Glyphosate is one of the most common herbicides in the world. It is the active ingredient in popular weed control products such as Roundup, cowboy and Pondermaster. Many farmers use it in food production.
The word is usually used in:
Fruit and vegetable crops.
Glyphosate-resistant crops such as canola, corn, cotton, soybeans, sugar beets and wheat.
Planting, lawns, greenhouses, aquatic plants and forest planting.
Exposure to glyphosate in your lawn and garden.
If you use glyphosate herbicides on your lawn or garden, you may be exposed to glyphosate by inhaling it, applying it to your skin, or getting it in your eyes. The risk rises if you do the following:
Eat or smoke after application. Do not wash your hands first.
Touch the plants that are still wet.
If you are exposed to the air, your eyes, skin, nose and throat may become irritated. If it gets into your eye, it may cause mild irritation or shallow corneal damage. If you swallow it, you may have increased saliva and a burning sensation and pain in your mouth and throat. It can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
In some cases, people who intentionally ingested products containing glyphosate have died.
To reduce the risk, wash your hands and remove your clothes after touching one of these products.
Exposure to glyphosate in food.
You may also be exposed to glyphosate in your food.
Many farmers use glyphosate products in their fields and orchards. They spray it on crops such as corn and soybeans that have been genetically modified to resist glyphosate, also known as genetically modified crops. They also spray it on non-GMO crops such as wheat, barley, oats and beans to dry out the crops so they can harvest them faster.
It gets into food early in the food chain, before raw food is harvested and processed.
Which foods contain glyphosate?
You may have heard in the news recently that oatmeal products such as oatmeal, cereal, granola bars, and fast food restaurants contain glyphosate.
In a report by scientists in California and the World Health Organization, 43 out of 45 oat products tested contained the disease. Popular breakfast foods, such as Quakers, old-fashioned oats and cheerleaders, have higher than average levels.
It is also found in grains and soy products such as pasta, buckwheat, barley, green beans, and chickpeas.
Some foods may surprise you, such as avocados, apples, blueberries, cherries, cucumbers, dates, dried peas, garlic, lemons, olives, peanuts, pomegranates, potatoes, rice, spinach, sugar cane, tobacco, tomatoes, and walnuts.
Is it in organic food?
To limit your exposure, buy organic products. Glyphosate is banned in organic agriculture. But that doesn't completely eliminate it. In a World Health Organization report, one-third of organic oat products tested contained trace amounts of glyphosate. But they are below levels associated with risk.
Glyphosate can drift from nearby fields onto conventionally grown crops, or during cross-contamination at processing facilities that handle non-organic crops.
Long-term health risks.
Short-term exposure to glyphosate is not something you need to worry too much about. Experts say it is less toxic than table salt. But its long-term risks could be a cause for concern. Scientists are divided on how big the risks involved are. Reports show conflicting results. Keep in mind that most of the research involved animals, not people:
Cancer. Some studies have suggested that glyphosate may be linked to cancer. Others believe there is no connection. This is a controversial topic. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans. In 2020, the EPA issued a statement saying glyphosate posed no risk to humans as long as it was used as directed. They also say it is unlikely to cause cancer in humans.
Liver and kidney damage. Glyphosate may affect your kidneys and liver. Studies have shown that dairy cows eating soy diets containing high levels of glyphosate are at higher risk of liver and kidney damage.
Reproductive and development issues. The EPA released a statement in 2020 saying there is no evidence that glyphosate interferes with the endocrine system or hormones in humans.
Risks to pregnant women and children. Some scientists worry that pregnant women and children may be at higher risk because children and developing fetuses may be more susceptible to carcinogens. But the EPA says there's no evidence that glyphosate is a developmental or reproductive toxin, so they don't feel they're at higher risk.
