How Much Glyphosate Is Allowed in Food?

Glyphosate is one of the most common pesticides in the United States and is used in agriculture to maintain our food supply.

Glyphosate exposure has been known to affect human health negatively, so there is a limit on the number of pesticide residues allowed in food crops.

Schmidt and Clark is one of the most recognized law firms in the United States, with experienced lawyers to help you pursue your case.

We have spent months researching the allowable levels of Glyphosate in food to allow you to make the safest food choices and reduce unwanted exposure. 

Quick Summary

• The Glyphosate detection residue level limit is 0.1 to 400 parts per million established by the Environmental Protection Agency.
• The FDA developed a specific method to evaluate Glyphosate residues in food. 
•  Crop resistance has led to increased use of Glyphosate over the years.
• Avoid foods containing Glyphosate by buying foods with Glyphosate free labels or organic foods.
• Foods high in Glyphosate include almonds, sweet potatoes, quinoa, carrots, beets, and more.

How Much Glyphosate Is Allowed in Our Food?

Glyphosate levels of 0.1 to 400 parts per million are allowed in our food, established by the Environmental Protection Agency for many foods, including corn, wheat flour, grains, fruits and vegetables, soybeans, and more [1]. 

Who Controls and Enforces These Levels?

The FDA enforces these levels in the United States.

In Europe, the European Food Safety Authority is responsible for Glyphosate levels regulation, while in Canada, it is the job of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Related Article: Glyphosate Lawsuit Update

How The FDA Monitors Glyphosate Levels In Food?

In 2016, the FDA developed a selective residue method for testing glyphosate residues, and from 2016 to 2017, the FDA began testing soybeans, corn, milk, and eggs for residues. In 2018, the FDA expanded to testing other foods.

How Did The FDA Develop A Specific Method To Test Glyphosate In Food?

FDA scientists researched various methods to develop a selective residue method explicitly designed to analyze herbicide Glyphosate residue in food using state-of-the-art technologies.

After the technique was implemented, the FDA validated the technology by testing various food types.

The validation results demonstrated the method’s effectiveness in measuring Glyphosate in food [2].

Why Do Farmers Use Glyphosate?

Farmers began using Glyphosate to make life easier on the farm and kill off weeds that could threaten crop growth.

After years of use of this chemical herbicide, crop resistance led to increased use of Glyphosate.

Usage increased from 36 million kilograms in 2000 to 113.4 million in 2014.

Between 1974 and 2004, around 1.6 billion kilograms were used in the United States [3].  

Farmers have also started to use Glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant to force their crops to ripen early [4]. This has become common for crops like oats, beans, wheat, and barley.

How Glyphosate Use Affects Crop Quality?

Glyphosate use affects crop quality by having lower germination rates and decreased root growth. There is also evidence that Glyphosate affects the quality of organic crops.

Using Glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant is extremely dangerous because the crops are harvested quickly after spraying the toxic chemicals, leading to higher Glyphosate contamination of these crops [5].

How to Avoid Glyphosate in Food Products

One of the easiest ways to avoid Glyphosate toxicity in food is to look for a Glyphosate residue-free label.

However, the rollout of these labels with food manufacturers is slow [6]. 

Your next best option is to buy organic.

Buying certified organic will reduce the risk of environmental contamination with Glyphosate and other toxic chemicals [7].

Which Foods Have the Most Glyphosate?

Certain foods have higher concentrations of Glyphosate than others.

The foods that have the highest Glyphosate levels include [8]:

• Almonds
• Carrots
• Quinoa
• Soy 
• Vegetable Oil
• Corn
• Corn Oil
• Canola Oil
• Beets
• Sweet Potatoes

Reasons for the Recall of Glyphosate

There has been no recall of Glyphosate to date.

However, research has linked Glyphosate consumption to several cancers, including non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

In a 2019 study, researchers determined that high exposure to Glyphosate increased the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma by 41 percent [9].

Glyphosate also causes other adverse health effects like skin or eye irritation, dermatitis, liver and kidney damage, arrhythmia, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and more [10].

“Scientists now know enough about the long-term effects of ingesting these powerful chemicals to advise we minimize our consumption of pesticides.”
-David Andrews, Senior Scientist, Environmental Working Group

What Is the Burden of Proof for a Glyphosate Claim?

If you have experienced health issues associated with Glyphosate, then you may have a strong reason for a product liability lawsuit against Bayer.

Bayer may be liable for your illness through residue exposure by not labeling foods containing Glyphosate to be damaging to human health.

To hold the company accountable, you need to prove some key elements.

1. First, you must prove a history of exposure to Glyphosate through food products. This can be proven through food receipts, medical bills, or other documentation. A lawyer can help you link the foods you’ve been exposed to with Glyphosate.    
2. Second, you will need medical proof of a diagnosis of any of the cancers that Glyphosate causes or any other health issues that may be linked to Glyphosate.
3. Third, you will need an expert witness or scientific proof that links Glyphosate to your cancer or adverse health effects.

Average Settlement

The average lawsuit settles for $5,000 to $250,000.

As of 2020, Bayer paid out a global settlement with thousands of plaintiffs and paid over $10 billion in compensation to settle cancer lawsuits and lawsuits for other adverse health effects [11]. 

Related Articles:

• Foods That Are High in Glyphosate
• Which Cereal Has Glyphosate in It?
• How Does Glyphosate Cause Lymphoma?

See all related toxic tort lawsuits our lawyers covered so far.

FAQs

Is Glyphosate Destroyed By Cooking?

Glyphosate is not destroyed by cooking. Residues cannot be washed off or eradicated from foods [12].

Does Glyphosate Stay In Food?

Yes, Glyphosate stays in food. Residues can be found in produce, meat, or packaged food products.

How Can I Reduce Glyphosate In My Body?

You can reduce Glyphosate in your body by switching to an all-organic diet. In just six days, the level of the chemical in your body will be drastically reduced [13].

Get a Free Lawsuit Evaluation with Our Attorneys

The Product Liability Litigation Group at Schmidt & Clark, LLP is an experienced team of lawyers representing plaintiffs in Bayer lawsuits. We handle individuals’ litigations nationwide in all 50 states.

If you or a family member has experienced adverse health issues after being exposed to Glyphosate residues through food, contact us immediately for a free lawsuit evaluation.

You may have cause to file a lawsuit against Bayer, and our law firm can help.

Our lawyers can help you with evidence collection, providing expert witnesses, and linking Glyphosate to any adverse health effects you have experienced.

References:

1. https://misuse.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/error/abuse.shtml
2.  https://www.fda.gov/food/pesticides/questions-and-answers-glyphosate
3. https://www.mygenefood.com/blog/why-glyphosate-is-dangerous-and-how-to-avoid-eating-it/
4. https://www.ecowatch.com/roundup-cancer-1882187755.html
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6105236/
6. https://www.betternutrition.com/ask-the-nutritionist/glyphosate-in-foods/
7. https://www.ehn.org/glyphosate-organic-food-2646939278.html
8. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/06/the-weedkiller-in-our-food-is-killing-us
9. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1383574218300887
10. https://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/3139.pdf
11. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/24/business/roundup-settlement-lawsuits.html
12. https://www.betternutrition.com/ask-the-nutritionist/glyphosate-in-foods/
13. https://www.consumerreports.org/organic-foods/reduce-exposure-to-glyphosate-by-eating-organic/