Trace amounts of a herbicide linked to cancer are showing up in dozens of popular breakfast cereals and snack bars, according to a report released Wednesday.
An analysis by the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) found trace amounts of glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, in 26 of the 28 products tested. One of their studies published earlier this year found similar results.
“The tests detected glyphosate in all 28 samples of products made with conventionally grown oats. All but two of the 28 samples had levels of glyphosate above EWG’s health benchmark,” the group said in the study.
Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup, is the most widely used herbicide in the country due to the widespread adoption of GMOs. According to the IARC, the herbicide has additional chemical ingredients that are “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
In August, a groundskeeper was awarded $78 million in damages after a jury found glyphosate was a significant cause of his terminal cancer. Hundreds of lawsuits followed.
“More than 800 scientific studies, the US EPA, the National Institutes of Health and regulators around the world have concluded that glyphosate is safe for use and does not cause cancer,” Monsanto said in a statement following the verdict.
In response to the latest study, Quaker and General Mills said their products were safe and there is no reason for concern.
“EWG report artificially creates a ‘safe level’ for glyphosate that is detached from those that have been established by responsible regulatory bodies in an effort to grab headlines,” Quaker said in a statement on Wednesday.
“I don’t think that people should become hysterical,” Sarah Evans, an assistant professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told CNN. “But people need to be really aware of where their food is coming from and what’s getting into their foods.”
Glyphosate was found in the following products:
- Quaker Simply Granola Oats, Honey & Almonds
- Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice
- Quaker Instant Oatmeal Apples & Cinnamon
- Quaker Real Medleys Super Grains Banana Walnut
- Quaker Overnight Oats Raisin Walnut & Honey Heaven
- Quaker Overnight Oats Unsweetened with Chia Seeds
- Quaker Oatmeal Squares Brown Sugar
- Quaker Oatmeal Squares Honey Nut
- Apple Cinnamon Cheerios
- Very Berry Cheerios
- Chocolate Cheerios
- Frosted Cheerios
- Fruity Cheerios
- Honey Nut Cheerios
- Cheerios Oat Crunch Cinnamon
- Quaker Chewy S’mores
- Quaker Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip
- Quaker Breakfast Squares Soft Baked Bars Peanut Butter
- Quaker Breakfast Flats Crispy Snack Bars Cranberry Almond