The 'king of poisons' is building up in rice
a year ago
- #public health
- #food safety
- #climate change
- Rice cultivation in flooded paddies, a traditional method, is becoming dangerous due to climate change increasing arsenic levels in rice.
- Research indicates that by 2050, rice-heavy diets could lead to higher risks of cancer and disease due to increased inorganic arsenic.
- Higher temperatures and CO2 levels enhance root growth in rice plants, increasing arsenic uptake from the soil.
- Arsenic in rice is a confirmed carcinogen, linked to various cancers and health issues, with chronic exposure posing significant risks.
- Current regulations on arsenic in food are inconsistent and largely unenforced, with no global standards for organic arsenic exposure.
- Infants and young children are most at risk due to their lower body weight and higher exposure through rice cereals.
- Adaptation strategies include changing planting times, better soil management, and breeding rice varieties that accumulate less arsenic.
- Water-saving irrigation techniques can reduce health risks and methane emissions from rice production.