Study: 21 popular cereals found to have cancer-linked Roundup ingredient
New tests done by the Environmental Working Group have found 21 oat-based cereals and snack bars popular amongst children to have "troubling levels of glyphosate." The chemical, which is the active ingredient in the weed killer Roundup, can allegedly cause cancer.
The oat products tested were made by General Mills, including several Cheerios varieties and Nature Valley products. You can view the full list of test products here.
While EWG said it found the chemical to be in all of the reported cereal and snacks, 16 showed levels of glyphosate higher than 160 parts per billion, which is what scientists consider safe for children. Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch tested for the highest levels of the chemical at 833 parts per billion.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, however, has a much higher tolerance for glysphosate in crops, allowing levels ranging from 0.1 to 310 parts per million.
In an email to CBS News, General Mills said food safety is a top priority, and although "most crops grown in fields use some form of pesticides and trace amounts are found in the majority of food we all eat," they're looking to minimize the use of pesticides on the ingredients used in their products. They also cited the FDA and EPA's safe levels of glyphosate in food products and said they, and their farmers, all comply.
The major difference in tolerance all comes down to conflicting science. The World Health Organization has identified glyphosate as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" and a study published earlier this year showed that glyphosate raised the cancer risk of those exposed to it by 41 percent. However, others cite studies on agricultural workers who have worked with Roundup that found little to no correlation.
Glyphosate is most used as a weedkiller for genetically modified corn and soybeans. It's used on oats to kill the crop and dry it out so it's easier for harvesting.
EWG concludes its report by urging companies to find safer sources of oats. They write, "The only way to quickly remove this cancer-causing weedkiller from foods marketed to children is for companies like General Mills and Quaker to use oats from farmers who do not use glyphosate as a desiccant."
