Weed killing chemicals have once again shown up in several popular food products, including Cheerios and Oreos—this time in Canada.
A study commissioned by a group called Environmental Defence Canada found glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide sold under the name Roundup, in many products. This comes just one month after an advocacy group in the U.S. released a test showing the chemical was found in some foods domestically as well.
Traces of glyphosate were found in a variety of foods sold in Canada, including Kraft Dinner Original macaroni and cheese, Ritz Original crackers, President’s Choice tortillas, two brands of hummus, breakfast cereals like General Mills’ Cheerios, and Kellogg’s Froot Loops.
Only four of the 18 products tested did not contain the chemical. The levels found in the tests, it’s important to note, were all far below levels deemed safe by the Canadian government.
Some advocates are concerned, though, because the herbicide has been linked to cancer by both the World Health Organization and California state scientists. Bayer, which bought Roundup manufacturer Monsanto in June, insisted to Canadian media CTV News that glyphosate, the most widely used weed killer in the world, poses no health risks.
Similarly, all of the manufacturers of the affected products emphasized the safety of their products and told CTV News said they stand behind them unequivocally.
Quaker, in an earlier statement to Fortune when glyphosate was found in U.S. foods, said “We proudly stand by the safety and quality of our Quaker products,” the company replied in a statement. “Quaker does not add glyphosate during any part of the milling process. Glyphosate is commonly used by farmers across the industry who apply it pre-harvest.”
Credit: http://fortune.com