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Manufacturers say their products are safe, but eWG report says the vast majority of foods tested – such as Honey Nut Cheerios and Quaker Simply Granola Oats – have glyphosate levels that may pose a cancer risk during a long-term consumption.
The environmental group says its lower threshold includes an extra buffer for children, because "early-life exposure can have greater effects on development later in life," said Dr. Alexis Temkin , chief scientist of the eWG report.
But manufacturers dispute this threshold. Quaker said in a statement that "the report of the electronic working group artificially creates a" security level "for glyphosate separate from those that have been established by responsible regulators for the purpose of making headlines."
General Mills, whose products are also cited in the report, argued that levels of glyphosate in its foods posed no risk to health. "The extremely low levels of pesticide residues cited in the latest reports are only a fraction of the amount allowed by the government," the company said in a statement to CNN.
"Consumers are regularly bombarded with alarming headlines, but rarely have the time to weigh information on their own," the company said. "We feel that it is an important context that consumers should be aware of when they are considering this topic."
A herbicide manufacturer sentenced to $ 78 million to a cancer victim
In August, a San Francisco jury ordered roundup maker Monsanto to pay $ 289 million in damages to a school gardener who claimed that the glyphosate herbicide caused his cancer. A judge confirmed the decision on Monday, but reduced Monsanto's payment to $ 78 million.
The pharmaceutical giant Bayer recently bought Monsanto and said in a statement that the company was considering appealing the court's decision. "Glyphosate herbicides have been used successfully and safely for more than 40 years in the world," the company said in a statement to CNN.
"There is much research on glyphosate and glyphosate herbicides, including more than 800 rigorous registration studies required by EPA, European regulators and others, who confirm that these products are safe when used in accordance with instructions. "
Dr. Chensheng Lu, badociate professor of biology of environmental exposure at T.H. Harvard. The Chan School of Public Health has championed the WHO group, calling it a "world renowned and renowned cancer research institute and research institute".
The EPA, on the other hand, "is a regulatory agency, and in many ways a political agency," he said. "By 2018, I would not consider the EPA's opinion on glyphosate as a fact."
Confusion reigns over cancer risk of glyphosate
According to Dr. Otis W. Brawley, Medical and Scientific Director of the American Cancer Society, findings as surprising as these are not uncommon in cancer research.
"The IARC, I think, is very, very reasonable in its evaluations," he said, "but the IARC will sometimes do an badessment that will not satisfy many of us."
"Some groups really want to alarm people and defend what is called the precautionary principle," Brawley said. "The precautionary principle, pushed to the extreme, means that you do not literally get up in the morning."
Brawley said that parents should instead ensure that their children eat fruits and vegetables and get the nutrition they need. More and more children "will definitely be suffering from inappropriate diets," he said, "rather than a small amount of glyphosate in their oatmeal."
How much glyphosate is too much?
Glyphosate can be introduced into processed foods after being used on farms producing oats. "Most crops grown in the fields use some form of pesticides and trace amounts are found in most of the foods we all eat," said General Mills in a statement.
"We continue to work closely with farmers, our suppliers and conservation organizations to minimize the use of pesticides on the ingredients we use in our food," the company said.
Nevertheless, some experts urge parents to be vigilant. "I think it's very important for people to realize how widespread glyphosate exposure is," said Dr. Sarah Evans, badistant professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine Icahn.
"I do not think people should become hysterical," she said, "but people must be really aware of where their food comes from and what goes into their food."
And when it comes to children, Lu of Harvard believes that parents should be cautious. "What's more scary?" He asked. "Choosing cereals between organic and conventional, or being told by your doctor that you or your children have cancer?"
"We are talking about cumulative exposure for life," she said. "But if you want to reduce your risk, we know that oats and organic cereals are a better option."
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