Taiwan rice found to exceed inorganic arsenic limits in Hong Kong, traders cry foul, Agriculture and Food Agency says safe with no concern
The Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre released a survey the day before yesterday (the 27th) stating that among 45 samples of imported organic and regular rice sold in Hong Kong, 13 samples exceeded the limit standard of the "US and EU standard set for rice used as raw material for infant and young child food" (100 micrograms per kg, i.e. 0.1ppm). Three of the rice varieties came from Taiwan, namely "Duck-Field Rice Organic White Rice" at 140 micrograms per kg (0.14ppm); Stone Mill Workshop "Taiwan Organic Pearl Rice" at 160 micrograms per kg (0.16ppm); and Chishang Rice Organic Ecological Rice tested at 110 micrograms of inorganic arsenic (0.11ppm). The Hong Kong Economic Times also ran a large sensational headline: "3 white rice varieties contain cancer-causing arsenic, children eating 3 bowls a day exceed the limit and affect intelligence."
Shanshui Rice general manager Ye Shuhui stated that Duck-Field Rice Organic Rice complies with US and EU white rice standards (200 micrograms per kg, 0.2ppm), and that the EU standard of 100 micrograms per kg cited by the Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre is a standard targeting "rice as raw material for infants and young children," not the "15 kg children" referred to in the survey. Ye Shuhui said the survey not only harms the reputation of organic Duck-Field Rice but also damages Taiwan's entire rice industry, and that they will file an objection with the centre.
The Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre told an Upstream/Downstream reporter, "The research results show that all edible rice samples sold in Hong Kong did not exceed the standards of Hong Kong, China, the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the EU and Australia in heavy metal content. However, among the 45 samples, 26 rice samples were found to have elevated inorganic arsenic content, and 14 samples exceeded 0.1 mg/kg." Further explanations will be provided tomorrow. (To read the original press release issued by the Organic Resource Centre, please click here)
