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ConsumerLab.com Answers
Is Glyphosate Weed Killer in Foods and Supplements Toxic?
Question:
How concerned should I be about glyphosate in foods and supplements?
Answer:
Products that contain more than 1,100 micrograms (mcg) of the
herbicide glyphosate per daily serving will, starting July 2018, be
required to have a label warning if sold in California, which has
applied a fairly strict limit based on current science. However it
seems unlikely that any food products exceed this limit, as explained
below. The label will warn the product contains a chemical known to
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. This level
of exposure is estimated to pose a 1 in 100,000 lifetime risk of
cancer, as determined by the International Agency for Research on
Cancer part of the World Health Organization. However, as discussed
below, it seems unlikely that any food product will exceed this limit.
In contrast, the European Food Safety Authority concluded that
glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic hazard (and that it does
not have endocrine disrupting properties) but set a maximum acceptable
daily intake limit based on reproductive toxicity shown in animal
studies. The limit in Europe is currently set at 0.5 milligrams (or
500 mcg) of glyphosate daily per kilogram of body weight, which works
out to about 34 milligrams, or 34,000 mcg, for a 150 lb person. The
U.S. daily limit, set by the Environmental Protection Agency, is 3.5
times as high Europe's, although some have called for lower limit.
Glyphosate is the synthetic chemical in RoundUp herbicide, designed to
kill weeds around plants that have been genetically altered to
withstand it, such as genetically modified (GMO) soybeans and corn. It
is also sprayed on many types of conventional crops such as wheat,
oats, and barley prior to harvest as a drying agent and to even-out
maturity. A USDA study in 2012 found that it was also commonly used on
cherries, avocados, apples, lemons, grapefruit, peanuts, pecans, and
walnuts
(https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-pJR4cGo9ckdHpFUmFGUWQzZDQ/view). Glyphosate
is also found in processed foods containing these ingredients cannot
be removed by washing, cooking, or baking. It can remain stable in
food for a year or more.
Independent testing commissioned by the advocacy organization Food
Democracy Now! and reported in November 2016 showed the concentrations
of glyphosate in popular foods. The highest level was 1,125.3 ppb (or
1.1253 mcg per gram) in Original Cheerios. Based on this, a suggested
serving of 28 grams of Original Cheerios would contain 32 mcg of
glyphosate. This is much lower than California's 1,100 mcg warning
level limit and far from the European daily intake limit of about
34,000 mcg for a 150 lb adult. Other breakfast cereals, such as Corn
Flakes, Raisin Bran, Special K, and Wheaties contained less than
one-tenth the amount in Original Cheerios. Although one might expect
organic foods to be devoid of glyphosate, Food Democracy Now! actually
found a higher concentration (119 ppb) of glyphosate in 365 Organic
Golden Round Crackers than in most cereals, and even Kashi Organic
Promise cereal contained glyphosate at 25 ppb, possibly due to
cross-contamination of ingredients. The report notes that "...even
organic farmers are having their crops/ our food contaminated."
The relatively high concentration of glyphosate in Original Cheerios
is due to its main ingredient: whole grain oats. Independent testing
shown in a 2016 presentation by and FDA scientist (see slide 30)found
a similar level of glyphosate in other oat cereals, such as instant
oatmeal packets, steel-cut oats, and infant oat cereal, although there
was no detectable glyphosate in the organic oats it tested from Bob's
Red Mill, 365 Whole Foods, Sprout, or Nature's Path.
It's possible that dietary supplements containing grains, soy, fruits,
and whole food supplements could contain glyphosate, as could
supplements with other ingredients that are cross- contaminated with
glyphosate from other sources. Again, however, it would be highly
unlikely that the amount of glyphosate would exceed established safe
limits, particularly as serving sizes for supplements are typically
smaller than that of foods.
The bottom line: Glyphosate safe or unsafe?
Glyphosate is known to cause reproductive toxicity bases on animal
models, and it may possibly be a carcinogen -- although there is
dispute about this. However, at standard serving sizes (and even
several times those sizes) even foods with the highest known
concentrations of glyphosate, such as conventionally grown oats,
appear to contain amounts of glyphosate far below those that pose a
safety risk or require any type of warning. However, if you are
concerned, glyphosate can be largely avoided by choosing
organically-grown foods. However, be aware that some "organic"
processed foods, such as cereals, will contain glyphosate, likely due
to cross-contamination of ingredients.
When evaluating reports on glyphosate, it is important to distinguish
between the concentration in a product, typically in ppb (1,000 ppb =
1 mcg per gram), and how much you would consume, i.e., the
concentration times the grams in a serving.
Also see ConsumerLab.com's Oat Cereals Review, which compares amounts
of ochratoxin A (a potential carcinogen and kidney toxin) and gluten
in popular products. Glyphosate was not tested in the Review, which
was conducted prior to the classification of glyphosate as a probable
carcinogen in the U.S., but levels would likely be similar to those
reported above.
Joe Salkowitz