Weed-Killer Chemical Glyphosate Linked To Cancer Found in Children's Cereal, Oats, Snack Bars

[appalachiablue]

"Weed-killing chemical linked to cancer found in some children's breakfast foods," CBS News, Aug. 15, 2018.

A new report found glyphosate, a weed-killing chemical that some health authorities link to cancer, in a number of popular breakfast foods and cereals marketed to children.

The study by the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) discovered trace amounts of the most widely used herbicide in the country in oats, granolas and snack bars. Thirty-one out of 45 tested products had levels higher than what some scientists consider safe for children. Recently, some scientists, doctors and activists around the world have worked to keep glyphosate out of crops due to concerns that it is a dangerous carcinogen.

"We're very concerned that consumers are eating more glyphosate than they know," said Scott Faber, vice president of government affairs at EWG. He has been working to improve food safety standards for more than a decade. He said he and his team at EWG had a lab test involving "45 samples of products made with conventionally grown oats" and found glyphosate – the active ingredient in the Monsanto weed-killer Roundup – in all but two.

"I was shocked," said Dr. Jennifer Lowry, who heads the Council on Environmental Health for the American Academy of Pediatrics. "We don't know a lot about the effects of glyphosate on children," Lowry said. "And essentially we're just throwing it at them."
EWG used its own, more stringent standards to conclude that products with excessive levels of the herbicide included Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, Cheerios, Quaker Dinosaur Egg Instant Oats, Great Value Instant Oats, and Back to Nature Classic Granola. Glyphosate was even found in a few organic products, though most had non-detectable levels.

The World Health Organization says glyphosate is a "probable carcinogen," and California lists it as a chemical "known to the state to cause cancer." Monsanto disputes that, saying in a statement, "glyphosate does not cause cancer" and "has a more than 40-year history of safe use." - More, https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/weed-killing-chemical-linked-to-cancer-found-in-some-childrens-breakfast-foods/ar-BBLXq1z

Also, https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2018/08/roundup-monsanto-glyphosate-cheerios-quaker-oats-cancer/

[ZZenith]

1. Because you know it's coming -

“I've known probably, thousands of Ph.D. chemists in my lifetime. I've certainly lost count. Frankly, some of them are the most brilliant people in the world, but on the other hand, there are a surprisingly large fraction who have shit for brains and don't know shit from shinola. “ - NNadir

[magicarpet]

2. trDump EPA,.. So What,... What's the big deal,..

... we are only talking about poisoning children here. Profit and capitalism are superseding issues, those are the things we must focus on and really matter. Do you realize how many workers the large agro-chemical industry keeps gainfully employed and receiving a weekly pay check ? If tens of thousands of kids get cancer,... that is not that big a deal,.. besides most of those kids are likely on welfare. Profitability of trans-national industry is our first and foremost concern.

[appalachiablue]

3. I hear you, the greed & sickness continue, like the justifications.

[Nitram]

9. I'm curious, magicarpet, can you share a link to a study that found children poisoned by glyphosate?

There is a great deal of hyperbole in anti-glyphosate screeds. The herbicide has been widely used for 25 years. Where are the hundreds of millions of cases of cancer caused by glyphosate? I'm not saying glyphosate is harmless, I'm just going by the vast majority of the scientific literature on the subject, which either finds glyphosate is harmless when applied as directed, or at worst, inconclusive.

The article states "Thirty-one out of 45 tested products had levels higher than what some scientists consider safe for children. Recently, some scientists, doctors and activists around the world have worked to keep glyphosate out of crops due to concerns that it is a dangerous carcinogen."

Notice the use of the word "some," which means the scientific community has not yet accepted that glyphosate residues in food are carcinogenic. There would be glory, prestige, and a lucrative job waiting for the scientist who succeeds in saving the world from cancer caused by glyphosate if research conclusively demonstrated that glyphosate residues are carcinogenic in food. So far, no one has been able to produce evidence that the scientific community finds convincing. Compare that to global warming and you will understand what I'm talking about in terms of what is scientific and what is not.

[lunasun]

4. Imo a good choice

https://www.naturespath.com/en-us/blog/the-relationship-between-organic-food-pesticides-and-health/

https://www.naturespath.com/en-us/products/?fwp_categories=snacks

[appalachiablue]

5. Thanks for the organics info. Organophosphate pesticides are

so dangerous and one of them was recently re-approved for use I think, from a post here probably.

The sad truth- From Nature's Path, Healthy Choices: "Pesticide Exposure: What We Know, Most research about the health risks associated with pesticides focuses on direct exposure, either from occupational association with the chemical compound (such as agricultural work), or passive exposure through the environment (such as residents living near a conventional farm who get exposure via drift).

Long-term direct exposure to synthetic pesticides is associated with diseases like cancer and Parkinson’s, as well as chronic symptoms such as nausea, headaches, rashes, or even depression and anxiety. Children are at a particularly high risk for chronic diseases or developmental disabilities, especially when exposed to pesticides in utero."

[lunasun]

6. They have a lot of good kids stuff but too many have too much sugar imo however some

have none added

[LakeSuperiorView]

7. Glyphosate is a organophosphorus herbicide, not a pesticide.

Arguments against pesticides are irrelevant in a discussion on glyphosate. I'm not saying it is safe, just that it is not a pesticide.

[Nitram]

10. Lake, I believe the term "pesticide" is now widely used to denote any product used to manage a

harmful plant or animal in agriculture. It used to be used only for managing harmful animals, including insects.

[appalachiablue]

11. CDC Report. All toxic chemicals used in agriculture should be discussed.

>"Organophosphate insecticides (such as diazinon) are one type of pesticide..."
>"All organophosphates have a common mechanism of toxicity and can cause similar symptoms in humans who have too much exposure"

CDC, Cancer Clusters, Environmental Hazards & Health Effects

What are organophosphates?
Organophosphates are a group of human-made chemicals that poison insects and mammals. Organophosphates are the most widely used insecticides today. They are used in agriculture, the home, gardens, andveterinary practice.

Organophosphate insecticides (such as diazinon) are one type of pesticide that works by damaging an enzyme in the body called acetylcholinesterase. This enzyme is critical for controlling nerve signals in the body. The damage to this enzyme kills pests and may cause unwanted side effects in exposed humans.

All organophosphates have a common mechanism of toxicity and can cause similar symptoms in humans who have too much exposure.

Urine samples from participants in the Churchill County leukemia studywere analyzed for organophosphate insecticides and their breakdownproducts (metabolites). The metabolites are not toxic, but show that exposure to organophosphates occurred in the few days before testing. Linking some of these metabolites to a specific, original organophosphatecompound is not possible without additional information. Even though anorganophosphate or its metabolites in a person indicates exposure, it doesnot necessarily show the person will become sick.

In our study of leukemia in children, levels of two organophosphatemetabolites were high:
◾3,5,6-Trichloro-2-pyridinol, a metabolite of chlorpyrifos
◾Diethylthiophosphate, a metabolite of numerous organophosphates such as diazinon

What happens to organophosphates when they enter the environment?
◾Because organophosphates are often sprayed on crops and plants, small particles of the chemical may be carried away from the field or yard before falling to the ground.
◾After organophosphates are applied, they may be present in the soil, surface waters, and on the surface of the plants. They can move through the soil and contaminate ground water.
◾Rain can wash organophosphates on soil and plant surfaces into surface waters.
◾Organophosphates are rapidly broken down into other chemicals so they do not build up in the environment.
◾Organophosphates are not likely to build up to high or dangerous levels in animal or plant foods that you might eat.

How can people be exposed to organophosphates?
◾By working for companies that make or apply organophosphates.
◾By ingesting (eating or drinking) or breathing them or by getting them in your eyes or on your skin.
◾By touching contaminated soils or contaminated runoff water or ground water.
◾Eating contaminated food and skin contact during home application are the main sources of exposure.

More, https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/clusters/Fallon/organophosfaq.htm#what

[SunSeeker]

8. Kashi has none, but Cheerios has some of the highest concentrations!

Here's a list of the cereals tested and the results:
https://www.ewg.org/childrenshealth/glyphosateincereal/

[appalachiablue]

12. Thanks much for the info.