Taking an important first step toward reducing Americans' unnecessary exposure to arsenic in foods, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is proposing an "action level" of 10 parts per billion for inorganic arsenic in apple juice, which is the same level set for arsenic in drinking water in the U.S.
In November 2011, Consumer Reports released its study of arsenic and lead in apple and grape juice. Based on those findings, Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, called on the FDA to set arsenic standards for juice and urged parents to moderate children's juice consumption.
The FDA's proposed 10 ppb guidance "offers an important enforcement and accountability tool for regulators and a key benchmark for apple juice manufacturers," said Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., director of Consumer Safety and Sustainability at Consumer Reports, in a release.