (organic and inorganic) in food to enforce FDA regulations and inform agency guidance to industry and advice to consumers. Testing may be targeted to a specific category of food, such as foods commonly eaten by children under 2 years of age, or to a specific food or food group. Testing may also be conducted in response to reports of elevated arsenic levels in certain foods. Testing may occur at the FDA laboratories or at state laboratories as part of our cooperative agreement with states.

The FDA tests for total arsenic levels in foods. If needed, the FDA can further test samples to determine the levels of organic and inorganic arsenic species. The FDA tests for arsenic through:

the Total Diet Study;
the FDA’s Toxic Elements in Food and Foodware, and Radionuclides in Food compliance program; and
Other surveys, which may be conducted annually or in response to reports of elevated contaminant levels in certain products or to focus on a specific food or food group.

In addition, the FDA has been conducting research to optimize testing methods to measure increasingly smaller amounts of these environmental contaminants.

Scientific Articles and Reports

Articles and reports authored by FDA researchers.

Arsenic in Rice and Rice Products Sampling Results

The FDA monitors levels of arsenic in rice products because as rice plants grow, they absorb arsenic more readily than other food crops. Rice and rice products are also a highly consumed food worldwide. Therefore, because of the plant itself and its popularity, it is a leading food source of inorganic arsenic. The data in the tables below helped to inform FDA’s action levels for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal.

Arsenic in Apple Juice Sampling Results

The FDA has conducted routine surveillance for arsenic in apple juice for many years and found that apple juice generally has low levels of inorganic arsenic. If samples have more than 10 parts per billion total arsenic, the FDA’s draft level for inorganic arsenic in apple juice, the agency further analyzes the samples to determine if the amount of inorganic arsenic presents a health concern. Following the release of FDA’s draft guidance in 2013, the agency has continued to monitor arsenic in apple juice, as shown in the data tables below.

FDA Regulations, Guidance and Other Standards for Industry

The FDA has regulations requiring industry to meet certain safety guidelines. It is the legal responsibility of companies that produce and grow foods and manufacture products that are sold in the U.S. and intended for food use to comply with FDA regulations and with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, to ensure they are safe. The FDA issues guidance to industry to help them meet their legal responsibility.

Arsenic, if present in food, is a contaminant. There are no FDA authorized uses of arsenic as a color additive or food additive.

For some contaminants, the FDA has issued guidance to industry on action levels when a certain level of a contaminant is unavoidable. Guidance on action levels informs industry on the levels of contamination at or above which the FDA may regard certain foods as adulterated (i.e., that it violates the law). Action levels do not establish a permissible level of contamination. If the agency finds that the level of a contaminant may cause a food to be unsafe, we take action, which may include working with the manufacturer to resolve the issue and taking action to prevent the product from entering, or remaining in, the U.S. market.

Bottled Water Regulation

The FDA, through its regulatory authority under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, limits the level of arsenic (as well as other contaminants) in bottled water by establishing allowable levels in the quality standard for bottled water. For arsenic, this level is set to 10ppb, the same amount allowed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for public drinking water.

Infant Rice Cereal Action Level

The FDA issued guidance to industry to not exceed inorganic arsenic levels of 100 ppb in infant rice cereal. As part of its analysis to support this action level, the FDA conducted a risk assessment and determined that establishing an action level of 100 ppb could reduce the mean concentration of inorganic arsenic in brown-rice infant cereals from 119.0 ppb to 79.0 ppb and in white-rice infant cereals from 103.9 to 83.5 ppb.

For more on the FDA’s current guidance to industry on action levels for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal and related documents, please see:

Apple Juice Action Level

Apple juice is the most popular juice given to young children in the U.S. and is a source of exposure to inorganic arsenic. In 2013, the FDA provided a draft action level of 10 parts per billion (ppb) of inorganic arsenic in single-strength (ready to drink) apple juices.

Import Alerts and Enforcement

The FDA has issued Import Alerts for certain foods that may pose an increased risk for arsenic exposure. The FDA has issued import alerts that provide information about certain products that may be detained without physical examination based on their history of high arsenic levels.

To view recent Import Alerts for arsenic, please see:

Import Alert 99-42 on heavy metal (including arsenic) contamination in foods

International Scientific Activities

FDA experts participate in the international standard-setting body, Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex). The purpose of Codex is to protect the health of consumers and promote fair trade practices by adopting scientifically based standards, guidelines, and codes of practice across all areas of food safety and quality. Its work includes reviewing the scientific data concerning contaminant levels in foods. These international discussions can lead to recommendations for standards individual countries may adopt and codes of practice, such as the Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Arsenic Contamination in Rice, to prevent or reduce the presence of contaminants in food.

Rules and Guidance Documents

Code of Federal Regulations

21 CFR Part 165.110 - Bottled Water

Guidance for Industry by Date Issued

Title	Issued Date
Guidance for Industry: Action Level for Inorganic Arsenic in Rice Cereals for Infants	August 2020
Draft Guidance for Industry: Action Level for Arsenic in Apple Juice	July 2013
Guidance for Industry: Bottled Water and Arsenic; Small Entity Compliance Guide	April 2009
Guidance for Industry: Action Levels for Poisonous or Deleterious Substances in Human Food and Animal Feed	August 2000
Chemical Contaminants, Metals, Natural Toxins & Pesticides Guidance Documents & Regulations