Southwest Montana News

The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) has announced a voluntary recall of rice cereal for infants and babies, following an alert from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recall concerns Parent’s Choice Rice Baby Cereal distributed through Walmart stores nationwide and online. This action was prompted by FDA routine sampling, which found that samples from three production lots contained inorganic arsenic levels exceeding guidance.

These products were sold after April 5, 2021. DPHHS advises Montanans to check their cupboards for these cereals and discard them if found. "Our message to Montanans is to take time to check if this product is in their possession, and if so, discard it," stated DPHHS Director Adam Meier.

The FDA and Maple Island Inc. initially announced the recall on October 8, 2021. Walmart has since removed the affected products from shelves and blocked further sales both in-store and online. No illnesses have been reported, and no other Parent’s Choice products are affected by this recall. Maple Island Inc., despite compliance with FDA guidelines during testing, initiated the recall as a precautionary measure.

DPHHS State Toxicologist Dawn Nelson explained that arsenic is naturally occurring in the environment, absorbed by rice plants more than other crops. She emphasized the risk of overexposure for infants consuming primarily rice cereal due to its link with neurodevelopmental effects in early childhood. "This is why the FDA prioritizes monitoring and regulating products that are more likely to be consumed by very young children," Nelson noted.

The FDA's guidance aims to reduce average arsenic concentrations in rice products by 20-30%, which they consider protective of public health. Nelson advised parents to offer cereals made from various grains alongside rice to minimize dietary arsenic exposure. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports these guidelines and provides additional advice for parents.