Infant Rice Cereal and Arsenic: Is Oat or Multigrain Cereal Better?

The short answer

Infant rice cereal can contain inorganic arsenic because rice absorbs more arsenic than other crops [3][4]. FDA's action level for infant rice cereal is 100 ppb, and 76% of samples FDA tested in 2018 met it [1]. FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) say rice cereal does not need to be the first or only cereal; iron-fortified oat, barley, and multigrain cereals are good options [3][4].

This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your pediatrician which first foods suit your baby.

Why does infant rice cereal contain arsenic?

Rice takes up arsenic from the soil and water it grows in more readily than other crops [3][4]. Arsenic enters food from the environment, including soils that are naturally high in arsenic or were treated with arsenic-containing pesticides in the past [5].

Inorganic arsenic is the more harmful form [5]. FDA says exposure during active brain development is associated with learning disabilities, behavior difficulties, and lowered IQ, and that infants are more vulnerable because of their smaller bodies and rapid growth [5]. Babies also eat more food relative to their body weight than adults do, and their diets are less varied [6].

What is FDA's arsenic limit for infant rice cereal?

FDA's action level is 100 micrograms per kilogram, or 100 parts per billion (ppb), of inorganic arsenic [1][2]. It was finalized in August 2020 and applies to all infant rice cereals: white rice, brown rice, organic, and conventional [2][5].

An action level is guidance, not a binding legal limit [2]. FDA says it may consider a product adulterated above that level and will use it, along with other factors, when deciding whether to take enforcement action [2]. Dry infant cereals also have a separate FDA lead action level of 20 ppb [7]; we compare FDA's lead and cadmium numbers in lead vs cadmium action levels.

Have arsenic levels in rice cereal come down?

Yes, according to FDA testing. The share of samples at or below 100 ppb rose over the decade before the guidance was finalized [1]:

FDA sampling period	Infant rice cereal samples at or below 100 ppb inorganic arsenic
2011-2013	36%
2014	47%
2018	76%

Source: FDA [1]. FDA credits manufacturers' selective sourcing and testing of rice and rice flour, and says the improvement was greatest for white rice cereals, which tend to have lower inorganic arsenic overall [1].

That still means roughly one in four 2018 samples was above the level [1], which is one reason to vary grains rather than rely on rice alone. FDA's wider plan to lower these levels is covered in our Closer to Zero roadmap.

Is oat or multigrain cereal lower in arsenic?

Generally yes, because they are not made from rice. FDA lists oat, barley, and multigrain as other iron-fortified infant cereals and says they are similarly effective as rice for infants with reflux tendencies [3]. The AAP suggests multigrain infant cereals and grains such as oat, barley, couscous, quinoa, farro, and bulgur [4].

Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF) estimated that offering infant oatmeal cereal instead of infant rice cereal gives a 74% reduction in total heavy metals [8]. HBBF still puts iron-fortified oatmeal and multigrain cereals in its "limit or rotate" group, meaning serve a variety of non-rice grains rather than the same one every day [8].

Does organic, white, or brown rice cereal matter?

Organic does not solve arsenic. FDA's action level applies to organic and conventional rice cereals alike [2], and FDA notes that "organic arsenic" is a chemistry term unrelated to organic farming [5]. The AAP adds that organic foods often contain similar heavy metal levels as non-organic foods [4]; more in organic baby food and heavy metals.

Rice type matters more. The AAP says brown rice tends to have the highest arsenic levels, while white basmati and sushi rice tend to have lower levels [4]. FDA found white rice cereals improved the most against the 100 ppb level [1].

How should I choose and serve infant cereal?

Use variety and keep iron in the diet. Practical steps from FDA, the AAP, and HBBF [3][4][8]:

• Rotate grains. Alternate iron-fortified oat, barley, and multigrain cereals; rice cereal can be one option, not the only one [3][4].
• Skip rice drinks and syrups. The AAP advises avoiding rice milk and brown rice syrup, sometimes used as a sweetener in toddler foods [4].
• Cook family rice like pasta. FDA says 6 to 10 parts water to 1 part rice, then draining, can reduce inorganic arsenic by 40 to 60 percent, but also cuts added folate, iron, niacin, and thiamine in enriched rice by 50 to 70 percent [3].
• Do not rely on rinsing. FDA found rinsing rice has a minimal effect on arsenic and washes off added nutrients [3].
• Mix cereal with safe water. If you use well water, test it for arsenic; the federal drinking water standard is 10 ppb [3].
• Watch the snack aisle too. Rice cakes, crisped rice cereal, and rice puffs topped HBBF's most-contaminated list [8]; see our guide to arsenic in baby rice snacks.

FAQ

Should I stop using infant rice cereal?

FDA does not say to stop. It says rice cereal fortified with iron is a good source of nutrients but should not be the only source and does not need to be the first [3]. Ask your pediatrician if you are unsure.

Is oatmeal cereal arsenic-free?

No food is guaranteed metal-free. HBBF found heavy metals in most foods it tested, including non-rice grains, and advises rotating them [8]. Oat cereal was estimated much lower in total heavy metals than rice cereal [8].

Is rice cereal better for reflux?

FDA says oat, barley, and multigrain infant cereals are similarly effective as rice for infants with reflux tendencies [3]. Follow your pediatrician's advice on thickening feeds.

Does homemade rice cereal have less arsenic?

Not necessarily. Arsenic comes from the rice itself, and HBBF found metal levels depended on the food type rather than who made it; see homemade vs store-bought baby food [8].

Where can I find FDA's test data on rice cereal?

FDA publishes its analytical results for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal on its Arsenic in Food page [5].

References

1. U.S. FDA, FDA Issues Final Guidance for Industry on Action Level for Inorganic Arsenic in Infant Rice Cereals (2020).
2. U.S. FDA, Guidance for Industry: Inorganic Arsenic in Rice Cereals for Infants: Action Level (PDF).
3. U.S. FDA, What You Can Do to Limit Exposure to Arsenic.
4. American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org, Heavy Metals in Baby Food: Reducing Risk of Exposure (updated September 26, 2025).
5. U.S. FDA, Arsenic in Food.
6. Federal Register, Inorganic Arsenic in Rice Cereals for Infants: Action Level; Guidance for Industry; Availability (August 6, 2020).
7. U.S. FDA, Guidance for Industry: Action Levels for Lead in Processed Food Intended for Babies and Young Children.
8. Healthy Babies Bright Futures, Is Homemade Baby Food Better? Full report (2022, PDF).