Does selenium-enriched rice from health food stores also contain toxic metals?

What's actually in it

Selenium-enriched rice is sold as a health food, promoted for its antioxidant and immune-boosting properties. Selenium is an essential mineral, and rice grown in selenium-rich soil absorbs more of it. But the same soil chemistry that concentrates selenium can also concentrate arsenic, cadmium, lead, and chromium. The rice plant doesn't distinguish between helpful and harmful elements.

Health-conscious shoppers may be paying extra for rice that delivers both a benefit and a hidden risk.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Food Chem tested commercial selenium-enriched rice products from Chinese markets for both selenium and toxic elements. The results were mixed.

Many products did contain high selenium levels as advertised. But some also had elevated arsenic and cadmium. In a few samples, the toxic element levels were high enough that eating the rice daily could push intake above safety thresholds.

The co-occurrence was not random. Rice grown in areas with naturally high selenium often sits in soil that's also rich in other elements. Without careful testing, producers can't guarantee that their selenium-rich rice is also low in arsenic.

If you buy selenium-enriched rice, look for brands that test and report levels of both selenium and toxic metals. You can also get selenium from Brazil nuts, eggs, and seafood without the arsenic baggage that rice carries.