CODEOFPRACTICEFORTHEPREVENTIONANDREDUCTIONOFARSENICCONTAMINATIONINRICECAC/RCP77-2017Adoptedin2017.CAC/RCP77-201721.INTRODUCTION1.1Arsenicisatoxicmetalloidthatmaybefoundinvariousfoods,includingrice.Soilinricepaddyfieldscancontainnaturallyoccurringarsenicandalsocanbepollutedbyirrigationwater,rainandairthatarecontaminatedwitharsenicfromanthropogenicsourcessuchasminingandsmeltingandmaterialsforagriculturalandlivestockproduction.Riceplantsabsorbarsenicfromsoil,especiallywhensoilisinreducingconditions,andaccumulateitingrainandstraw.Ricemaycontaininorganicarsenic(arseniteandarsenate)andorganicarsenic(monomethylarsonicacidanddimethylarsinicacid).1.2TheeffectivenessofmeasuresintheCodeofPracticecanvarydependingonlocalenvironmentalconditions(e.g.soilproperties,managementregimesand,temperature).Fieldstudiesshouldbeconductedtoidentifymeasuresthatarefeasibleandeffectiveforlocalorregionalconditions.Ifpossible,thefieldstudiesshouldbeconductedacrosscropyearsbecausearsenicuptakeinricecropsishighlyvariablefromyeartoyear.Implementationofmeasuresthatunnecessarilyrestrictsupplyofricetothemarketshouldbeavoided.2.SCOPE2.1TheCodeintendstoprovidenationalorrelevantfoodcontrolauthorities,producers,manufacturersandotherrelevantbodieswithguidancetopreventandreducearseniccontaminationinriceasfollows:(i)Sourcedirectedmeasures;and(ii)Agriculturalmeasures2.2TheCodealsoincludesguidanceonmonitoringandriskcommunication.3.DEFINITIONS3.1Paddyrice(ricegrain)isrice(speciesOryzasativaL.)whichhasretaineditshuskafterthreshing(GC06491).3.2Huskedrice(brownriceorcargorice)ispaddyricefromwhichthehuskonlyhasbeenremoved.Theprocessofhuskingandhandlingmayresultinsomelossofbran(CM06491).3.3Polishedrice(milledriceorwhiterice)ishuskedricefromwhichallorpartofthebranandgermhavebeenremovedbymilling(CM12051).3.4Arsenicisametalloidandisfoundintheenvironmentbothfromnaturaloccurrenceandfromanthropogenicactivity.Note:Inthispaper,theterm“arsenic”referstoinorganicandorganicarsenic.3.5Organicarsenicisanarseniccompoundthatcontainscarbon,includingmonomethylarsonicacidanddimethylarsinicacid.3.6Inorganicarsenicisanarseniccompoundthatdoesnotcontaincarbon.Arsenite(As(III))andArsenate(As(V))aretheinorganicarseniccompoundstypicallyfoundinrice.Inorganicarsenicisconsideredthesignificanttoxicformofarsenicinrice.3.7Floodedconditionisaconditioninwhichapaddyfieldisfilledorcoveredwithwaterduringgrowth.3.8Aerobicconditionofsoilisaconditioninwhichapaddyfield,wherericeisgrown,iswelldrained,non-floodedorunsaturated.3.9Intermittentpondingmeansavarietyofpossiblewatermanagementpracticesinwhichapaddyfieldisalternatelyinfloodedandaerobic/non-floodedcondition.4.MEASURESTOPREVENTANDREDUCEARSENICCONTAMINATION4.1Inorganicarsenicisthemosttoxicformofarsenicinrice.Measurestoreducearseniclevels(e.g.aerobicgrowth)mayaffectinorganicandorganicarsenicdifferently.Themostimportantgoalistoreduceinorganicarseniclevelsinrice.4.2Measurestopreventandreducearseniccontaminationinricearerecommendedparticularlyonhighlycontaminatedareas.NationalorrelevantfoodcontrolauthoritiesmayconsiderimplementingthemeasuresinSection4.3asapriority.ThemeasuresinSection4.4maybeimplementedifnecessary.1ClassificationofFoodandFeed(CAC/MISC4-1989)CAC/RCP77-201734.3SourceDirectedMeasures4.3.1Sourcesofarsenicintheenvironmentare:1)naturalsources,includingvolcanicaction,elutionfromsoilorsedimentsuchasHolocenesediments,geogenicweatheringandlowtemperaturevolatilization;and2)anthropogenicsources,includingemissionfromindustries,especiallyfromminingandsmeltingofnon-ferrousmetals;burningoffossilfuels;useofarsenicpesticides;anddisposaloftimbertreatedwithcopperchromearsenate(CCA).Inthepaddyenvironment,useofsoilamendmentsandfertilizerscontaminatedwithsignificantconcentrationofarsenicarealsosourcesofarsenic2.4.3.2NationalorrelevantfoodcontrolauthoritiesshouldconsiderimplementationofsourcedirectedmeasuresintheCodeofPracticeconcerningSourceDirectedMeasurestoReduceContaminationofFoodwithChemicals(CAC/RCP49-2001).Inparticular,authoritiescanconsiderwhethermeasuresinthefollowingareasareappropriatefortheircountries:Irrigationwater:Identificationofirrigationwaterwithhigharsenicconcentration.Reductionofarsenicfromirrigationwaterwithhigharsenicconcentration.Avoidanceofuseofirrigationwaterwithhigharsenicconcentrationforriceproduction.Paddyfield:Identificationofpaddyfieldsinwhicharsenicconcentrationinsoilishighand/orwherericewithahighconcentrationofinorganicarsenicisproduced.Identificationandcontrolofpotentialsourcesofarsenic:Atmosphericemissionsandwastewaterfromindustries.Materialsusedinagriculturalandlivestockproductionsuchaspesticides,veterinarymedicines,feed,soilamendmentsandfertilizers.Waste(suchastimbertreatedwithcopperchromearsenate).4.4AgriculturalMeasures4.4.1Nationalorrelevantfoodcontrolauthoritiesshouldeducatericeproducersaboutpracticestopreventandreducearsenicconcentrationinrice.Educationprogrammesmayinclude:Publishinganddisseminatingtechnicalguidanceonricecultivationtechniquestoreducearsenicinrice.Establishingfarmerfieldschools.4.4.2Aerobic