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Every week, the spectrum of product recall extends to different articles in our daily lives. And today, it's rice's turn to get people talking. This rice, appreciated by many French people, is the subject of an urgent product recall after tests revealing arsenic contamination.
How did we get here, and what should we do? consumers concerned? Here is an overview of this health alert.
The dangers discussed in this product recall
Food safety controls are more important than ever, particularly on agricultural products. The 60 Million Consumers association recently drew attention to pesticide residues in rice sold in France. On the 40 references tested15 had pesticide residues.
Arsenic is a naturally occurring element in the environment, often in water and soil. At low doses, it does not represent any immediate danger, but when it exceeds the regulatory thresholds it can become problematic.
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In this specific case, the arsenic levelThe reading remains within regulatory limits, according to experts from Biosud, the Arles-based company which markets this rice. However, the potential health risk at high doses remains very real. And a product recall has been decided to protect consumers.
The recalled rice variety
Contamination is more marked in imported varieties, particularly non-organic basmati rice. However, this time it is the organic Camargue ricerenowned for its quality, which is in question.
According to Arthur Seuillerot, representative of Biosud, the contamination comes from the waters of the Rhôneused to irrigate rice fields. Rice, which grows “with its feet in the water” from May to September, acts as a filter and naturally absorbs elements from its environment, including arsenic.
Although the analyzes showed a very low level of arsenic, those responsible for Biosud are committed to carrying out additional tests. They are also exploring ways to reduce this contamination.
This product recall is all the more surprising as it concerns a rice from the Camarguea region with low intensity of pesticide use. However, analyzes published on October 31 revealed traces of arsenic in rice from Organic semi-complete round IGP Camargue.
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The reason for this contamination? The water used to water the Camargue rice fieldswhich can carry natural traces of arsenic.
Instructions for this product recall
For consumers who purchased this organic rice in bulk in Biocoop stores the recommendation is simple: do not consume it. This rice, marketed since July 25, was removed from the shelves on October 31, as soon as the results of the analyzes confirmed the presence of arsenic.
It will be necessary return the product to the storewhere you purchased it to get a full refund. However, this product recall only concerns a limited quantity.
According to Biosud: “This recall only concerns 4 tons of ricewhich is very little compared to everything we produce, Arthur Seuillerot still assures. And this is the first time in 40 years that we have faced a recall. » However, this situation serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance when it comes to food safety, even for high-quality products.
