What’s Your “Daily Value” of Glyphosate?

by Catherine J. Frompovich

Do readers know what glyphosate is? Or, what the Daily Value (DV) is? Are you aware that there are glyphosate residues present in almost every food or edible product U.S. consumers eat? However, as yet, there are no minimum or maximum Daily Values for dietary intake guidelines designated by the U.S. FDA or any other federal health agency for glyphosate—a toxic herbicide in foods—intake, as there are for “Guidance for Industry: A Food Labeling Guide (14. Appendix F: Calculate the Percent Daily Value for the Appropriate Nutrients).” Maybe there ought to be such guidelines, since U.S. consumers are eating glyphosate residues in incalculable amounts in just about 85 to 90 percent of all processed foods!

It is my understanding that no one’s figured out how much glyphosate we consume on a daily basis as yet.

Why should we know how much glyphosate we are ingesting?

Well, on March 20, 2015 the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) produced a monograph, “Evaluation of five organophosphate insecticides and herbicides,” wherein as a result of IARC’s research, the herbicide glyphosate [the major component in Monsanto’s Roundup®] has been “classified as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group A).”

According to IARC’s monograph,

For the herbicide glyphosate, there was limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The evidence in humans is from studies of exposures, mostly agricultural, in the USA, Canada, and Sweden published since 2001. In addition, there is convincing evidence that glyphosate also can cause cancer in laboratory animals. On the basis of tumours in mice, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) originally classified glyphosate as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group C) in 1985. After a re- evaluation of that mouse study, the US EPA changed its classification to evidence of non- carcinogenicity in humans (Group E) in 1991. The US EPA Scientific Advisory Panel noted that the re-evaluated glyphosate results were still significant using two statistical tests recommended in the IARC Preamble. The IARC Working Group that conducted the evaluation considered the significant findings from the US EPA report and several more recent positive results in concluding that there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. Glyphosate also caused DNA and chromosomal damage in human cells, although it gave negative results in tests using bacteria. One study in community residents reported increases in blood markers of chromosomal damage (micronuclei) after glyphosate formulations were sprayed nearby. [pg. 1] [CJF emphasis added]

And,

Glyphosate currently has the highest global production volume of all herbicides. The largest use worldwide is in agriculture. The agricultural use of glyphosate has increased sharply since the development of crops that have been genetically modified to make them resistant to glyphosate. Glyphosate is also used in forestry, urban, and home applications. Glyphosate has been detected in the air during spraying, in water, and in food. The general population is exposed primarily through residence near sprayed areas, home use, and diet, and the level that has been observed is generally low. [pg.2] [CJF emphasis added]

Question: So, how does glyphosate get into both human and animal diets?

Answer: As residues remaining on genetically modified food crops, then eaten as fresh food or prepared packaged foods, which typically have many other processing ingredients added that contain additional glyphosate residues from such staples as soy, corn, sugar beets, or canola oil. Those four crops, in some form, are ubiquitous in packaged foods. They are used for all sorts of production reasons from seasonings to taste enhancers to being components of food processing chemicals, additives and/or preservatives.

Just to give readers an idea of some other chemicals used in the manufacture of processed foods, I’ve included the Encyclopaedia Britannica’s “Food Additives/Food Processing” [1] in the Reference section at the end. Those chemicals add to, and compound, the total chemical loads found in processed food.

Genetically modified or genetically engineered food crops have the ability to withstand excessive applications of the herbicide Roundup®, especially since Monsanto’s Roundup Ready® GMO seeds allow crops to resist glyphosate, the toxic ingredient in Roundup, which is sprayed to kill weeds during growing season, but also sprayed on some cereal/grain/legume crops [wheat, feed barley, oats, canola, flax, peas, lentils, dry beans, and soy] at the end of their growing season, and before harvest, to act as a desiccant. [2, 8]

Keith Lewis, a wheat farmer, has this to say about preharvest glyphosate spraying:

I have been a wheat farmer for 50 yrs and one wheat production practice that is very common is applying the herbicide Roundup (glyposate) [sic] just prior to harvest. Roundup is licensed for preharvest weed control. Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup claims that application to plants at over 30% kernel moisture result in roundup uptake by the plant into the kernels.

Farmers like this practice because Roundup kills the wheat plant allowing an earlier harvest.

A wheat field often ripens unevenly, thus applying Roundup preharvest evens up the greener parts of the field with the more mature. The result is on the less mature areas Roundup is translocated into the kernels and eventually harvested as such.

This practice is not licensed. Farmers mistakenly call it “dessication.” [sic] Consumers eating products made from wheat flour are undoubtedly consuming minute amounts of Roundup. An interesting aside, malt barley which is made into beer is not acceptable in the marketplace if it has been sprayed with preharvest Roundup. Lentils and peas are not accepted in the market place if it was sprayed with preharvest roundup….. but wheat is ok.. This farming practice greatly concerns me and it should further concern consumers of wheat products. [7]

So, now you can understand the importance of purchasing organically-grown cereals, vegetables, grains, and produce—and all food in general. Animals that are sources of food – meats, dairy products, and eggs – are fed GMO grains and alfalfa, plus antibiotics, hormones, and growth enhancer chemicals in their feed, some of which ends up in you. Readers may want to check out organic animal feeds here.

Worldwide, 8 GMO crops have been approved for commercial production; soy, cotton, corn, canola, sugarbeet, papaya, squash or yellow zucchini, and alfalfa, and the biotech industry is in the process of pushing forward additionally modified foods such as rice, apples, and salmon. The four major crops that account for virtually all of the biotech output are soy, cotton, corn, and canola. The remaining GMO crops are exclusively grown in the United States with the exception being papaya which is grown in China in addition to US cultivation. Source

According to Grace Communications Foundation,

The use of low doses of antibiotics by the modern food animal industry is responsible for drug- resistant bacteria emerging on farms which reach the general population through human or animal carriers, and through the food consumers eat. [3]

However, in India, GMO crops have become an enormous agricultural problem, since “Indian Farmers are Committing Suicide because of Monsanto’s costly GMO crops.”

The London Daily Mail reported,

When Prince Charles claimed thousands of Indian farmers were killing themselves after using GM crops, he was branded a scaremonger. In fact, as this chilling dispatch reveals, it’s even WORSE than he feared. [4]

According to Global Research, “American Farmers Abandoning Genetically Modified Seeds: Non-GMO Crops are more Productive and Profitable,” since farmers realize they can get more money for conventionally-grown corn than for GMO corn!

Furthermore, herbicide use has increased 26 percent between 2001 and 2010 due to the spread of herbicide-resistant weeds. Also, there’s real concern that herbicides are killing off pollinator insects, especially bees. Genetic engineering agriculture also reduces the amount of bee forage plants. Here’s an interesting site about bees and GMOs.

So, how much glyphosate is sprayed on crop acreage? Well, “Understanding Glyphosate to Increase Performance,” Purdue Knowledge to Go (1-888-EXT-INFO) provides some information. Probably the exact glyphosate use is difficult to define since there are numerous parameters and measures involved, e.g., desired volume and the percentages of glyphosate [1/2%, 1%, 1 ½ %, 2%, 5%, and 10%], depending upon the number of gallons of water used as the carrier/spray.

According to Monsanto’s 2013 Annual Report, it had net sales totaling $14,861Million with net sales for GMO seeds and Genomics Segment coming in at $10,340Milllion. That Annual Report ended with this quotation, “The first essential component of social justice is adequate food for all mankind.” Adequate? Shouldn’t consumers expect healthful, nutritious, and not super-saturated with chemicals?

Basically, there are ten companies [5] that control the world’s seed supply. They include:

1. Monsanto, the largest producer in the world
2. Dupont Pioneer, U.S. company
3. Syngenta, a Swiss-based company
4. Groupe Limagrain, a French company
5. Land O’ Lakes
6. KWS AG, a German company
7. Bayer Crop Science, a German company
8. Sakata, a Japanese company
9. Takii, a Japanese company
10. DLF-Trifolium, a Danish company

Probably, savvy consumers already know that many of the organic brands are owned by big food processors, who want to get in on the “hot” organic food market and sales. Here’s who owns the organic brands:

Source: The Cornucopia Institute

If readers go to the Cornucopia website, then double click on the above chart that’s there, it should increase in clarity and readability.

The last issue I’d like to fly by readers is this: Do you believe the advertising spin about glyphosate that it’s harmless? Well, there is some concern that glyphosate and gluten intolerance are associated. Martin Michener, PhD, explains the relationship in “Gluten Intolerance and the Herbicide Glyphosate: A National Epidemic.” Several medical doctors have weighed in on the association with glyphosate and celiac disease [9], poor gastrointestinal health [10], and gastroparesis [11].

Additionally, I think a similar connection can be made regarding canola oil, since many people I know experience gastrointestinal distress after eating that highly-touted oil. The Cornucopia Institute’s “Gut-Wrenching: New Studies Reveal the Insidious Effects of Glyphosate” is something every person ought to read and seriously consider, I think. And, believe it or not, but glyphosate has been found in human urine! 

Wouldn’t it be ironic, though, if some federal health/food agency were to establish a Daily Value for glyphosate, since it’s apparently being used as if it were compost?

However and unbelievably, in 2013, the U.S. EPA increased the allowable limits of glyphosate in food crops from 200 ppm to 6,000 ppm—a 30-fold increase from its original allowable limits! [6] What does that tell you?

What’s in your food? Do you really want to know? Then, here’s a just-published-book, Altered Genes Twisted Truth: How the Venture to Genetically Engineer Our Food Has Subverted Science, Corrupted Government, and Systematically Deceived the Public. Please READ it!

References:

[1] http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/212615/food-additive/50533/Antimicrobials
[2] Preharvest Staging Guide
[3] http://www.sustainabletable.org/257/antibiotics
[4] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1082559/The-GM-genocide-Thousands-Indian-farmers-committing-suicide-using-genetically-modified-crops.html
[5] http://www.nationofchange.org/10-companies-controlling-world-s-seed-supply-1382363748
[6] http://rt.com/usa/monsanto-glyphosate-roundup-epa-483/
[7] http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/01/a-wheat-farmer-weighs-in-on-wheat-belly/
[8] http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2014/11/roundup-dumped-crops-right-harvest.html
[9] http://healthline.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/09/14/glyphosate-celiac-disease-connection.aspx
[10] http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2014/04/gastrointestinal-recovery-after-the-wheat-battle-is-won/
[11] http://www.bioportfolio.com/search/glyphosate-and-gastroparesis.html

Resources:

Antibiotic Resistance and The Case for Organic Meat and Poultry
http://www.thedoctorwillseeyounow.com/content/infections/art3435.html

Good Questions: Einkorn, Spelt, Emmer, Farro and Heirloom Wheat
http://nourishedkitchen.com/good-questions-einkorn-spelt-heirloom-wheat-ancient-grains/

By ‘Editing’ Plant Genes, Companies Avoid Regulation
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/02/business/energy-environment/a-gray-area-in-regulation-of-genetically-modified-crops.html?emc=edit_th_20150102&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=8115964&_r=0

Catherine retired from researching and writing, but felt compelled to write this article. 

Catherine J Frompovich (website) is a retired natural nutritionist who earned advanced degrees in Nutrition and Holistic Health Sciences, Certification in Orthomolecular Theory and Practice plus Paralegal Studies. Her work has been published in national and airline magazines since the early 1980s. Catherine authored numerous books on health issues along with co-authoring papers and monographs with physicians, nurses, and holistic healthcare professionals. She has been a consumer healthcare researcher 35 years and counting.

Two of Catherine’s more recent books on Amazon.com are Our Chemical Lives And The Hijacking Of Our DNA, A Probe Into What’s Probably Making Us Sick (2009) and Lord, How Can I Make It Through Grieving My Loss, An Inspirational Guide Through the Grieving Process (2008)