Popular Breakfast Cereals Contain Trace Amounts Of Pesticides

Young boy eating from bowl

A new study found traces amounts of the controversial chemical glyphosate in 21 different oat-based products made by General Mills. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested samples from six versions of Cheerios, along with Nature Valley granola bars and other breakfast snacks, and found traces of the weedkiller on all of them. Glyphosate has been at the center of recent lawsuits over claims it causes cancer.

The EWG says that all but four of the products they tested contained levels of glyphosate higher than what they deem safe for children. Their scientists consider anything over 160 parts per billion (ppb) to be unsafe for children. At that level, eating two cups of cereal would put you over the benchmark for daily glyphosate exposure.

The four products that were within the EWG's safe levels were Honey Nut Cheerios, Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut granola bars in Cashew, Nature Valley Soft-Baked Oatmeal Squares in Cinnamon Brown Sugar and Nature Valley Fruit & Nut Chewy Trail Mix Granola Bars in Dark Chocolate & Nut.

The highest levels of glyphosate were found in Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch, which had 833 ppb, and Cheerios, which contained 729 ppb.

The glyphosate levels in all 21 products fall well under the threshold set by the Food and Drug Administration, which ranges between 0.1 to 310 parts per million.

Photo: Getty Images


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