RSS from Andrew Wadge (UK FSA)
31-08-2007, 07:08 AM
Andrew is in Scotland at the moment taking a couple of days leave so I'm blogging in his absence. I saw today's piece on BBC News online (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6968574.stm) about water quality in the developing world and the particular problem of arsenic in water and subsequently in rice.
Arsenic at high levels can cause cancer; the metal is present naturally in soil, and is thought to leach into groundwater. If wells are not dug deep enough then it can be a real problem.
We also take the issue of arsenic seriously in the UK and in October 2006 and May of this year published surveys (http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2007/may/metinf) looking at the levels of particular metals in infant foods and formula.
More... (http://www.fsascience.net/2007/08/30/rice_water_and_arsenic)
Arsenic at high levels can cause cancer; the metal is present naturally in soil, and is thought to leach into groundwater. If wells are not dug deep enough then it can be a real problem.
We also take the issue of arsenic seriously in the UK and in October 2006 and May of this year published surveys (http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2007/may/metinf) looking at the levels of particular metals in infant foods and formula.
More... (http://www.fsascience.net/2007/08/30/rice_water_and_arsenic)