Achemicalthat’s banned for 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 inJournal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiologyand shared onNature.
Chlormequat is a chloride salt, according to theNational Library of Medicine, and is “registered for use onornamental plantsgrown in greenhouses and nurseries.”
However, it’s approved for use on edible plants in other countries — and in 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency allowed the importation of plants that had been treated with the chemical, theEnvironmental Working Groupreports.
“All our products adhere to all regulatory requirements,” said Mollie Wulff, a spokesperson for General Mills, which manufactures Cheerios. “Food safety is always our top priority at General Mills, and we take care to ensure our food is prepared and packaged in the safest way possible.”
Quaker Oats.Ramin Talaie/Bloomberg/Getty
Ramin Talaie/Bloomberg/Getty
“We detected the chemical in 92 percent of oat-based foods purchased in May 2023, including Quaker Oats and Cheerios,” a report from the EWG on the study says.
The list included regular Cheerios, Honey Nut 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.
A child eats Cheerios.Getty
Getty
The study also found the chemical in 80% of the urine of those tested — and since chlormequat leaves the body in about 24 hours, the EWG says “these findings also suggest regular exposure.”
In 2018, thecompanies responded to a reportthat found glyphosate, a controversial weed-killing pesticide that’s been linked to cancer, in their oat-based products.
“Our products are safe and without question they meet regulatory safety levels,” General Mills said in a statementtoFast Companyat the time. “The EPA has researched this issue and has set rules that we follow as do farmers who grow crops including wheat and oats. We continue to work closely with farmers, our suppliers and conservation organizations to minimize the use of pesticides on the crops and ingredients we use in our foods.”
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source: people.com
