The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency allows drinking water to contain no more than 10 parts per
billion of arsenic. The wine samples in this study ranged from 10 to 76
parts per billion, with an average of 24 parts per billion.
Credit: © BillionPhotos.com / Fotolia
A new University of Washington study
that tested 65 wines from America's top four wine-producing states --
California, Washington, New York and Oregon -- found all but one have
arsenic levels that exceed what's allowed in drinking water.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allows drinking water to
contain no more than 10 parts per billion of arsenic. The wine samples
ranged from 10 to 76 parts per billion, with an average of 24 parts per
billion.
But a companion study concluded that the likely health risks from
that naturally-occurring toxic element depend on how many other foods
and beverages known to be high in arsenic, such as apple juice, rice, or
cereal bars, an individual person eats. The highest risks from arsenic
exposure stem from certain types of infant formulas, the study
estimated.
The two studies from UW electrical engineering professor Denise Wilson appear on the cover of the October 2015 issue of the
Journal of Environmental Health.
"Unless you are a heavy drinker consuming wine with really high
concentrations of arsenic, of which there are only a few, there's little
health threat if that's the only source of arsenic in your diet," said
Wilson.
"But consumers need to look at their diets as a whole. If you are
eating a lot of contaminated rice, organic brown rice syrup, seafood,
wine, apple juice -- all those heavy contributors to arsenic poisoning
-- you should be concerned, especially pregnant women, kids and the
elderly."
Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that is toxic to humans in
some forms, and can cause skin, lung and bladder cancers, and other
diseases. As rain, rivers or wind erode rocks that contain arsenic, it
leaches into water and soil. From there, the toxic metalloid can work
its way into the food chain.
The UW study is the first peer-reviewed research in decades to look
at the arsenic content of American wines. As a group, they had higher
arsenic levels than their European counterparts, likely due to the
underlying geology of U.S. wine growing regions.
The study looked at red wines, except from two areas in Washington
where only white wines were produced, because they are made with the
skin of grapes where arsenic that is absorbed from soil tends to
concentrate.
Wilson also tested for lead, which is a common co-contaminant. The
study found lead in 58 percent of the samples, but only 5 percent -- all
from New York -- exceeded drinking water standards.
Washington wines had the highest arsenic concentrations, averaging 28
parts per billion, while Oregon's had the lowest, averaging 13 parts
per billion.
"There were no statistical differences among Washington, New York and
California," she said. "The only star in the story is Oregon, where
arsenic concentrations were particularly low."
Where possible, the study also compared wines grown in "new"
vineyards and those that had been converted from other agricultural uses
like orchards, where farmers likely used arsenic-based pesticides that
were popular in the early 20th century. It found some evidence that
higher levels of arsenic in Washington red wines could be a result of
pesticide residue.
Because the average adult drinks far more water (between 1.7 and 3.2
cups per day) than even core or frequent wine drinkers (roughly a half
cup per day on average), it's an imperfect comparison to gauge health
risks based on the EPA drinking water standard of 10 parts per billion.
That's why Wilson also evaluated how much arsenic individuals can safely
consume from all the sources in their diet.
In a companion study, she compiled consumption data for foods that
have been shown to contain arsenic -- juice, milk, bottled water, wine,
cereal bars, infant formula, rice, salmon and tuna.
From that, she was able to determine how much of an arsenic "dose" an
average child or adult would get from each food source and how close it
would come to risk thresholds set by the U.S. Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry for total arsenic consumption across a
person's diet.
For the core or frequent adult wine drinker, the arsenic consumed
from that single source would only make up 10 to 12 percent of the total
maximum recommended daily arsenic intake. But if that person also eats
large quantities of contaminated rice, tuna or energy bars, for
instance, that could push that individual's arsenic consumption beyond
levels that are considered safe.
A person who eats an average or large amount of contaminated rice
would get between 41 and 101 percent of the maximum recommended daily
dose of arsenic from that one source alone, the study found. A child who
drinks apple juice could get a quarter of the maximum daily arsenic
dose from that single source.
The food that posed the largest risk of arsenic poisoning was infant
formula made with organic brown rice syrup, an alternative to
high-fructose corn syrup. Wilson estimated that some infants eating
large amounts of certain formulas may be getting more than 10 times the
daily maximum dose of arsenic.
Based on recent studies that have found arsenic in numerous foods and
beverages, Wilson recommends that U.S. wineries test for arsenic and
lead in irrigation and processing water and take steps to remove those
contaminants if levels are found to be high.
But rather than litigate against vineyards -- as some have done --
she would encourage consumers to evaluate their diets more holistically
and speak with a doctor if they have concerns. Tests are available that
can detect high arsenic levels and tend to capture arsenic exposure over
longer histories than other toxic chemicals.
"The whole idea that you would sue a winery for having arsenic in
their wine is like suing someone for having rocks in their yard," Wilson
said. "My goal is to get people away from asking the question 'who do
we blame?' and instead offer consumers a better understanding of what
they're ingesting and how they can minimize health risks that emerge
from their diets."
More information on the published article can be found at:
http://www.neha.org/node/3232
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allows drinking water to contain no more than 10 parts per billion of arsenic. The wine samples in this study ranged from 10 to 76 parts per billion, with an average of 24 parts per billion.Credit: © BillionPhotos.com / FotoliaA new University of Washington study that tested 65 wines from America's top four wine-producing states -- California, Washington, New York and Oregon -- found all but one have arsenic levels that exceed what's allowed in drinking water.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allows drinking water to contain no more than 10 parts per billion of arsenic. The wine samples ranged from 10 to 76 parts per billion, with an average of 24 parts per billion.
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