New articles:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2817542/More-half-rice-products-exceed-new-EU-limits-ARSENIC.html
I see from the above article that the EU is just bringing in standards for arsenic in rice -- 100 ppb (parts per billion) for children's food, and 200 ppb for adult food. Italian brown rice is quite low in arsenic and meets the EU new standards (160 ppb). They don't really factor in how much rice a person eats though, which the consumer reports article tries to do. And some of the scientists think the new limits for children are still too high.
The European Food Safety Authority says that there is a 1% increase in cancer risk between 0.3 and 8 micrograms/kg body weight arsenic per day (benchmark dose lower confidence limit 1%). The WHO has standards for water that arsenic must be lower than 0.1 micrograms per liter (i.e. 100 ppb, parts per billion). Some jurisdictions in the US have limits of 0.05 micrograms per liter. The UK has limits of arsenic in food of 1 microgram/kg of body weight per day, but the article then notes that the limit was set in 1959 before they knew that arsenic was carcinogenic.
Several articles mention that there is higher risk to children. One report recommends not giving rice drinks to children less that 4.5 years old. Consumer reports has a "points" system whereby you have 7 points per week. Examples of point values are Lundberg's white rice at 1-1/4 points, their brown rice at 3-1/2 points, and some rice pasta at 3 points. Servings for children have higher point values because of they weigh less.
The articles seem to have the same figures for arsenic concentrations in food, but disagree as to how bad that is for consumers.
Consumer Reports
Latest update: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/01/how-much-arsenic-is-in-your-rice/index.htm
Original Report: http://consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/11/arsenic-in-your-food/index.htm
European Food Safety Authority: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/1351.htm
United Kingdom: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120206100416/http://food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2009/may/arsenicinriceresearch
Report from Canadian Food Inspection Agency: https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?cid=E7B9C2EAB39D854C&resid=E7B9C2EAB39D854C!70853&app=WordPdf
(this is actually on my own cloud drive -- let me know if you run into an issue accessing it; it's also possible to have it emailed to you from the government.)
