New food recall in Italian supermarkets. This time it concerns Conad brand Carnaroli rice, withdrawn as a precaution due to the presence of cadmium beyond the limits permitted by European legislation. The measure affects two batches sold in 1 kg packs and produced by the Curti company.
The recall was triggered after internal checks that highlighted excessively high concentrations of this heavy metal, a substance that can accumulate in the body over time and represent a health risk.
The batches involved in the recall
These are the specifications of the recalled product:
The rice was produced in the Curti factory in Valle Lomellina, in the province of Pavia.
Anyone who has purchased this product should carefully check the batch and expiry date shown on the packaging. If they coincide with those indicated in the warning, the advice is not to consume the rice and return it to the point of sale where it was purchased. Conad has specified that it will be possible to obtain a replacement of the product or a refund.
What is cadmium and why is it a concern
Cadmium is a heavy metal present in the environment both due to natural causes and due to industrial and agricultural pollution. It can accumulate in the soil and thus reach foods, especially cereals, rice, leafy vegetables, potatoes and some fish products.
The main problem is that our body tends to eliminate it very slowly. Prolonged exposure over time can therefore favor accumulation, especially in the kidneys, with possible negative effects also on the bones.
According to the European Food Safety Authority, there is a tolerable weekly dose of cadmium that should not be exceeded, set at 2.5 micrograms per kilo of body weight. This does not mean that occasional consumption of the recalled product automatically causes immediate consequences, but that it is important to limit overall exposure to this substance in your daily diet.
In recent years, the issue of cadmium in foods has come back to the center of attention several times, especially with regard to rice, cereals and dark chocolate, foods that can significantly contribute to the intake of this contaminant.
Rice is one of the most monitored crops for the presence of heavy metals because it grows in flooded soil, conditions that can facilitate the absorption of contaminants from the soil. For this reason, periodic checks are carried out by both companies and health authorities.
In cases like this, the recall is ordered as a precaution to prevent non-compliant products from continuing to be consumed.
