FDA examines level of arsenic in apple juice

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is considering tightening restrictions for the levels of arsenic allowed in apple juice after consumer groups pushed the agency to crack down on the contaminant.

Studies show that apple juice has generally low levels of arsenic, and the government says it is safe to drink. But consumer advocates say the FDA is allowing too much of the chemical — which is sometimes natural, sometimes man made — into apple juices favored by thirsty kids.

There is little consensus on whether these low levels could eventually be harmful, especially to children. Michael Taylor, FDA's deputy commissioner for foods, said Wednesday the agency has already stepped up testing and research on arsenic in apple and other juices and is seriously considering lowering the FDA's so-called "level of concern" for the contaminant.

"We continue to think that apple juice is generally safe based on the fact that the vast majority of samples are very low," Taylor said. "But we want to minimize these exposures as much as we possibly can."

Arsenic is naturally present in water, air, food and soil in the two forms — organic and inorganic. According to the FDA, organic arsenic passes through the body quickly and is essentially harmless. Inorganic arsenic — the type found in pesticides — can be toxic and may pose a cancer risk if consumed at high levels or over a long period.

The FDA uses 23 parts per billion as a guide to judge whether apple juice is contaminated. The agency has the authority to seize apple juice that exceeds those levels, though it has never done so.

Consumer groups say the FDA's level is too high and isn't enforced with enough urgency. Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, released a study on Wednesday calling for the levels to be as low as 3 parts per billion. The Environmental Protection Agency has set levels for drinking water — it's consumed at much greater quantities than apple juice — at 10 parts per billion.

The Consumer Reports study showed that nine of 88 samples of apple juice taken from grocery stores had more arsenic than the EPA's standard for drinking water. But none of the samples exceeded the FDA's standards for inorganic, or man-made, arsenic.

Urvashi Rangan of the Consumers Union says the group has been in talks with the FDA on the issue and is encouraged by the discussion. Another advocacy group, Food and Water Watch, has lobbied the agency on the issue, and Dr. Mehmet Oz has highlighted the issue on his nationally syndicated daytime show.

"We look at apple and grape juice as a poster child for arsenic in the food supply in general," Rangan said. "Chronic low-level exposure of carcinogen is something we should be concerned about."

Molly Kile, a professor at Oregon State University who has studied arsenic for a decade, says more research is needed to determine whether arsenic levels in juice are a problem.

"It is unclear at this point whether or not the arsenic found in apple juice is safe or unsafe," she said. "And really the question is what do these low levels exposure of arsenic mean in terms of health and children's health?"

So what is the parent of a juice-drinking toddler to do?

All of the experts — including the government and the consumer advocates — agree that drinking small amounts of apple juice isn't harmful. The concern is over the effects of drinking large amounts of juice over long periods of time. Parents with a real concern about arsenic should try to diversify the brands of juice they buy in case one brand tends to have more chemical exposure, Consumers Union says.

Another point of agreement is that children under 6 shouldn't be drinking much juice anyway because it's high in calories. Health experts say children under 6 shouldn't drink any more than 6 ounces of juice a day — about the size of a juice box. Infants under 6 months shouldn't drink any juice at all.

Gail Charnley of the Juice Products Association says the industry regularly tests arsenic levels and will follow the FDA's lead.

"Of course parents have concerns but they should know that the juice producers are committed to safety," she said. "Producers have children who drink juice too."

Oz has said he would still serve juice to his own children, though he strongly believes the government isn't doing enough.

"The absolute safest level for arsenic in your food is zero," he said Wednesday while acknowledging "that is impossible to achieve."

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Find Mary Clare Jalonick on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mcjalonick

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Tempest In A Lunch Box: Arsenic Traces In Apple Juice

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Fears over arsenic in apple juice are overblown, experts say.

iStockphoto.com Fears over arsenic in apple juice are overblown, experts say.

A lot of parents might be worried about what's in their kids' sippy cups if they caught a recent report by TV talk show host Dr. Mehmet Oz about high levels of arsenic in popular brands of apple juice.

But the Food and Drug Administration and medical experts are attacking Oz's report, saying it's inaccurate and needlessly panics parents.

In fact, Dr. Richard Besser, former acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tackled Oz head-on this morning on Good Morning America. Besser, a med school classmate of Oz's, called the report "extremely irresponsible" and compared it to yelling fire in a crowded theater. (Hear their testy exchange here.)

 

Oz found arsenic levels as high as 36 parts per billion (ppb) in some Gerber brand apple juice, and some lower levels in other brands.

But the problem is that Oz's testing only looked at the total arsenic in the apple juice products. The assays didn't distinguish between organic arsenic, which is found in nature and passes through the body quickly, and inorganic arsenic, which can be toxic in large doses and over long periods of time.

"How can you tell people this is harmful without even doing those [separate] tests? No good scientist would ever do that kind of work," Besser fumed at Oz.

Meanwhile, the FDA conducted its own tests, and found significantly lower levels of total arsenic in the same juice. "Moreover, the vast majority of apple juice samples tested by the FDA over that past 20 years show that apple juice typically contains less than 10 ppb total arsenic," the FDA says in a letter to the show. (10 ppbs is the amount the Environmental Protection Agency says is OK in tap water.)

Oz said on GMA that he stands by the test results, and denied he was scaring parents. "I would not take apple juice out of my kids containers right now," Oz, the father of four, said. But it's "misleading to claim that all of the organic arsenic is safe," he said, and he hopes his report will "start a conversation."

So is there reason to worry about arsenic in apple juice?

While Dr. Oz is not the only one whose testing has turned up high levels of arsenic in apple juice, the FDA maintains that it's monitoring apple juice levels and that the drink is safe to consume.

The U.S. banned inorganic arsenic in pesticides in the late 1980s, although some remains in the soil, scientists say. But since most apple juice concentrate now comes from China, where pesticide standards are decidedly less stringent, people are worried about arsenic and other chemicals.

So why isn't there a "safe" level of arsenic in apple juice to protect consumers from long-term exposure?

The FDA says harmful inorganic arsenic is the form regulated in drinking water, whereas organic arsenic is the form mostly found in food, including apple juice.

That's not to say that the FDA takes arsenic lightly. It recently ordered a chicken drug containing arsenic off the market.

Consumer Reports has warned consumers about about high levels of arsenic and other heavy metals found in protein drinks.

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HEALTH MANAGEMEN. Storm in a lunch box: arsenic tracks in Apple juice

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Fears about arsenic in Apple Juice are exaggerated, and experts say.
iStockphoto.com fears about arsenic in Apple Juice are exaggerated, and experts say.
Be many parents might be worried about what in their children's sippy cups is if they have a recent report by TV talk show host Dr. Mehmet Oz about high levels of arsenic in popular brands of Apple juice.
But the food and drug administration and medical experts access oz report say parents it is inaccurate and unnecessary panic.
In fact, Dr. Richard Besser, former Acting Director of the Centers for disease control and prevention, frontal solution potential oz this morning on good morning America. Better, a med school classmate of Oz, as the report "very irresponsible" and compared it to shouting fire in a crowded theater. (Listen their testy Exchange here.)
 
Oz found arsenic levels up to 36 parts per billion (ppb) in some Gerber brand Apple juice and some lower levels in other brands.
But the problem is that the entire arsenic in Apple Juice Products oz testing will only be considered. The samples do not distinguish between organic arsenic, which is found in nature, and goes through the body quickly, and inorganic arsenic, toxic, are periods in large doses and about long.
"How can you people say that this is harmful, without having to do this [own] tests?" Not a good scientist always this kind of work would do, "fumed better on oz."
In the meantime, the FDA led his own tests, and significantly lower total arsenic in juice. "Moreover, the vast majority of Apple Juice samples by the FDA over the past 20 years show that Apple Juice usually ppb overall contains less than 10 arsenic," the FDA says in a letter to the show. (the amount of environmental says protection agency is OK in tap water is 10 ppbs.)
Oz GMA said that he stands by the test results and denied that he scared parents was eingejagt. "I not Apple Juice now would take from my children container," said Oz, the father of four. But it "is misleading to claim that all organic arsenic is safe," he said, and he hopes his report "Starting a conversation."
So there is need to worry about arsenic in Apple juice?
Dr. oz has while not only their tests to high levels of arsenic in Apple Juice is, retains the FDA that it the monitor Apple Juice levels and that the drink safe to consume.
The United States inorganic arsenic in pesticides in the late 1980s banned, although some remains in the ground, say scientists. But since most now Apple juice concentrate from China, where the pesticide standards chosen are less strict, people are concerned about arsenic and other chemicals.
So why is no "safe" value of arsenic in Apple juice, consumer protection before the offer long term exposure there?
The FDA says that harmful inorganic arsenic form regulated in drinking water, organic arsenic form mainly in food, including Apple Juice is found.
This is not to say that the FDA needs easily arsenic. He ordered before recently a chicken medicine, the containing arsenic out of the market.
Consumer reports has warned consumers about arsenic and other heavy metals in protein drinks found.

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