Rice Milk Has Arsenic. Kids Are Most at Risk.

Every single rice-based beverage tested in a new study contained inorganic arsenic. And the people most at risk from it are the smallest ones drinking it.

Arsenic in Every Sample

A 2026 study in Foods tested 25 rice-based beverages from the Italian market. All of them had inorganic arsenic (iAs) as the dominant form of arsenic present. Inorganic arsenic is the more toxic kind, classified as a Group 1 carcinogen.

All samples fell within European legal limits. But legal doesn't mean harmless.

Young Children Face the Biggest Risk

When the researchers combined contamination data with actual consumption patterns, early childhood stood out. Regular rice milk drinkers in that age group had a small margin of exposure, meaning the gap between what they're consuming and what could cause harm is uncomfortably narrow.

Kids are smaller. They drink more relative to their body weight. And their developing bodies are more sensitive to toxins like arsenic.

Why Rice Absorbs More Arsenic

Rice plants pull arsenic from soil and water more efficiently than most other crops. That arsenic concentrates in the grain and carries over into rice milk, rice cereal, rice syrup, and other rice-based products.

What Parents Can Do

Rotate your milk alternatives. Oat, hemp, and coconut milks don't carry the same arsenic load. If your child drinks rice milk regularly, consider switching. And look into non-toxic kitchen alternatives for safer food prep and storage.

Also see glass food containers for safer alternatives.

Source: D'Amato et al. (2026). Foods.