Arsenic (As) exposure from surface and groundwater in Peru is being recognised as a potential threat but there are limited studies on As in the food-chain and none on As in Peruvian rice. In this study, we have determined the As content in rice cultivated in the Tumbes river basin located in the northern province of Peru, an area known for extensive rice cultivation. We collected rice and soil samples from agricultural fields, soil was collected using grid sampling technique while rice was collected from the heaps of harvested crop placed across the fields. The average total As concentration in rice was 167.94 ± 71 μg kg−1 (n = 29; range 68.39–345.31 μg kg−1). While the rice As levels were not highly elevated, the As content of few samples (n = 7) greater than 200 μg kg−1 could contribute negatively to human health upon chronic exposure. Average concentration of As in soil wa...