- Chlormequat — a chemical linked to reproductive and fertility problems in animal studies — has been found in oat-based products such as Cheerios and Quaker Oats.
- The chemical is banned for use on edible plants in the United States, but in 2018 the Environmental Protection Agency began allowing imports of plants treated with chlormequat.
- “All of our products comply with all regulatory requirements,” said Mollie Wulff, a spokeswoman for General Mills, which makes Cheerios. Quaker Foods said in a statement: “At Quaker, we stand behind the safety and quality of our products.”
A chemical banned from use on edible plants in the United States has been found in Cheerios and Quaker Oats — and 80% of Americans have been exposed to it, according to a new study in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology and shared at Nature.
Chlormequat is a chloride salt, according to the National Library of Medicine, and is “registered for use on ornamental plants grown in greenhouses and nurseries.”
However, it is approved for use on edible plants in other countries — and in 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency allowed the importation of plants treated with the chemical, the Environmental Working Group reports.
“All of our products comply with all regulatory requirements,” said Mollie Wulff, a spokeswoman for General Mills, which makes Cheerios. “Food safety is always our top priority at General Mills, and we make sure our food is prepared and packaged in the safest way possible.”
When contacted by PEOPLE, Quaker Foods responded: “At Quaker, we stand behind the safety and quality of our products. We have a comprehensive food safety management system in place. We follow all regulatory guidelines to ensure the safest and highest quality products for our consumers.”
Quaker oats.
Ramin Talaie/Bloomberg/Getty
In animal studies published by the National Library of Medicine, chlormequat has been linked to reduced fertility and “reproductive problems,” delayed puberty and effects on embryonic growth, and “even has negative effects on postnatal health.”
“We detected the chemical in 92 percent of oat-based foods purchased in May 2023, including Quaker Oats and Cheerios,” EWG said in a report on the study.
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The list includes regular Cheerios, Honey Cheerios, Cheerios Oat Crunch Oats n’ Honey and Frosted Cheerios.
Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, Quaker Instant Oatmeal Maple & Brown Sugar and oat-based bars like Quaker Chewy Dark Chocolate Chunk also contained the chemical.
Both brands are popular with children, and Cheerios says “moms consider them to be the first finger food.” Quaker says on their site “Oats are great for toddlers and young children being introduced to solids”.
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A child eats Cheerios.
Getty
The study also found the chemical in 80% of the urine tested — and since chlormequat leaves the body in about 24 hours, the EWG says “these findings also suggest regular exposure.”
In 2018, the companies responded to a report that found glyphosate, a controversial weed-killing pesticide linked to cancer, in their oat-based products.
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“Our products are safe and without a doubt meet regulatory safety levels,” General Mills said in a statement to Fast company in that time. “The EPA has investigated this issue and set rules that we follow as well as farmers who grow crops, including wheat and oats. We continue to work closely with farmers, our suppliers and conservation organizations to reduce the use of pesticides on the crops and ingredients we use in our food.”
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Quaker Oats also responded to the claims at the time, saying they “proudly stand behind the safety and quality” of their products, adding that they “do not add glyphosate during any part of the milling process.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education