Health, UK (Commonwealth Union) – A recent study conducted by the University of Sheffield has revealed the grave health risks associated with the use of water contaminated with elevated levels of arsenic. The research, carried out by scholars from the Institute for Sustainable Food at the university, indicates that countries failing to adhere to the current arsenic limits recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) are jeopardizing approximately 32% of the global population, particularly those in low and middle-income nations, with serious health implications.
Despite the outdated WHO guideline of 50 µg L-1 (parts per billion) for inorganic arsenic in water, established in 1963, being still employed by numerous countries worldwide, including prominent Asian nations like China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Nepal, where rice serves as a staple food, the repercussions are severe. Prolonged exposure to arsenic through drinking water, food preparation, or crop irrigation can lead to a spectrum of health issues affecting various bodily organs, including cancer, diabetes, and pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases.
In a pioneering study, researchers investigated the impact of different cooking methods on the absorption of arsenic into commonly consumed rice varieties when using arsenic-contaminated water. It was observed that white and parboiled rice, prevalent in both Western and Asian diets, accumulate more arsenic than brown rice when cooked with water containing arsenic. However, cooking these rice types with arsenic-safe water effectively eliminates arsenic from the equation.
Dr. Manoj Menon, who spearheaded the research from the University of Sheffield’s Institute for Sustainable Food and the Department of Geography, pointed out that the importance of regulations regarding arsenic levels in both rice and drinking water. While such regulations are relatively stringent in the UK, many regions, particularly in Asia and Africa, lack adequate regulation adhering to WHO standards. Alarmingly, approximately 40 countries permit arsenic levels exceeding 10 parts per billion in drinking water, with 19 nations having no regulatory framework whatsoever.
“Rice is one of the major cereal crops in the world, contributing to the dietary energy and nutrition of more than half of the world’s population. We already know that rice has more arsenic than other cereals, and the risk is exacerbated if we cook rice with arsenic-contaminated water above the WHO recommended limit.
“That is why it is vitally important that countries worldwide work to adopt the latest WHO recommendations to ensure arsenic exposure is minimised as much as possible to protect the public.”
The investigation examined different concentrations of inorganic arsenic in cooking water, including levels of 10 and 50 µg L-1, alongside arsenic-safe tap water from the UK (containing less than 0.2 parts per billion) as a control used for measuring purposes.
Dr. Menon, pointed out that India, with its significant population affected by arsenic contamination, established a standard of 10 parts per billion, serving as a model for other nations yet to enact similar measures.
He further indicated that in regions where rice is a dietary staple, such as many parts of Asia, consumption rates are higher, correlating with elevated health risks. While individuals in the UK may only consume around 5kg of rice annually, global average consumption stands at 57kg and spikes even higher to 85kg across Asia.
“In this study, we evaluated the exposure risks to the Bangladesh population–the highest per capita rice consumers in the world at approximately 170 kg per person, and found that nearly all age groups are at significant risk. Policymakers in those countries with high rice consumption rates urgently need to develop measures to supply arsenic-safe water for domestic use.”
Research conducted on prior occasions by the team revealed the significance of cooking methods in reducing arsenic levels in rice. Certain techniques were found capable of eliminating over half of the naturally occurring arsenic present in rice grains. In this study, white and brown rice were subjected to two commonly used cooking methods: excess water (EW) and parboiled and absorbed (PBA).
The latest findings suggest that in the absence of access to arsenic-safe water, the most effective cooking method for rice is utilizing the EW technique, wherein excess water is drained off upon completion, akin to cooking pasta or noodles, to mitigate risks.
Dr. Menon emphasized the importance of access to clean water and sanitation, aligning with one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals for good health and wellbeing. Achieving this was not possible as it necessitates the implementation of regulations in countries lacking limits or water testing protocols.
