Roundup Weed Killer Ingredient Found in Cheerios

CBS News and others are reporting your bowl of General Mills breakfast cereal or breakfast snacks could have a major ingredient of Roundup weed killer in it and could cause cancer. More than 20 cereals and snacks made of oats have tested positive for traces of glyphosate.

What is glyphosate? It's what makes Roundup work at killing everything (and some, like the World Health Organisation, say it could cause cancer*). 

A study was done by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) of 21 products made by General Mills. They include six kinds of Cheerios and 14 Nature Valley snacks (you know, the granola bars).

EWG said the tests found glyphosate levels above what it considers safe for children in all but four of the products.

The two highest levels of glyphosate were detected in Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch and Cheerios, at 833 parts per billion and 729 parts per billion, respectively, the group said. It considers anything over 160 parts per billion to be unsafe for children. (CBS News)

That sounds alarming, but the Environmental Protection Agency says glyphosate is safe from .1 to 310 parts per million. 

EWG says these four are OK for kids.

• Honey Nut Cheerios
• Nature Valley Fruit & Nut Chewy Trail Mix Granola Bars, Dark Chocolate & Nut
• Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut granola bars, Cashew
• Nature Valley Soft-Baked Oatmeal Squares, Cinnamon Brown Sugar

*Does the stuff cause cancer? THIS story from last year tells the tale of politics entering the picture, so it gets kinda blurry.

?

Listen to James Rabe 6a to 10a on Y-105 FM