Glyphosate Now Found to Contaminate Most Popular Western Foods

November 16, 2016December 12, 2018GMO

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A recent lab analysis found a startling amount of Monsanto’s weedkiller in common consumer goods.

Around 29 popular American foods were tested by an FDA registered laboratory commissioned by Food Democracy Now! in conjunction with The Detox Project. The Detox Project is gaining access to newer technology to test glyphosate levels in humans, food and soil. This article will explain how an herbicide (literally means “kill plants”) can end up in non-GMO food ingredients.

Levels in food found in the recent analysis measured between 289.47 ppb and at levels as high as 1,125.3 ppb. NYR Natural News points out that ultra low levels of glyphosate, e.g. 0.1 parts per billions (ppb), can cause harm to human health. One study even showed that glyphosate causes breast cancer in parts per trillion.

NYR Natural News reports:

Food with high levels of glyphosate include General Mills’ Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Raisin Bran and Frosted Flakes and PepsiCo’s Doritos Cool Ranch, Ritz Crackers and Stacy’s Simply Naked Pita Chips, as well as many more famous products at levels that present significant risks according to the latest independent peer-reviewed science on glyphosate.

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Glyphosate is the world’s most widely used herbicide. It is the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup but appears in many products on the horticultural market since Monsanto no longer holds the patent. In 2015, the World Health Organization’s IARC declared that glyphosate – the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup – was a “probable human carcinogen” and it was recently verified that it alters DNA in a very damaging way.

HuffPo explains the amounts of glyphosate found in the food samples:

The tests conducted by Anresco were done on 29 foods commonly found on grocery store shelves. Glyphosate residues were found in General Mills’ Cheerios at 1,125.3 parts per billion (ppb), in Kashi soft-baked oatmeal dark chocolate cookies at 275.57 ppb, and in Ritz Crackers at 270.24 ppb, according to the report. Different levels were found in Kellogg’s Special K cereal, Triscuit Crackers and several other products. The report noted that for some of the findings, the amounts were “rough estimates at best and may not represent an accurate representation of the sample.” The food companies did not respond to a request for comment.

The EPA sets a “maximum residue limit” (MRL), also known as a tolerance, for pesticide residues on food commodities, like corn and soybeans. MRLs for glyphosate vary depending upon the commodity. Finished food products like those tested at Anresco might contain ingredients from many different commodities.

Whereas the FDA found glyphosate in honey samples across the U.S. – it is now acting ineffectually and appears befuddled.

EcoWatch explains the FDA’s weird timing,

The announcement of the private tests comes as the FDA is struggling with its own efforts to analyze how much of the herbicide residues might be present in certain foods. Though the FDA routinely tests foods for other pesticide residues, it never tested for glyphosate until this year. However, the testing for glyphosate residues was suspended last week.

How is Glyphosate Winding Up in Non-GMO Foods, Too?

At this point, the reader might wonder how an herbicide not meant for human consumption winds up in non-GMO foods like oatmeal food products, beer and honey – even organic honey. After all, the whole idea behind “Roundup Ready” genetically engineered crops is spraying the crops with Roundup without killing the entire crop – only the pesky weeds. Roundup kills weeds and pretty much any plant not genetically engineered to withstand it.

Here are two ways:

Desiccation – many grain crops are soaked in the herbicide to quicken drying and preservation at harvest time. Unbeknownst to the public, oats are desiccated, so even if they are non-GMO, oats are unfortunately a source of highly toxic herbicide. Other crops that are desiccated include wheat, barley, lentils and other legumes, corn, chickpeas and more!

Pollinator Transporation – how could glyphosate wind up in honey? Glyphosate in pollen hitchhikes on bees and eventually ends up in their food supply and ours. It would be incredibly difficult to make sure that organic honey is 100% free of glyphosate since it is nearly impossible to control the environment and behavior of bees.

This news highlights the importance of buying organic food to keep herbicides out of your body. As you can see, non-GMO doesn’t quite cut it because you could be consuming untold amounts of endocrine-disrupting and cancer-causing chemicals.