Arsenic speciation in rice bran: Agronomic practices, postharvest fermentation, and human health risk assessment across the lifespan

Arsenic (As) exposure is a global public health concern affecting millions worldwide and stems from drinking water and foods containing As. Here, we assessed how agronomic practices and postharvest fermentation techniques influence As concentrations in rice bran, and calculated health risks from consumption. A global suite of 53 rice brans were tested for total As and speciation. Targeted quantification of inorganic As (iAs) concentrations in rice bran were used to calculate Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) and Lifetime Cancer Risk (LCR) across the lifespan. Mean iAs was highest in Thailand rice bran samples (0.619 mg kg−1) and lowest in Guatemala (0.017 mg kg−1) rice bran samples. When comparing monosodium-methanearsonate (MSMA) treated and the Native-soil counterpart under the irrigation technique Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) management, the MSMA treatment had significantly higher total As (p = 0.022), and iAs (p = 0.016). No significant differences in As concentrations were found between conventional and organic production, nor between fermented and non-fermented rice bran. Health risk assessment calculations for the highest iAs-rice bran dosage scenario for adults, children and infants exceeded THQ and LCR thresholds, and LCR was above threshold for median iAs-rice bran. This environmental exposure investigation into rice bran provides novel information with food safety guidance for an emerging global ingredient

Diversity in grain physico-chemical characteristics of West African rice, including NERICA genotypes, as compared to cultivars from the United States of America

Landraces from West Africa (WA), NERICA progenies derived from crosses between Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima, and improved O. sativa lines from Africa Rice Center were introduced to the Beaumont Rice Research Center in Texas, United States of America (USA) (29o57’ N and 94o30’ W) for in-situ evaluation and characterization. Milled samples of rice produced in Côte d’Ivoire (CI) (7.5o N - 8.5o N and 4.5o W and 5.5o W) were also introduced for chemical analysis. RVA profiles showed that Jaya has unusually strong paste viscosity features. Apparent Amylose content varied from 15% for Khao Dawk Mali 105 originally from Thailand, to 26% for CG 14, an O. glaberrima type. WAB 56-104, an improved O. sativa variety from Africa Rice Center, had the longest cooking time of 24 minutes. Jaya can be compared to Dixiebelle, a USA variety grown commercially under contract for the canning and processing industries. Total milling yield varied from 78% for Gnanle Gnan-Man, a landrace from WA, to 70% for the USA check Saber. Sierra, a USA check, had the highest value of 2-AP (1258 ng/g), followed by Bakue Danane and Cocote, both from CI. Comparing WA samples grown in CI with those grown in Texas, cooking and pasting parameters were not generally strongly affected by the environment. The variable most affected by environment was the setback which predicts the hardness of cooked rice. Diverse sources for grain quality traits were found in WA germplasm for use in the USA