summary:
Hijiki seaweed has been found to contains arsenic - make sure when you are
eating seaweed, that it's not this type (Hijiki).

-------------------------

CONSUMER ADVISORY - INORGANIC ARSENIC AND HIJIKI SEAWEED CONSUMPTION
November 5, 2001

OTTAWA -- Based on health risk information received from Health Canada,
the Canadian cooking.net">food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is advising consumers to avoid
consumption of hijiki seaweed. Tests results have indicated that levels of
inorganic arsenic were significantly higher than in other types of
seaweed. Hijiki is one of several types of seaweed that are imported to
Canada for human consumption. Most hijiki seaweed is sold at the wholesale
and restaurant levels.

Hijiki seaweed is normally eaten with other foods such as vegetables or
fish. It may be added to foods that have been steamed, boiled, marinated
in soya sauce or fish sauce, cooked in oil, or added to soup. Hijiki
seaweed may also be mixed in with rice for sushi, but is not used as a
wrap to prepare sushi.

Consumption of only a small amount of hijiki seaweed could result in an
intake of inorganic arsenic that exceeds the tolerable daily intake for
this substance. Therefore, consumption of this type of seaweed is to be
avoided. Although no known illnesses have been associated with consuming
hijiki seaweed to date, inorganic arsenic is suspected of causing cancer
in humans and exposure to high levels of inorganic arsenic has been linked
with gastrointestinal effects, anemia and liver damage. People who follow
a macrobiotic diet that often includes large amounts of seaweed may be at
greater risk.

ARSENIC

Arsenic is a semi?metallic element that occurs in nature mainly in
combination with other minerals. The average arsenic concentration in the
soil is two parts per million (ppm), but it may be present in higher
concentrations in some ores. The concentration of arsenic in sea water may
be between two and four{*filter*} parts per billion (ppb). Trace levels of
arsenic occur naturally in air, cooking.net">food and water. Exposure from these low
levels is not a health concern. Nevertheless, it would be prudent to
minimize exposure to inorganic arsenic whenever possible. Arsenic
compounds may enter the environment through sources such as pesticide
manufacturing, smelter and industrial operations, burning fossil fuel or
cigarette smoke.

ARSENIC IN SEAWEED - ORGANIC VERSUS INORGANIC

Not all forms of arsenic are associated with serious health concerns.
Organic arsenic, the less toxic form, is commonly found in most seaweed
and other marine foods. Exposure to organic arsenic from most seaweed and
other marine foods has not been associated with human illness, therefore
organic arsenic from these sources is considered to be relatively
non-toxic.

Inorganic arsenic compounds are relatively toxic. Sample results have
shown that hijiki seaweed is high in inorganic arsenic. Sample results for
several other sea vegetables, including dulse, nori, kombu have been low.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S ROLE

The CFIA, Health Canada, and cooking.net">food safety authorities in other countries
where sea vegetables make up a significant portion of the diet, share
information on test results and guidelines for inorganic arsenic. All
appropriate action will be taken to protect the health of Canadian
consumers*.

*Note: this came from a Canadian publication, cooking.net">food Safety Net, November 5,
2001 issue:
http://www.***.com/

Healthwire is a FREE subscriber-only newsletter. If you were forwarded
this tidbit and would like to sign up, it's as simple as sending an
e-mail.

To subscribe, send an email to:

See previous news at:
http://www.***.com/
-----------------------------------------

The problem is the chemical analysis method used to analyze content of
the semimetal arsene (most called arsenic in US, which is also the
popular name of arsenic oxide) In all seaweeds, enormous amount of
organic arsenicals are always present, but these are more or less
non-toxic. The problem is that all known analytical procedures used to
find the concentratnion converts all these organic arsenicals into
arsenic oxide and we cannot therefor decide whether the original
compound is arsenic oxide or some organic arsenicals.

Journalists do not know the difference and ignore those facts in hope
to make people scared as hell and read the newspaper to get more
information.

(In Norway journalists do not know the difference btw. oxygen ('syre'
in Swedish, 'oksygen' in Norwegian) and acids ('syra' in Sweden and
'syre' in Norwegian) and I doubt seriously that any journalists in any
countries has any kind of understanding of chemistry.

Interesting article...especially since I'm "big" on the seaweed.   I've
learned that "where" the seaplant is harvested from is extremely important..
Sea Veggies (as I call them) absorb all the nutrients/compounds in the
seawater they grow in.  This makes it an excellent source of vitamins and
minerals...especially if what I recently heard is true..."Seawater is  most
like our own body fluids" (I have no idea if that's true or not....I'd like
to think it is.)   Unfortunately these nutrient rich plants also absorb
toxins...... like radioactive  residues or heavy metals that are found in
the water.  The more industrialized the area is...the more likely you are to
have a seaweed containing harmful stuff.   So in addition to this
information....I'd say, make sure you know where your sea veggies are coming
from!
Thanks again for this post and the link...
Cher

  Let Freedom Ring!
            \o/
  God Bless America

I didn't know this - thanks for the clarification. I'm going to look into
this.

Holly (for Healthwire)

:>summary:
:>Hijiki seaweed has been found to contains arsenic - make sure when you are
:>eating seaweed, that it's not this type (Hijiki).

: The problem is the chemical analysis method used to analyze content of
: the semimetal arsene (most called arsenic in US, which is also the
: popular name of arsenic oxide) In all seaweeds, enormous amount of
: organic arsenicals are always present, but these are more or less
: non-toxic. The problem is that all known analytical procedures used to
: find the concentratnion converts all these organic arsenicals into
: arsenic oxide and we cannot therefor decide whether the original
: compound is arsenic oxide or some organic arsenicals.

: Journalists do not know the difference and ignore those facts in hope
: to make people scared as hell and read the newspaper to get more
: information.

: (In Norway journalists do not know the difference btw. oxygen ('syre'
: in Swedish, 'oksygen' in Norwegian) and acids ('syra' in Sweden and
: 'syre' in Norwegian) and I doubt seriously that any journalists in any
: countries has any kind of understanding of chemistry.

Rubbish it is easy to distinguish the two forms of arsenic in seaweed.
Most commercial labs only do total arsenic as the preparation
procedure is used for determining most other element.
A different preparation procedure is used for organic arsenc.
Email me if you want the general procedure.

Bob Molony
Analytical Chemist

The problem is that newspapers almost always refer to the total
arsenic analysis, not to a differentiated analysis that is rather
seldom done, except in humans who tests positive for enormous amounts
of arsenic when having ingested some seafood or seaweed.

It always makes huge titles in newspapers, but in the end it turns out
to be false alarm due to the mixup journalists do. They are not
interested at all to know the truth because truth about arsenica in
seafood do not sell newspapers. The total arsenic count do sell
because only chemists know the difference.

Jules....
    Actually I don't use the "raw" product....I get my "seaweed" in a
bottle....It's a liquid dietary supplement, and seems much simpler than
trying to work with the actual  plant..
    I've been told that brown seaweeds, (though extremely high in
nutrients), aren't so tasty, and one would have to eat it quite regularly to
reap the nutritional benefits...(I don't know how true that is, just what
I've heard)........
    I actually have seen some sights with recipes, but I don't believe I
saved any of them.  Should I run across any of them again, I'll pass it on
to you..
    Sorry I wasn't of more help and sorry that my post was a bit
misleading....

         Cher
 Let Freedom Ring!
            \o/
  God Bless America