Rice cooking method recommended to reduce arsenic exposure

Food engineer Bülent Şık has highlighted methods to reduce arsenic exposure when cooking rice. Because rice is grown in water, it tends to absorb more arsenic from soil and water than other grains. The primary concern is inorganic arsenic, which is linked to various health issues, including certain types of cancer, with infants, children, and pregnant women being particularly vulnerable.

Research from the University of Sheffield suggests that the most effective domestic method to mitigate this risk is the ‘pre-boiling and draining’ technique. This involves boiling one part rice in four parts clean water for five minutes, draining the water entirely, and then cooking the rice again with fresh water. This process can reduce inorganic arsenic levels by an average of 73% in white rice and 54% in brown rice.

While washing rice or soaking it in warm water can provide limited benefits, they are less effective than the pre-boiling method. Additionally, this specific technique helps minimize nutrient loss compared to boiling rice in excessive water and draining it entirely.