Detection of inorganic arsenic in rice using a field-deployable method with Cola extraction

Rice is a staple food and known to accumulate inorganic arsenic (iAs), which is a class 1 carcinogen to humans. Arsenic field-deployable method kits, designed for water testing, are able to screen iAs in rice, to assure food safety and quick decision-making without the need for laboratory analysis. For the arsenic extraction within the field method, nitric acid is used. To make the field method on-site safer, cost-effective and easier to handle, the method was adapted using a Cola in the extraction process. The adapted field-deployable method was tested by screening a total of 30 rice and rice products from the Austrian market. To verify the results obtained by the Cola extraction field-deployable method, the obtained iAs concentration was compared to HPLC-ICP-MS results. The Cola extraction field method obtained an LOD of 39 µg iAs kg −1 rice, and with an average reproducibility of 14% RSD, the method was capable of recording no false-negative but 7% false-positive values at the 2023 updated European Commission (EC) limits for rice. All, but one, screened rice samples were within the EU limits for iAs in rice and rice products.