\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nGlyphosate in Food<\/h3>\n
More studies are coming to light about the levels of Glyphosate in common foods. The Food and Drug Administration usually doesn’t test for this chemical because of the cost level associated with it. However, Canada’s Food Inspection Agency did \u00a0<\/span>extensive testing in 2015 and found very high levels of this herbicide in the food it tested. They examined 3,188 food samples, and they compared their findings to the Glyphosate Maximum Residue Limit (MRL). The results of those tests are listed below.<\/p>\n\n- Baby Cereals. They tested 82 samples of baby cereals. They detected glyphosate in 31.7 percent of samples. No samples exceeded the MRL.<\/li>\n
- Baby Food. They tested 127 samples of baby food. They found glyphosate in 30.7 percent of samples. No samples exceeded the MRL.<\/li>\n
- Bean\/Lentil\/Pea Products. They tested 869 bean\/lentil\/pea products and found glyphosate in 47.4 percent of samples. Only 0.6 percent were over the MRL.<\/li>\n
- Grain Products. They tested 869 grain products and found glyphosate in 36.6 percent of samples. 3.9 percent of samples had residues above the MRL.<\/li>\n
- Juice and Beverages. They tested 496 drink and juice samples. Around 16 percent of samples had residues, and 0.2 percent exceeded the MRL.<\/li>\n
- Soy Products. They tested 263 soy products. Glyphosate was detected in 11 percent of samples. No samples exceeded the MRL.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Overall, Glyphosate was found 29.7 percent of the time in the 3,188 food samples that were tested. Only 1.3 percent of samples were above the MRLs. However, this is still a troubling finding. If Glyphosate does contribute to cancer, you want to avoid as much exposure as possible to reduce your risk of developing this disease. Glyphosate in food, even in small levels can have long term consequences on everyone who eats these food items.<\/p>\n
Government Agency Standpoints<\/h3>\n
Glyphosate continues to be a raging debate among global government agencies. As the testing of the toxicity of this herbicide does not have conclusive findings, agencies are divided.<\/p>\n
\n- California Environmental Protection Agency.<\/strong> \u00a0<\/span>The California Environmental Protection Agency announced in early 2017 that they were thinking of adding Glyphosate to its list of possible cancer causing agents. As of July 2017, it was added to the list with the warning that is it known in the state of California to cause cancer.<\/li>\n
- European Chemicals Agency.<\/strong> \u00a0<\/span>In March 2017 the European Chemicals Agency announced that people who come into contact with Glyphosate on a regular basis should exercise caution. It is currently listed as a chemical that is capable of causing severe eye damage, and it is also deadly to aquatic animals and environments.<\/li>\n
- International Agency for Research on Cancer.<\/strong>The International Agency for Research on Cancer listed Glyphosate as a probable carcinogenic to humans in 2015. They only had limited evidence to go on, and they haven’t updated since 2015. However, their listing Glyphosate as a probably carcinogenic was enough to start several lawsuits across the United States.<\/li>\n
- US Environmental Protection Agency.<\/strong> \u00a0<\/span>The US Environmental Protection Agency hasn’t done a full review on Glyphosate since 1993, but those findings listed this herbicide as noncarcinogenic with a very low toxicity level. In 2015 they did a review of the original 1993 findings and ruled that it was still a noncarcinogenic herbicide.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The world is taking notice of Glyphosate and the possible side effects of long term exposure. More people are becoming concerned with the reports that this herbicide can be dangerous and it’s being found in everyday food items. This boosts the exposure level and puts people at a higher risk for potential problems or issues later on in their lives. Glyphosate continues to be one of the most popular herbicide chemicals across the globe, but the perception is slowly changing.<\/p>\n