The Environmental Protection Agency is considering allowing U.S. farmers to use a controversial chemical found in Cheerios and Quaker oats, but the agency last week issued a safety warning for the explosive Despite saying he was “considering” the study, the Post reported.
Last week, a nonprofit called the Environmental Working Group released the results of a study. study The report found that 4 out of 5 Americans tested positive for chlormequat chloride, a little-known chemical that can reduce fertility and kill unborn babies. It has been linked to developmental changes and delayed puberty.
“EPA is reviewing this study,” U.S. officials said in a statement to the Post.
But the EPA confirmed that it is also considering whether to allow U.S. farmers to begin using chlormequat. So far, the chemical is increasingly being found in breakfast staples like Cheerios and Quaker Oats, industry officials say, because oats grown on farms in Canada where chlormequat is allowed. The main reason is that it is made from wheat.
Last year, in response to an application filed by chlormequat manufacturer Taminco, the EPA issued a proposal to allow U.S. farmers to use the chemical. According to the company, the grain stands upright and is easier to harvest, increasing yields.
The EPA said it is “currently considering” public comments, which it began soliciting last April, and will make a decision “in the second half of 2024.”
EPA is also considering whether to increase the amount of chlormequat allowed in imported oats.
The Center for Food Safety and the American Academy of Pediatrics were among the groups urging the EPA to continue restricting chlormequat, which expressed concerns about child safety in a May 25 letter.
“AAP believes that EPA’s proposed decision to approve the requested allowance for chlormequat on food crops would have an adverse impact on the health and welfare of infants and children,” the group wrote.
Chlormequat has been used in the U.S. food supply since 2018, when the EPA allowed its use in imported oats, wheat, barley and some animal products, and its use has expanded in recent years, according to EWG. It is said that there is
The agency announced last year that it had “evaluated whether exposure to this product would cause unreasonable adverse effects on human health and the environment” and concluded that there was “no risk of concern.”
The agency also said that “the dose that EPA has determined to protect against chronic dietary exposure is one-fiftieth the dose at which reproductive effects are commonly seen.”
EWG, whose study was published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, said the EPA’s study is an important “chlormequat toxicity study in pigs and rodents, particularly in animals showing the effects of chlormequat on the male reproductive system and animal growth.” ” was overlooked. developing fetus. ”
General Mills did not respond to a request for comment.
PepsiCo, which owns Quaker Oats, says, “At Quaker, we stand behind the safety and quality of our products. We have a comprehensive food safety management system in place. We comply with all regulatory guidelines and We ensure the safest and highest quality products for our consumers.”
Bob’s Red Mill, known for its naturally gluten-free certified grain products, says, “Chlormequat is permitted for use in conventional oat growing applications in the United States and Canada, and oats from these farms are We have confirmed that the residual limit is 40 parts per grain.” 1 million pieces of chlormecoat. ”
Bob’s Red Mill went on to stress that its oats are organic and that “chlormequat is not approved for use in organic agricultural applications.”
“At Bob’s Red Mill, we do not use chlormequat in our products,” a company spokesperson said.
The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates the food supply, deferred the matter to the EPA, the agency said in a statement to the Post.
“EPA evaluates pesticides to ensure that they are safe for human health and the environment when used according to label instructions. EPA also evaluates pesticides that may be present in foods, including evaluating risk assessments to consumers.” Establish tolerance ranges for each type of pesticide.
EWG has been studying the chemical’s presence in the United States since 2017, when it began testing urine samples from 96 Americans.
According to EWG, the amount of chlormequat found in these subjects increased from 69% in 2017 to 90% in 2023.
John Stanton, dean of St. Joseph’s School of Food, Drugs and Healthcare, said he was skeptical of the study’s results, noting the number of participants was not a “robust” sampling.
“I’m not going to risk my life on a study that involved 96 people,” Stanton told the Post. “He said 96 people are enough to get a reliable sample, but will it be enough to change the diets of millions of people?”
Stanton suggested that the findings “need to be investigated a little more closely.”
Steve Johnson, a consultant with Foodservice Solutions, told the newspaper that pesticides can also be found in organic products. This is because there is no uniform national definition of what qualifies as organic, and each state has its own definition.
“Some states will sometimes make exceptions for the use of pesticides if something is widespread. They’ll let farmers spray but still label organic material.” Mr. Johnson said. “That’s the problem with organics.”
Additionally, companies selling pesticides frequently change their formulations to improve their products.
“They may want a product that kills grass and repels certain insects,” Johnson says. “But when they do that, there are new consequences.”
