Be Cautious: Why It's Better Not to Give Children Rice Cakes? The Study That Will Surprise You!

Various rice products, including rice cakes, have long since conquered global food chains, but a new study has found exorbitant levels of carcinogenic substances in them. The study, conducted by the Swedish National Food Agency, examined about 102 industrial rice products. According to local media reports, all the companies tested used elevated levels of arsenic—a semi-metallic element that becomes solid at room temperature.

Here are some interesting facts about arsenic that you may not know:

1. Arsenic is used as a preservative in industries such as treated wood, pesticides, leather, glass products, and more.

2. In Israel, the use of arsenic in the aforementioned industries is prohibited, and there is even a ban on importing wood containing arsenic.

3. In the past, organic arsenic was used as a growth promoter in poultry, but this practice was stopped in 2007 when its long-term implications became clear.

4. When arsenic is present in very low values in the air, it has no adverse effect on our health.

5. Arsenic is also found in our drinking water, but the new water regulations set the allowable amount at 0.05 milligrams per liter.

6. Additional studies on various foods have found arsenic in rice, breakfast cereals, other rice products, mushrooms, and... chicken.

7. Inorganic arsenic is found to be most lethal to humans since it is carcinogenic, as determined by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the American Environmental Protection Agency.

8. Prolonged exposure to arsenic can develop different types of skin, liver, and lung cancers, and chronic exposure to low concentrations of inorganic arsenic (such as from drinking water) can cause rashes and skin sores.

9. The arsenic concentration in rice varies based on growing areas, cultivation methods, and preparation methods. Studies have found that whole grains often contain more arsenic than grains made from regular rice.

10. If you know of wooden furniture in your home or yard that is marked as treated with CCA, a preservative against decay and insects that contains arsenic, you can coat it with a sealing material to reduce arsenic emissions to your environment.

Following the research, the U.S. Food Safety Organization recommends that parents not give their children rice cakes, rice porridge, rice noodles, or puffed rice cereals. "We already knew that rice contains arsenic, but what we know now is that some market products contain relatively high levels of this substance," said Helldin Ankerberg, one of the research leaders.

"It can be allowed once a week, but no more than that for children, and adults who are known to be heavy rice consumers and eat it more than seven times a week should also reconsider their diet and reduce some of the products they consume."