Report: Cheerios, Nature Valley Products Among Breakfast Foods Still Contaminated By Weed Killer

(CNN) — Several popular breakfast foods, including Cheerios and Nature Valley products, continue to test positive for trace amounts of a controversial herbicide that may increase the risk of cancer, according to a report released Wednesday by an environmental advocacy group. The Environmental Working Group, which has links to the organics industry, found that all 21 of the products it tested had levels of glyphosate that were “higher than what EWG scientists consider protective for children’s health.” Manufacturers maintain that their foods are safe, and the findings aren’t unprecedented: The group also found in October that most of the breakfast cereals it tested contained glyphosate, the main ingredient in the weed killer Roundup. The new report follows two prominent legal verdicts that determined the herbicide caused cancer in plaintiffs. Juries say glyphosate causes cancer, award billions A federal jury unanimously determined in March that Roundup was a “substantial factor” in causing a California man’s cancer. And last month, California jurors ordered the manufacturer, Monsanto, to pay over $2 billion to a couple who said long-term exposure to the product caused their cancers. The latter verdict is being appealed, but about 11,000 similar cases are pending in state and federal courts. Pharmaceutical giant Bayer AG, which now owns Monsanto, maintains that its product is safe. A spokeswoman for the company’s crop scienc...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health News CNN Source Type: news