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Curbing toxic metals in baby food

University of Delaware researchers hope new rice and spinach studies inform food policy

Sep 5, 2024

1 min

Angelia L. Seyfferth
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Rice is a staple food for babies and young children. But heavy metals and metalloids such as cadmium and arsenic found in rice could hinder their brain development.


University of Delaware researchers grew rice on 18 small fields, exposing the rice paddies to different flooding and wet conditions. Once they harvested the grain, they analyzed how much arsenic and cadmium — two toxic elements — remained in it. They found flooded rice fields tend to have higher amounts of arsenic and lower amounts of cadmium while drier rice fields have lower amounts of arsenic and higher amounts of cadmium. Angelia Seyfferth, a UD soil biogeochemist and professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, says the findings present a bit of a puzzle.


“There’s a challenge,” Seyfferth said. “It basically resides in what is this magic number or magic water status in the soil to try to minimize both of them. There really isn’t one that is universal across all soils.”


The findings could help shape policy as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration could release new regulations for arsenic and cadmium in infant food by the end of the year, part of its Closer to Zero Action Plan to reduce infants’ and children’s exposure to contaminants in food.


To contact Seyfferth to learn more about this research, visit her ExpertFile profile or click the contact button.


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Angelia L. Seyfferth

Angelia L. Seyfferth

Professor, Soil Biogeochemistry and Plant-Soil Interactions

Prof. Seyfferth focuses on soil biogeochemical processes that dictate contaminant and nutrient cycling and uptake by plants.

Chemical SciencesSoil ScienceSoil Biogeochemical ProcessesPlant ScienceEcosystems

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