This story was originally published byGrist.
Its a disaster … and a wake-up call.
Of these, the short-to-medium japonica and long-grain indica are thetwo major subspecies of cultivated riceeaten across Asia.
Farmers plant rice crops in Yuexi county in central China’s Anhui province© Feature China / Getty Images
More roots could make the rice more drought-resistant, and cheaper carbon can boost yields generally, he said.
But the extra arsenic accumulation could make it hard to realize health benefits from that yield boost.
Arsenic comes in many different forms.
So policy measures to mitigate the risk have been slow going.
No country has formally established regulations for organic arsenic exposure in foods.
Wang hopes to see this change.
But everyone should not suddenly stop eating rice as a result, he added.
The key variable is how much rice a person eats.
This article originally appeared inGristathttps://grist.org/food-and-agriculture/the-king-of-poisons-arsenic-is-building-up-in-rice/.
Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.
News from the future, delivered to your present.
